MATIAS ROMERO, Mexico (AP) President Donald Trumps angry comments about a caravan of migrants ricochet around like a soccer ball in the dusty athletic complex in southern Mexico where the 1,000 or so Central Americans have camped since the weekend.
Trumps words have confused and befuddled families here, some of whom never intended on going all the way to the United States after the end of the Stations of the Cross caravan. It is a symbolic event held around Easter each year to raise awareness about the plight of migrants and has never left southern Mexico, though some participants then continue north on their own.
Even coordinators of the caravan seemed to misunderstand the debate in the U.S. when Trump endorsed a nuclear option for pushing funding for his border wall through Congress. They told worried families Tuesday that the U.S. president had floated the idea of using a nuclear weapon against the caravan of mostly women and children who have fled violence in Central America.
The Mexican government said in a statement late Tuesday that its immigration policy is not subject to pressure, but noted the caravan began to disperse by decision of the participants.
It said 465 migrants had asked for transit visas and 230 had received them, and another 168 were likely to get some sort of visa to stay in Mexico.
Caravan organizers said the Mexican government had not pressured them, and that they are continuing with plans to hold a migrants rights symposium this week and wind up with a visit to Mexico City.
