A major port of entry in San Diego was closed for several hours on Sunday after a group of migrants on the Mexican side of the border rushed the area, leading US Border Patrol agents to fire tear gas at the group.
About 500 migrants overran Mexican police near the San Ysidro Port of Entry. As they tried to cross the border, agents on the US side deployed tear gas to disperse them. US Customs and Border Protection said the migrants threw rocks at Border Patrol agents, prompting agents to respond with tear gas because of the risk to their safety. Mexican and US authorities said several people were arrested on suspicion of attempting to cross the border illegally.
The incident marked an escalation of tensions that have been mounting since groups of Central American migrants began arriving in the Mexican border city, drawing protests and threats from US President Donald Trump to close the border. Meanwhile, Tijuana’s mayor and city residents have been calling for the migrants’ exit.
