The United Nations’ International Migrants Day arrives this year amid a controversial crackdown on immigration across the US-Mexico border and Donald Trump's push to build a wall along it.

The president has threatened to shut down the federal government if lawmakers don’t provide $5bn for his campaign promise of building the wall. Meanwhile, caravans with thousands of asylum-seekers have found themselves in limbo just outside of the nation’s borders.

Thousands of migrants have also been detained by US authorities after crossing into the country, many of those seeking asylum from violence, gangs, starvation and persecution in Latin American countries.

Their plight has become a focus for progressive lawmakers and activists alike, who argue the US has not done enough to support economic stability and quality of life in Mexico, Central America and South America.

Below are just a few ways to support refugees and asylum-seekers travelling with the migrant caravans.

Donate

There are an entire slate of human rights and migrant advocacy groups travelling with the caravans throughout Latin America, providing resources and humanitarian aid to those making the arduous journeys.

UNICEF has partnered with the Mexican government to provide hygienic and sanitation necessities to the caravans crossing through the country. The organisation is also reportedly providing psychosocial support and training required for local authorities to better assist children.

Save the Children has also launched a Border Crisis Children’s Relief Fund that provides legal counsel and family reunification services to those who may have been separated from their loved ones, along with other emergency services.

Amnesty International Americas has also been monitoring the caravans and the overall health and safety of the thousands of migrants who have been making their way towards the US. The organisation is also working with local authorities on how they can better respond to the influx of migrants.

Volunteer

In many cases, migrants seeking asylum are admitted into the country and dropped off at bus stations with no clear direction or assistance from the US government towards reaching their next steps.

Groups like RAICES and the Interfaith Welcome Coalition visit those buses every week, supplying thousands of migrants with emergency resources and preparing them for the next chapter of their lives.

Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Show all 30 1 /30 Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Members of the caravan of Central American migrants climb the border wall in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico EPA Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border US Border Patrol agents seen through the concertina wire where the border meets the Pacific Ocean AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Central American migrants pray at a temporary shelter in Tijuana AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Darwin, a 12 year old migrant boy from Honduras, looks out from under a tarp while taking refuge at a shelter in Tijuana Reuters Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Central American migrants line up for a meal at a shelter in Tijuana AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Angel, a 13-year-old migrant from Honduras looks towards the United States past the border fence in Tijuana Reuters Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Members of the LGBTQ community -who split from a caravan of Central American migrants heading to the US- arrive at the Diversidad Migrante (Migrant Diversity) NGO headquarters, which they will use as shelter, in Tijuana AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border US military personell install barbed wire fences to stop the passage of Central American migrants EPA Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Young Honduran migrant Daniel Gamez waits with his family in a line for a meal after arriving with the Central America migrant caravan in Tijuana AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Two women, one carrying a child, walk north after crossing illegally into the United States as a Border Patrol agent moves in to detain them AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border epa07165763 People who are part of the first migrant caravan from Honduras start arriving at the border, in Tijuana, Mexico, 14 November 2018. The first migrant caravan advances through the northwest of Mexico as the US has reinforced its military presence at the border. EPA/Joebeth Terriquez Joebeth Terriquez EPA Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A child looks out the window of a bus upon its arrival at a temporary shelter in Tijuana AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Migrants from Honduras dry their clothes in the sand after washing off in the Pacific Ocean AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Central American migrants at a temporary shelter near the US-Mexico border AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border US police agents stand guard near the US-Mexico border fence AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A migrant, who claimed not to be part of the Central American migrant caravan walks on the US-Mexico border fence AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Eldin, a migrant man from Honduras, awakes next to his seven year old son Jose while taking refuge at a shelter in Tijuana Reuters Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Migrants line up for food at a shelter AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A man installs concertina wire on top of the border structure on the US side AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Central American migrants sit on an overlook in Tijuana AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A migrant, who is part of a caravan traveling en route to the United States, shouts as he waits to receive food in a shelter in Tijuana REUTERS Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A man tries to get over a border structure topped with concertina wire AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border People who are part of the Central American migrants caravan arrive at a shelter EPA Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A Central American migrant moving towards the United States in hopes of a better life, is pictured next to the U.S. border fence in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, on November 13, 2018. - US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday he will visit the US-Mexico border, where thousands of active-duty soldiers have been deployed to help border police prepare for the arrival of a "caravan" of migrants. (Photo by Guillermo Arias / AFP)GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP/Getty Images GUILLERMO ARIAS AFP/Getty Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border epa07174393 Members of the Central American migrant caravan remain at a shelter in the city of Tijuana in Baja California, Mexico, 18 November 2018. The 5,000 member migrant caravan that entered Mexico on 19 October that stopped this week in the city of Tijuana, bordering the US, are expected to meet in this city on the next day to make a decision about their future, according to local authorities. EPA/JOEBETH TERRIQUEZ JOEBETH TERRIQUEZ EPA Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Migrants pray at a temporary shelter in Tijuana AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border Migrants shower outside a temporary migrant shelter next to the Us-Mexico border fence Getty Images Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border US Border Patrol agents, left, speak with two Central American migrants as they sit atop the border structure AP Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A Central American migrant looks on through the US-Mexico border fence AFP/Getty Images Migrant caravan reaches Tijuana on US border A migrant stands next to the border fence REUTERS

The Independent covered a recent trip RAICES took to the San Antonio greyhound bus station in Texas, where migrants received legal aid, backpacks of food and water and a set of directions on how to get to their families after arriving to the US.

These organisations are always seeking new volunteers, many of whom live in border states as well as others who travel from across the country to help provide resources.

Advocate

Advocacy groups are speaking out against the White House administration’s hard-line approach to immigration along the US-Mexico border, including the rise of migrants being held within detention centres as their asylum proceedings are underway.

Faith-based groups like the American Friends Service Committee have organised massive demonstrations to raise awareness for the plight of migrants travelling in caravans. More than 300 religious leaders from mosques, churches and synagogues came together in California near the border of Tijuana for a demonstration on Monday as part of the group’s national week of action titled, “Love Knows No Borders: A moral call for migrant justice.”

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Americans who wish to speak out against the administration’s approach to dealing with the immigration crisis along the border can also write to their elected officials through the US House of Representatives website.

Educate

The president and others have helped spread false claims surrounding the migrant caravans that may adversely impact those refugees and asylum-seekers as they push for assistance from the US after reaching the country.

Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed the caravans were filled with “criminals” and possibly even members of ISIS — despite reports from a range of nonpartisan groups, media outlets and human rights organisations confirming the vast majority of travellers are innocent women, children and men fleeing violence.