Migrants camp at Mexico City Stadium as US 🇺🇸 holds Midterm Elections.

Thousands of Central Americans dreaming of getting to the United States awoke today to donations of fruit and hot coffee at a sports stadium in Mexico's chilly capital as the U.S. held midterm elections. They are still hundreds of miles from the U.S. border. President Donald Trump has made the migrant caravan a central issue in Tuesday's vote.

Authorities counted more than 2,000 migrants at the Jesus Martinez stadium late Monday, and a steady flow continued into the night. The facility has capacity to hold 6,000, officials said, and four big tents set up for sleeping filled up.

Many of the migrants sought treatment for blistered and aching feet, respiratory infections, diarrhea, and other maladies. City officials administered vaccines for tetanus and influenza.

More migrants were trudging along the highway between the city of Puebla and the capital, trying to hitch rides from passing vehicles.

Trump has seized on the caravan and portrayed it as a major threat, though such caravans have sprung up regularly over the years and largely passed unnoticed. He ordered thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. The Pentagon said Monday more than 5,100 U.S. troops are now stationed across the border with Mexico. Their mission is to keep caravans of Central Americans out.

In dozens of interviews since the initial caravan set out from Honduras more than three weeks ago, migrants have said they are escaping poverty and rampant violence. Many are families traveling with small children. Some say they left because they were threatened by gang members or had lost relatives to gang violence. Others say they hope to work, secure a good education for their children and send money to support relatives back home.