PIJIJIAPAN, Mexico — For two weeks, throngs of people have trudged north, crossing first from Honduras into Guatemala and then on to Mexico, bound for the United States border. They have spent nights in sprawling makeshift camps or in churches and schools, washing their clothes in rivers and relying on donations from locals.

As their numbers grew into the thousands, so did attention to their journey, first making news locally and then internationally, as President Trump and Republican politicians took aim.

The conversation about the migrant caravan has been characterized by misinformation at times, some of which has spread widely. Here are some important things to know about the group’s origin, who is involved and where it is headed.

How many people are traveling with the group and who are they?

The United Nations refugee agency, which has helped coordinate relief efforts, said as many as 7,000 people have traveled with the caravan. Unicef estimates at least 2,300 children are among the group.