Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen issued a strong warning to people in the migrant caravan after hundreds had stormed the U.S.-Mexico border and threw rocks at border patrol agents.
Hundreds try to storm the border. Expect significant US response #tijuana pic.twitter.com/0T50XUnXtY
— emma murphy (@emmamurphyitv) November 25, 2018
“This morning, CBP was forced to close the San Ysidro Port of Entry to ensure public safety in response to a large number of migrants seeking to enter the U.S. illegally. After being prevented from entering the Port of Entry, some of these migrants attempted to breach legacy fence infrastructure along the border and sought to harm CBP personnel by throwing projectiles at them,” Nielsen explained in a statement.
“As I have continually stated, DHS will not tolerate this type of lawlessness and will not hesitate to shut down ports of entry for security reasons,” she continued. “We'll seek to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who destroys federal property, endangers our frontline operators, or violates our sovereignty.”
“CBP along with other DHS, federal, the U.S. military, and state and local law enforcement, will continue to have a robust presence along the Southwest Border and at our POEs. We continue to stay in close contact with Mexican authorities and are committed to resolving this situation safely in concert with our Mexican partners,” Nielsen concluded.
Similarly, U.S. Northern Command, the combatant command in charge of the troops deployed to the southern border, issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to support DHS after Sunday’s events.
“Department of Defense military personnel will not be conducting law enforcement functions, but are authorized to provide force protection for U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel and help make sure CBP personnel can perform their assigned Federal functions,” NORTHCOM said. “U.S. Northern Command is providing military support to the Department of Homeland Security and Border protection to secure the southern border of the United States.”
Rodney Scott, chief patrol agent for the San Diego Sector Border Patrol, revealed to CNN on Monday they had arrested 42 migrants who had illegally crossed the border into the U.S.