Dozens more Central American caravan migrants were let into the United States to begin pleading their case for asylum on Thursday. This comes despite sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, and brings the total to 158 since last weekend. Watch the original story on CGTN America

Seventy men, women and children were allowed into the crowded port of entry border crossing early Thursday morning, according to Alex Mensing, a caravan organizer with advocacy group Pueblos Sin Fronteras. Another 62 migrants were still waiting for a chance to begin the asylum process, he said.

On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions beefed up legal resources on the border, including more prosecutors and judges, to handle the groups of people from the caravan.

Throughout the caravan’s 2,000-mile (3,220-km) odyssey from southern Mexico, its mostly Honduran, Salvadoran and Guatemalan members kept hoping they would ultimately get the chance to make their case for asylum in the United States. All the while, they have known their pleas might be rejected.

U.S. border officials had allowed through only small groups at a time, saying the busy San Ysidro crossing to San Diego was saturated and the rest must be patient. ___

Reuters staffers Delphine Schrank, David Alire Garcia and David Gregorio contributed to the news copy.