Immigration October 22, 2018

The GOP Circus Caravan

CIUDAD HIDALGO, MEXICO - OCTOBER 21: A migrant caravan, which has grown into the thousands, walks into the interior of Mexico after crossing the Guatemalan border on October 21, 2018 near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico The caravan of Central Americans plans to eventually reach the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to cancel the recent trade deal with Mexico and withhold aid to Central American countries if the caravan isn't stopped before reaching the U.S. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

We are so tempted to ignore this, but to ignore is to acquiesce. Donald Trump continues to peddle fear on the backs of people so desperate they’re willing to walk a thousand miles for a better life.

Sadly, it looks like Mexico’s Police and Military are unable to stop the Caravan heading to the Southern Border of the United States. Criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in. I have alerted Border Patrol and Military that this is a National Emergy. Must change laws!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2018

The mighty migrant caravan has made its way into Mexico, and by some estimates, grown to as many as seven thousand people.

Migrant caravan grows as it continues push toward the United States. https://t.co/CVK0gMOHqH pic.twitter.com/1mLOcGUS5z

— Slate (@Slate) October 22, 2018

But is this a national emergency? Does Trump have proof of “unknown middle easterners” marching along with the migrants? GOP Senator Jeff Flake knows what this is really about.

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake on Trump’s tweet claiming “unknown Middle Easterners” are “mixed in” with the migrant caravan: “No, that’s long been pretty much a canard and a fear tactic… These… are people who are either fleeing violence or looking for a better life" #CITIZENCNN pic.twitter.com/PagwvTmJ1C

— CNN (@CNN) October 22, 2018

It wasn’t a national emergency in September when 41,400 migrants crossed, or in August when 37,544 came to this country, but two weeks before the election, with Fox News covering it like the Roman invasion, it’s time to motivate the base! And nothing sells like fear.

Migrant caravan grows to 7,000 as it heads toward the U.S. border https://t.co/UUtlyjbgd9 pic.twitter.com/fHYCHmBkMj

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 22, 2018

It’s more than a thousand miles from Guatemala’s border with Mexico to the Texas border, so if this continues to be a walk, it will take weeks to get to the United States, a long time for Trump to exaggerate the numbers and turn this into a made-for-tv event. Maybe he’ll call it the Million Migrant March.