Skirmish at US-Mexico border as migrants storm crossing

WASHINGTON: Scores of migrants from Central America rushed and attempted to overrun the US border from Mexico on Sunday leading to teargassing by US authorities and a brief closing of one of busiest land crossings in the world.

Even as powerful visuals showed women and terrified children among those scrambling to get out of the tear gas fired by the US Customs and Border Patrol agents, who said they were at the receiving end of stone throwing, President Trump demanded that "Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries."

"Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the USA. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!" Trump warned, amid an escalating crisis where the politics of the issue is starting to eclipse the human dimension.

Hours later, a chastened Mexico agreed to deport those who tried to forcibly breach the US border. Tijuana police said they arrested 39 people Sunday in connection with the attempt to cross the border illegally, while on the US side, border control agents said 42 people who managed to cross the border were apprehended. It was not clear if anyone managed to get through.

The San Ysidro crossing outside San Diego leading to Tijuana in Mexico is one of the busiest borders in the world with more than 100,000 legal crossings every day by foot and automobile, many who are simply commuting to work. Even the brief closure following the skirmish lead to a hours-long back up at a port of entry that even on a typical day takes at least an hour to get through despite 25 north-bound auto lanes and 15 pedestrian lanes.

Sunday’s scramble began as a migrant protest at the slow pace of the US asylum claims being processed at the border. Many migrants who have been camped out there for weeks fear that a bigger migrant caravan headed in that direction will overwhelm the more organized first-in-the-line process.

Scores of Indians (mostly from Punjab) and Bangladeshis are also taking the land route in an effort to enter the US legally or illegally.


But the attempt by some migrants to make a run was nothing like the invasion scenario President Trump has invoked. Nor did they appear to be 'stone cold criminals' as alleged by the President. In fact, the most powerful visual to come out of the scramble was a terrified mother scampering away from tear gas dragging her two screaming children from the spot.

It was enough for both the left-wing and the right-wing in the US to crank up their respective rhetoric and narrative.

"Tear gas and rubber bullets attacking asylum seeking families. Moms shrieking as they pour water on their kid’s burning eyes and others pushing baby strollers as they run in fear. This is America 2018. This is our government. Don’t look away, we must face what is happening," read one tweet on social media offering the liberal viewpoint.

It was countered by right-wing nativists who accused illegal migrants of using their children and "the American leftist using photos of them is another form of child abuse."

Trump will be heading out to the G20 summit in Argentina later this week where he is set to meet with leaders who he claims to like personally and get along with, even though he keeps abrasively raking up contentious issues saying its because he believes in America First. Among those attending the meeting: China’s President Xi Jinping, Canada’s Prime Miniser Justin Trudeau, and India’s Narendra Modi.