On Sunday, tensions escalated at the border when hundreds of members from the Central American migrant caravan rushed the border and threw projectiles at U.S. Border Patrol agents.
After Mexico’s federal police officers were unsuccessful in their attempts to stop the rush of migrants, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) shut down the border and deployed tear gas in an attempt to disperse the migrant rush.
Watch the actions unfold in the video below:
The video shows the booms of tear gas canisters being projected over the border fence toward the Mexico side. Some migrants picked up the canisters and hurled them back at CBP agents. The migrants also threw rocks at CBP agents, striking several of them.
Smoke could be seen rising from various areas, causing the migrants to disperse as the sound of sirens blared throughout the scene.
CBP was forced to shut down the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, barring any vehicles or pedestrians from getting through.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen tweeted Sunday, “This AM, @CBP was forced to close the #SanYsidro POE to ensure public safety in response to a large # of migrants seeking to illegally enter the US. They attempted to breach legacy fence infrastructure along the border & sought to harm CBP personnel by throwing projectiles @ them.”
Nielsen added, “@DHSgov will not tolerate this type of lawlessness & will not hesitate to shut down POEs for security reasons. We’ll seek to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who destroys federal property, endangers our frontline operators, or violates our sovereignty.”
.@DHSgov will not tolerate this type of lawlessness & will not hesitate to shut down POEs for security reasons. We’ll seek to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who destroys federal property, endangers our frontline operators, or violates our sovereignty.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) November 26, 2018
Some CBP agents were reportedly hit by the canisters or other objects thrown at them by the migrants.
“Today @CBP personnel were struck by projectiles thrown by caravan members. Such actions are dangerous & not consistent w peacefully seeking asylum. The perpetrators will be prosecuted. I will continue to aggressively support DHS personnel as they work to safely secure our border,” Nielsen tweeted late Sunday.
Today @CBP personnel were struck by projectiles thrown by caravan members. Such actions are dangerous & not consistent w peacefully seeking asylum. The perpetrators will be prosecuted. I will continue to aggressively support DHS personnel as they work to safely secure our border.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) November 26, 2018
Despite the efforts of the CBP, some 30 migrants were able to enter the U.S.
Mexico has said it will deport some 500 migrants after they attempted to “violently” rush the U.S. border, CBS News reported. Mexican authorities arrested 42 migrants on Sunday.
Tijuana’s Mayor, Juan Manuel Gastelum, declared on Friday that the city was going through a humanitarian crisis under the burden of the migrant caravan. More than 5,000 migrants have now set up camp in Tijuana.
The San Ysidro Port of Entry was reopened late Sunday after long lines accumulated from hours of closure.
President Donald Trump warned Monday morning that the border could be closed “permanently” if the situation at the border was not controlled soon.
