The incident followed rumors that the border had to be opened to grant political asylum to migrants
Dramatic footage shot on Sunday showed hundreds of mostly Venezuelan migrants crossing the Paso Del Norte bridge that connects Mexico and the United States, aiming to enter America.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers used crowd control measures to stem the flow of people after the large group, consisting of men, women and children, attempted to seek asylum, Fox News reported.
The mass migration effort came amid rumors that the border was to be opened to fast-track asylum applications, according to Mexican news outlet Norte Digital.
“Please, we just want to come in so we can help our families,” Reuters quoted Camila Paz, an 18-year-old immigration candidate. “So that I can have a future and help my family.”
Footage from the scene showed the large crowd heading for the US southern border gates, many pleading with officers to allow them through.
BREAKING: Another video from our contact showing this huge group of migrants trying to rush over the Paso Del Norte Bridge in El Paso in an attempt to enter the United States. pic.twitter.com/q9v2myX333
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 12, 2023
Multiple El Paso law enforcement agencies responded to the Paso Del Norte Bridge to assist US Customs and Border Protection after a group of people fought their way to the top of the bridge and blocked the traffic. Story: https://t.co/nBIkimPTjhpic.twitter.com/1OL605snd8
— Border Report (@BorderReportcom) March 12, 2023
Officers in riot patrol gear were also seen in the footage on both sides of the border, with some migrants claiming they were targeted with pepper spray.
CBP officers confirmed they used “port hardening measures” face a “potential threat of mass entry.” They also said additional officers have been deployed to two other bridges in the area.
The standoff had largely receded by 5:30 p.m. local time — about four hours after it began — with the Paso Del Norte Bridge reopening an hour later, officials said.
Many migrants reportedly lost faith in the asylum system after President Joe Biden’s administration launched a mobile app called “CBP One,” designed to increase the efficiency of claims. However, the app failed to keep up with the high demand, according to critics.
Republican lawmakers have accused Biden of exacerbating problems at the US-Mexico border by removing Donald Trump-era policies, such as funding for the border wall project that had become a key – albeit controversial – strategy of the Trump administration.
Biden, meanwhile, has denounced Republican opposition to immigration reform proposals announced early in his presidency.
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