Up to 1,000 illegal immigrants attempted to storm into El Paso, Texas from Juarez, Mexico on Sunday through the Paso del Norte International Bridge, forcing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Mexican military to shutdown public access for hours.
The large group at first made it past Mexican officials on their side of the bridge but were stopped when CBP placed barricades and stationed officers in riot gear to block their path.
BREAKING: Our contact in Juarez, MX tells us a massive group of at least 1,000 migrants just attempted to rush a port of entry in El Paso in an effort to get into the United States. Video shows them pushing past the Mexican side of Paso Del Norte bridge. Awaiting CBP comment. pic.twitter.com/lxriIB3TSm
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 12, 2023
BREAKING: Another video from our contact showing this massive migrant group trying to rush Paso Del Norte bridge in El Paso in an attempt to get into the United States. pic.twitter.com/q9v2myX333
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 12, 2023
The bridge was eventually cleared of the group with the help from the Mexican military.
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
The bridge is one of the ports of entry used by Americans and Mexicans to legally enter the United States and Mexico in the El Paso-Juarez region. Many rely on the bridge to go to work or to school.
Despite the Biden administration using the CBP One app, there are still tens of thousands of migrants waiting in Mexico who are unable to secure appointments to be legally allowed through ports of entry. While it is not clear what prompted the mass attempt on Sunday, it is possible the group was made up of people who were tired of waiting in Mexico.
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