President Trump has warned three Central American countries that if they allow anyone to pass through their country to enter the U.S. illegally that America will cease all foreign aid payments to them.
In two tweets late Tuesday, Trump said that Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador have been put on alert that "all payments made to them will STOP (END)!" if the countries allow people passage on their way to the U.S.-Mexico border with the intention to enter the country illegally.
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We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018
Mexico mobilized hundreds of their federal officers to their southern border to prevent the passage of a 2,000-person caravan from Honduras that had plans to travel through Mexico to the U.S.
In a follow-up tweet, Trump said that "anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained" before being deported to their country of origin.
Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018
President Trump specifically mentioned those three countries, leaving it unclear if Mexico had received the same threat.