WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has not settled on a plan for what to do if a migrant caravan arrives at the southern border, despite threats by President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency or rescind aid from the countries whose people are journeying north.

Top immigration officials and close Trump advisers are still evaluating the options in closed-door meetings that have gotten increasingly heated as the caravan of about 7,000 people pushes north, according to sources with knowledge of the issue.

The caravan comes on the heels of a surge in apprehensions of families at the border, which has given Trump a fresh talking point to rally his base ahead of the midterm elections.

But the president’s inner circle on immigration is grappling with the same problems that have plagued them for months, absent any law change by Congress.

Some in Trump’s administration, like Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, advocate for a diplomatic approach using relationships with Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador and the United Nations to stop the flow of migrants arriving to the U.S.

But others are agitating for more immediate options, including declaring a state of emergency, which would give the administration broader authority over how to manage people at the border.