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New Mexico politicians, troops grapple with migrant caravan

Published:Thursday | October 25, 2018 | 12:00 AM
AP
Honduras migrants walk to the US as they approach Zacapa, about 70 miles northeast of Guatemala City, on Wednesday, October 24. This new group of a few hundred Honduran migrants is behind the first group that has swelled to thousands and is currently traveling through Mexico.

 

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP): Concerns about an approaching northbound migrant caravan in Mexico are permeating campaigns for governor, Congress and U.S. Senate in the border state of New Mexico.

President Donald Trump has targeted the caravan to highlight his hardline immigrant policies. New Mexico has 188 National Guard and Air Guard troops at the border in response to the president's request in April for reinforcements.

On Wednesday, incumbent Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich accused the president of fear-mongering and stoking an immigration crisis by proposing to cut off aid to countries whose residents are walking northward.

Republican Senate candidate Mick Rich is accusing his opponents in a three-way race of supporting open borders.

Libertarian contender Gary Johnson asks, "What's the emergency?"

He wants safe and humane procedures for accepting immigration and asylum applications.