At least fourteen members of the controversial immigrant "caravan" who traveled to the U.S. from Central America have been allowed to apply for
asylum, according to organizers.
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 initially said the registration site was “at capacity.” But a few members of the group were admitted Monday night into the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
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.
"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.