Some members of migrant caravan allowed to apply for asylum
U.S. border inspectors begin to process asylum-seekers from migrant caravan; William La Jeunesse reports from Tijuana, Mexico.
At least 28 members of the controversial immigrant "caravan" which traveled to the U.S. from Central America have been processed to apply for asylum, officials said.
Six members from two different families were processed Tuesday at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, California, a spokesperson for Pueblo Sin Fronteras said. Eight members of the caravan were previously allowed to apply for asylum.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials told Fox News Tuesday evening that 28 asylum-seekers have now been processed. Border patrol initially said the registration site was “at capacity,” but a few members of the group were admitted Monday night into the port of entry.
The federal agency has not confirmed how many were being interviewed by asylum officers.
The caravan, which at times grew to more than 1,000 people, began winding its way toward the U.S. on March 25 and eventually incurred the wrath of the U.S. president, who repeatedly tweeted that it was an gross example of lax immigration laws.
Their arrival at the border, which included several demonstrations, set up a potential showdown between members of the group and the U.S.
On Tuesday, about 140 migrants were still waiting in Mexico to turn themselves in at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing, the nation's busiest, said Alex Mensing, project organizer for Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which is leading the caravan.
MEMBERS OF MIGRANT CARAVAN REMAIN DEFIANT AFTER US AGAIN DENIES BORDER ENTRY
"The spirits are high, there was good news for everybody," Mensing said on the Mexican side of the crossing, moments after learning that some were allowed in.
Asylum-seekers are typically held up to three days at the border and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If they pass initial screenings by asylum officers, they may be detained or released with ankle monitors while their cases wind through immigration court, which can take years.
Nearly 80 percent of asylum-seekers passed the initial screening from October through December, but few are likely to win asylum.
On Monday, the Department of Justice filed complaints against 11 suspected members of the caravan.
Most of the defendants allegedly entered the U.S. illegally, which is a misdemeanor. One defendant is accused of having entered the U.S. after having previously been deported, which is a felony.
Fox News' Nicole Darrah and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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