Chaos erupted at the southern border on Sunday as an estimated 1,000 illegal immigrants tried to force their way into El Paso, Texas.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin posted scenes of the chaos on Twitter as mobs smashed barriers in a desperate attempt to cross the border.
“This is the bilateral show of force that dispersed the huge group of migrants trying to rush a port of entry in El Paso today. Two lines of Mexican military, then on the US side, physical barriers, barbed wire, and a skirmish line of CBP officers in crowd control gear,” he posted late Sunday afternoon, after posting images of illegal immigrants flooding onto the Paso Del Norte bridge.
NEW: This is the bilateral show of force that dispersed the huge group of migrants trying to rush a port of entry in El Paso today. Two lines of Mexican military, then on the US side, physical barriers, barbed wire, and a skirmish line of CBP officers in crowd control gear. pic.twitter.com/YPaNBUhQhu
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 13, 2023
Trending:
NEW: Migrants involved in the attempted mass rushing of the Paso Del Norte bridge in El Paso yesterday tell us catalysts were frustrations with the CBPOne app, and this false rumor on Facebook telling migrants they would be allowed into the US at the bridge on Sunday. The post… https://t.co/l39KWSZfJj pic.twitter.com/XlaGhzB5eG
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 13, 2023
A statement from Customs and Border Protection said the group was “posing a potential threat to make a mass entry.”
Does the U.S. need stronger border protection in place?
Yes: 100% (9 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
The statement said the Border Patrol “implemented port hardening measures” at the Paso del Norte International Bridge and also had to block traffic at two other bridges before the illegal immigrants were finally turned back.
Live cams show the migrants have dispersed and CBP & the Mexican military now have the bridge under control. However, the bridge is now closed to vehicle traffic, and has been for hours.
Before pic & recent pic. pic.twitter.com/kW47sNZAWW— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 12, 2023
Another video from our contact. We’re told some crowd control measures were used (unclear which side of border), and a chunk of the group was repelled, and is now gathering at another smaller bridge, while some are trying to cross in the river. Waiting for more details from CBP. pic.twitter.com/PEFeHlF4KH
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 12, 2023
According to the Texas Tribune, the illegal immigrants — most of whom were from Venezuela — believed they were being allowed in the county.
“On Facebook, we saw an image that said they were going to open (the bridge) today because it was Migrants’ Day, something like that,” it quoted a migrant hoping to enter the U.S. as saying. “We just want an answer, so we came to see if it was true.”
The flood of illegal immigrants began at about noon with the bridge not open for traffic until almost 7 p.m., according to KVIA-TV.
El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino said the border held — this time.
We’ve seen the video of the Paso Del Norte bridge in El Paso being rushed yesterday.
Liberals get bent out of shape when we say our country is being invaded.
Even our ports of entries are not secure. Impeach Secretary Mayorkas!
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) March 13, 2023
“At this time [Emergency Operations Center] has shut down. Crowds [have] subsided, and it’s just being monitored,” D’Agostino said, according to CNN.
“No breach has occurred.”
