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Activist group under fire over migrant caravan at the border

An activist group that escorted thousands of Central Americans to the U.S. border is under fire from allies and some of the migrants themselves, who complain the organization misled them about the risks and the hurdles

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2018 file photo, migrant activist Irineo Mujica, center, of the group Pueblo Sin Fronteras or People Without Borders, holds a megaphone as a Central American migrant speak to reporters during a press conference in Tapachula, Mexico. The activist group that escorted thousands of Central Americans to the U.S. border is under fire from allies and some of the migrants themselves. They say the organization downplayed the dangers of the trek and misled them about how long they would have to wait around to apply for asylum. Pueblo Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders, is defending itself, saying the migrants made their own decision to press on toward the United States. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2018 file photo, migrant activist Irineo Mujica, center, of the group Pueblo Sin Fronteras or People Without Borders, holds a megaphone as a Central American migrant speak to reporters during a press conference in Tapachula, Mexico. The activist group that escorted thousands of Central Americans to the U.S. border is under fire from allies and some of the migrants themselves. They say the organization downplayed the dangers of the trek and misled them about how long they would have to wait around to apply for asylum. Pueblo Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders, is defending itself, saying the migrants made their own decision to press on toward the United States. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)Read moreMoises Castillo / AP
    by ELLIOT SPAGAT and JULIE WATSON, AP_pmn_online
    Published 

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — The Central American migrant caravan that became a key midterm campaign issue received helped from a group of activists that's now coming under criticism from former allies and some of the immigrants themselves.

Pueblo Sin Fronteras rejects the criticism that it misled participants about how long they would have to wait on the Mexican side to apply for asylum. Organizers say their commitment was protecting the immigrants and giving them as much information as possible about the trek from Central America to the U.S.

Thousands of caravan members are now in Tijuana waiting to get into the U.S.

Pueblo Sin Fronteras played an essential role: It helped charter the route, arrange bus transportation and negotiate with Mexican officials to provide protection. It also raised more than $46,000 online for emergency housing and food.