OnPolitics Today: 'We are not criminals — we are migrants'

FROM WASHINGTON AND BEYOND

Wednesday, October 17

A caravan of more than 1,500 Honduran migrants moves north after crossing the border from Honduras into Guatemala on Oct. 15, 2018 in Esquipulas, Guatemala.

'We are not criminals - we are migrants'

Today's quote: A nurse, Umana, to the Associated Press as she traveled in a U.S.-bound 'caravan' of refugees fleeing violence and poverty in Honduras.

A caravan of 4,000 refugees moved toward the U.S. while President Donald Trump tried to smooth things over with Saudi Arabia and asked his Cabinet members to tighten their belts.

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4,000 Hondurans move toward the U.S.

Mexico sent two Boeing jets filled with police officers to its southern border with Guatemala on Wednesday to halt a group of roughly 4,000 migrants bound for the United States. The caravan set out last week from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a city with one of the highest murder rates in the world. In response, Trump tweeted threats at Central American nations whom he held responsible for stopping the caravan. Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador were told that failure to secure their borders would mean "all payments made to them will STOP (END)!" Trump said Tuesday.

In the caravan, Umana, a nurse who said she had been walking four days, spoke to AP: "We are not criminals - we are migrants."

Tweet of the day

A tweet from @RepSpeier.

@RepSpeier / Twitter

"Trump thinks because his uncle was an MIT engineering prof 45 yrs ago he has a 'natural instinct for science.' That's like saying my uncle flew planes so I can land this 747 jumbo jet." - Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat, on Trump's claim that he had " a natural instinct for science" while casting doubt on the reality o fclimate change in an interview with the Associated Press.

As details get more disturbing, Trump vows to stick by Saudi Arabia

A pro-government Turkish newspaper published a lurid account Wednesday of what it said was the slaying of journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudi who cut Khashoggi's body up was advised to put on earphones and listen to music, according to Yeni Safak, which cited government security sources. The execution lasted seven minutes, the newspaper said. That same day, Trump vowed America's long-standing alliance with Saudi Arabia would survive the disappearance. Some in Congress doubt that.

Elsewhere in politics

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•	Melania lands in Philly after 'mechanical issue' on plane
•	Beto O'Rourke goes after Cruz as 'Lyin' Ted' at debate