Border Clash: Migrants Attempt to Force Entry at El Paso-Mexico Crossing

HI INDIA NEWS DESK
EL PASO, TX- On March 13, 2023, hundreds of migrants, mostly Venezuelan nationals, attempted to cross the bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez in Mexico and El Paso, Texas in the United States. The migrants broke through Mexican security but were stopped by US border agents in riot gear and barbed wire. Videos posted on social media showed the crowd, which included children, attempting to cross the bridge before retreating back to the Mexican side. The incident prompted criticism from Republican leaders, with Texas Senator John Cornyn accusing President Joe Biden of failing to work with congressional leaders to address the issue of migration.

Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) said that the group posed “a potential threat to make a mass entry”. In the year ending September 2022, a record total of 2.76 million migrants were stopped from entering the United States. Some of the migrants in the crowd claimed frustration with the new US government app, CBP One, meant to streamline the asylum application process, while others said they heard a rumor that they would be let into the United States due to a “day of the migrant” celebration.

Several migrants’ rights organizations have reported issues with the CBP One app, including lack of appointments, geolocation failures, and glitches. The US Department of Homeland Security says recent updates to the app will improve the system.