Mexico calls for 'full investigation' of U.S. tear gas at border

[webfact]

Mexico calls for 'full investigation' of U.S. tear gas at border

By Susan Heavey and Lizbeth Diaz

 

Migrants, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, run from tear gas released by U.S border patrol, near the border fence between Mexico and the United States in Tijuana, Mexico, November 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

WASHINGTON/TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexico's foreign ministry presented a diplomatic note to the U.S. government on Monday calling for "a full investigation" into what it described as non-lethal weapons directed toward Mexican territory on Sunday, a statement from the ministry said.

 

The formal request came a day after U.S. authorities fired tear gas canisters toward migrants in Mexico - near the border crossing separating Tijuana from San Diego, California - when some rushed through border fencing into the United States.

 

More than 40 were arrested on the U.S. side, U.S. border authorities said, adding that none were believed to have successfully crossed further into Californian territory.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at an event in Mississippi that he would close the border if migrants "charge" the barrier. During the melee on Sunday, U.S. authorities shut San Ysidro, the country's busiest border crossing, for several hours.

 

"We would close it and we'll keep it closed if we're going to have a problem. We’ll keep it closed for a long period of time," Trump said.

 

Sunday's incident was the latest chapter in a saga that has pitted Trump's hardline immigration policies against thousands of migrants who have made their way north through Mexico from violent and impoverished Central American countries.

 

Tensions had been growing in Tijuana, and Trump said on Saturday the migrants would have to wait in Mexico until their individual asylum claims were resolved in the United States. That would be a significant shift in asylum policy that could keep Central Americans in Mexico for more than a year.

 

Trump went further on Monday, saying Mexico should send the Central Americans, mostly Hondurans, back home.

 

"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 U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!" Trump tweeted.

 

Mexico has been in negotiations with the United States over a possible scheme to keep migrants in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed.

 

The team of Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office on Saturday, has said no deal has been agreed on the migrants. But officials have hinted they could remain.

 

"We should be objective, whatever happens they will stay in Mexico," said Alejandro Encinas, an incoming deputy interior minister. "Migrants have rights and we will respect them."

 

CRITICISM

U.S. government agencies defended the response to Sunday's incident at the San Ysidro crossing south of San Diego, California. News pictures showing children fleeing tear gas prompted sharp criticism from some lawmakers and charities.

 

British aid group Oxfam said the use of tear gas was shameful.

 

"Images of barefoot children choking on tear gas thrown by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol should shock us to our core," Vicki Gass, Oxfam America Senior Policy Advisor for Central America, said in a statement.

 

Democrats and other critics called the use of tear gas an overreaction, and questioned the idea of keeping the migrants in Mexico to make asylum claims there.

 

Some rights advocates and legal experts were concerned that the Trump administration was seeking to exploit the clashes.

 

Geoffrey Hoffman, a professor and director of the University of Houston Law Center Immigration Clinic, which represents migrants applying for asylum, said the government would use it to push the argument that the migrants should remain in Mexico.

 

Still, Rodney Scott, chief U.S. Border Patrol agent in San Diego, told CNN the vast majority of those assembled at the border were economic migrants who would not qualify for asylum, and said there were few women and children.

 

"What I saw on the border yesterday was not people walking up to Border Patrol agents and asking to claim asylum," he said.

 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement that the agency has "confirmed that there are over 600 convicted criminals traveling with the caravan."

 

She also said the women and children in the caravan were being used as "human shields" by organizers when they confront law enforcement.

 

CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said in a statement four agents were hit with rocks on Sunday, but they did not suffer serious injuries.

 

WAITING GAME

Tijuana police chief Mario Martinez told a news conference on Monday that 194 Central Americans had been arrested in the 15 days the caravan has been in the area.

 

The migrants have traveled through Mexico in large groups, or caravans. There are more than 7,000 at the U.S. border in Tijuana and the city of Mexicali, with more than 800 others still moving toward the border.

 

Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum, who has said his city is facing a humanitarian crisis, told a local radio station the United States would take up to three months to start processing asylum requests.

 

Many of those in Tijuana have said they will wait there until they can seek asylum. If they enter the United States, legally or illegally, they have a right to seek asylum.

 

Melkin Gonzalez, a 26-year-old Honduran man, recounting Sunday's tear gas firing, said: "I fell in dirty water when I was running (away) and I still don't have any clothes to change into. Even so, I'm not going back to Honduras, I want to go to the United States."

 

The U.S. military said it had shifted about 300 service members from Texas and Arizona to California in recent days. In total, about 5,600 active-duty troops are on the border with Mexico.

 

U.S. military officials have said they expected troops to be repositioned as the situation developed and changed.

 

Nielsen said her agency was prepared to address any future violence by deploying more U.S. military forces.

 

U.S. lawmakers face a deadline to approve funding for the federal government by Dec. 7. Trump has threatened to shut down the government unless Congress pays for his planned border wall.

 

(Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Lizbeth Diaz in Tijuana; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Idrees Ali in Washington, Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, and Steve Holland in Gulfport, Mississippi; Writing by Susan Heavey and Frances Kerry; Editing by Alistair Bell, James Dalgleish and Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-28

[Boon Mee]

The previous administration used tear ???? gas more than a half dozen times at the same border areas. Hypocrisy to now castigate this administration. 

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

The previous administration used tear ???? gas more than a half dozen times at the same border areas. Hypocrisy to now castigate this administration. 

Back that up.

 

And then demonstrate the previous administration used tear gas against children.

[ezzra]

A full investigation also needed as to how and why Mexico allowed and facilitated thousands of illegals to cross its borders in order to invade a friendly neighbouring country...

[Hank Gunn]

I’ not a Trump supporter but the hypocrisy here is pretty extreme. A quick Google finds this: https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/obama-used-tear-gas-at-the-border-too/

 

From the article:

”U.S. Customs and Border Protection has used 2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, or CS, since 2010, and deployed it 26 times in fiscal 2012 and 27 times in 2013. The use dropped after that, but was still deployed three times in 2016, Mr. Obama’s final full year in office. “

So it was used over 50 times during the Obama administration but barely a peep. Now, with over 1,000 people marching to the border (unopposed by the Mexican government) and dozens storming security structures, in some cases tearing down/away sheet metal, the Mexican government calls for some “investigation” and there’s worldwide indignation.

[Longcut]

33 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Back that up.

 

And then demonstrate the previous administration used tear gas against children.

Washington Times

Tear gas used once a month at border under Obama

DHS data shows deployments dating back years

 

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Monday, November 26, 2018

The same tear-gas agent that the Trump administration is taking heat for deploying against a border mob this weekend is actually used fairly frequently — including more than once a month during the later years of President Barack Obama’s administration, according to Homeland Security data.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has used 2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, or CS, since 2010, and deployed it 26 times in fiscal 2012 and 27 times in 2013. The use dropped after that, but was still deployed three times in 2016, Mr. Obama’s final full year in office.

[riclag]

Wouldn't be surprised if they all had industrial gas masks  the next time they try to rush the border

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

A full investigation also needed as to how and why Mexico allowed and facilitated thousands of illegals to cross its borders

Because Mexico is a sovereign nation and can decide who crosses its borders?

Which would make such crossings legal into Mexico.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Still, Rodney Scott, chief U.S. Border Patrol agent in San Diego, told CNN the vast majority of those assembled at the border were economic migrants who would not qualify for asylum

And he knew this because he interviewed each migrant?

The determination as to whether a migrant is qualified for asylum is made by immigration judges, not by the Border Patrol.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

4 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

And he knew this because he interviewed each migrant?

The determination as to whether a migrant is qualified for asylum is made by immigration judges, not by the Border Patrol.

 

You dont need to be an immigration judge to easily know the rules for asylum. It is extremely difficult to actually gain asylum, and most of these illegal immigrants are literally just economic migrants that want to come and work illegally. That is not a reason to be granted asylum, and the USA does not have to put up with this kind of chaos at its borders. 

 

Bum-rush the border? Prepare to be tear gassed. Its really not that hard. 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Back that up.

 

And then demonstrate the previous administration used tear gas against children.

 

LOL what a joke of a post. Youre such a partisan hack its unreal. 

 

Like if you have children in tow and you bum rush the border you are exempt from tear gas? 

 

You think when obama's admin used tear gas it was only males rushing the border and getting gassed, but now since trump is in office its women and children and border patrol is targeting kids with tear gas canisters? 

 

Absurd. 

[riclag]

21 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Because Mexico is a sovereign nation and can decide who crosses its borders?

Which would make such crossings legal into Mexico.

A strategic brilliant move by the border authorities to deter the force that rushed the border wall which in many cases obviously refuses to wait it out in line for claiming Asylum. The violent force upon retreat where in many cases arrested for throwing rocks and bottles .They were detained at the Mexican side and will be deported. Many of these people forced through police barricades at the  Mexican southern border.now thousands of central americans are in conflict as seen in news reports,of  fighting with locals who don't want them in their city !  

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46339085

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Mexico's foreign ministry presented a diplomatic note to the U.S. government on Monday calling for "a full investigation" into what it described as non-lethal weapons directed toward Mexican territory

Trump may not understand that a Mexican citizen can legally stand on the Mexican side of the US-Mexico border right up the the borderline. It would constitute an attack by the US against Mexico for the US government authorities to conduct lethal and/or nonlethal fire into the sovereign Mexican nation.

I'm sure if the situation was reversed with Mexican authorities firing tear gas across the US border ("we think we saw armed militia preparing to invade Mexico"?) that the US would shout violation of US sovereignty.

[Srikcir]

4 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

easily know the rules for asylum.

The US rules are that the migrants claims are processed.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

2 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

The US rules are that the migrants claims are processed.

 

He'll of a way to ask for asylum isn't it? Bum rush the border and throw rocks while commiting casual child abuse by dragging your screaming children (if they are actually your children and not shields) towards a sovereign nations borders with the stated objective of entering illegally. 

 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

29 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Because Mexico is a sovereign nation and can decide who crosses its borders?

Which would make such crossings legal into Mexico.

 

Im sorry, but you seem to be of the opinion that mexico allowed these people to cross their borders and thats wrong. They crossed into mexico illegally as well. 

[riclag]

6 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Im sorry, but you seem to be of the opinion that mexico allowed these people to cross their borders and thats wrong. They crossed into mexico illegally as well. 

Many pictures and videos on google of them confronting Mexican police who tried to block them from entering at their southern border !

[Hank Gunn]

20 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

The US rules are that the migrants claims are processed.

There’s a big difference between bum rushing the border and applying for asylum.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

Just now, riclag said:

Many pictures and videos on google of them confronting Mexican police who tried to block them from entering at their southern border !

 

I know, ive been following it for days now on twitter. Posters on this forum dont care though. They sit in their little safe space away from having to deal with the policy they advocate for. 

 

 

[vinegarbase]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Kids in diapers getting tear gassed is not a good optic this administration doesent want to solve this problem they want it to get worse much worse it fits the dotards agenda don’t think it’s going to work Donald you and Paul can be cellies soon hopefully 

God help the poor saps who doesn't understand those are 100% staged photo ops.

[vinegarbase]

7 minutes ago, Hank Gunn said:

There’s a big difference between bum rushing the border and applying for asylum.

Mexican government already promised the invaders asylum, jobs, handouts, even free food and lodging. They have declined and even complained. These are criminal invaders and nothing more. 

[Hank Gunn]

47 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Because Mexico is a sovereign nation and can decide who crosses its borders?

Or,

 

”Because the USA is a sovereign nation and can decide who crosses its borders?”

[riclag]

1 minute ago, vinegarbase said:

God help the poor saps who doesn't understand those are 100% staged photo ops.

I don't think that true in many cases,100% ! Some reports have said they tried to shoot the tear gas beyond the women and children but in some cases they weren't totally accurate.  But I do believe it's totally disgusting to see them act so violent when they don't get their way as we have seen in reports at the southern and Tijuana border, using children at the front of their force to  rush Police and border authorities.Thank god many of them were apprehended on the Mexican side!

[metisdead]

Troll posts have been removed.  

[vinegarbase]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

I don't think that true in many cases,100% ! Some reports have said they tried to shoot the tear gas beyond the women and children but in some cases they weren't totally accurate.  But I do believe it's totally disgusting to see them act so violent when they don't get their way as we have seen in reports at the southern and Tijuana border, using children at the front of their force to  rush Police and border authorities.Thank god many of them were apprehended on the Mexican side!

 

Also, let's not forget the cameraman that was right in front of this women in this "dangerous situation" who had time to get this front page shot. 100% staged. They have already been offered asylum. They are paid and coached invaders sponsored by the pueblo sin fronteras group.  https://thegoldwater.com/news/22122-Soros-Funded-Groups-Backing-Mexico-Caravan-of-Socialists-Pueblos-Sin-Fronteras

[Longcut]

If tomorrow the Thai government said, that Farangs are no longer wanted in Thailand and need to leave. If found here after so many days, you will be arrested and deported or jailed. 

 How many would stay? Would you be storming the border after being deported? Or would you take the hint that you are no longer wanted and go back home or to somewhere more inviting?

 I think I would move on. 

 Somehow these immigrants think they have a right to enter the United States. Not sure where they get that from. But, I can guess.

[Srikcir]

9 minutes ago, Longcut said:

Somehow these immigrants think they have a right to enter the United States. Not sure where they get that from. But, I can guess.

No need to guess but perhaps a need to research.

Asylum seekers at the Mexican border fleeing violence or persecution are entitled to lodge claims in the United States to obtain sanctuary there.

U.N. reaffirms refugees' right to seek asylum in U.S.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-un/un-reaffirms-refugees-right-to-seek-asylum-in-us-idUSKCN1NW1OD

Asylum seekers cannot seek asylum from outside the US, ie., through American embassies.

[Thingamabob]

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Back that up.

 

And then demonstrate the previous administration used tear gas against children.

Obama ordered tear gas to be used at the border four times against men, women and children during his administration.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

28 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Asylum seekers cannot seek asylum from outside the US

 

They can seek asylum at a port of entry, which is outside the US. They do not have to be inside the US to apply. We also have no law that states that everyone claiming asylum MUST enter the country and be released until the asylum claims are processed. They have NO RIGHT to enter the United States. NO RIGHT to storm the border and try to break in. They can apply at the port of entry and get in line like everyone else. 

 

Again, for the people at the back, you dont have to be inside the USA to apply for asylum. 

 

Quote

You may apply for asylum if you are at a port of entry or in the United States. You may apply for asylum regardless of your immigration status and within one year of your arrival to the United States.

You will not be eligible to apply for asylum if you:· 

https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/asylum/questions-and-answers-asylum-eligibility-and-applications

[Redline]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

A full investigation also needed as to how and why Mexico allowed and facilitated thousands of illegals to cross its borders in order to invade a friendly neighbouring country...

Mexico is its own country ????