Ben Carson says there's a 'positive aspect' to the migrant caravan

Ben Carson.
(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson completely understands why thousands of migrants are walking from Central America to the United States.

While speaking to conservative lawmakers at an American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) gathering on Thursday, Carson said the U.S. is an "amazing country. I mean, where else in the world do you see caravans of people trying to get into the country? Sometimes we should maybe look at the positive aspects of some of the things going on." President Trump doesn't have the same stance; he's said the migrant caravans headed to the U.S. are filled with criminals and gang members, and he sent troops down to the southern border.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.