Trump’s border chief says tear gas ‘prevented a dangerous situation from getting worse’

The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told CNN Monday that border patrol agents “prevented a dangerous situation from getting worse” on Sunday by using tear gas on migrants who charged the border throwing rocks.

“[CBP] effectively managed an extremely dangerous situation involving over 1,000 individuals who sought to enter the U.S. unlawfully in large groups,” CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said in an interview. “They did so safely and without any reported serious injuries on either side of the border.”

{mosads}A group of migrants rushed the border Sunday after Mexican federal police tried and failed to stop them. After members of the group began throwing rocks at U.S. border officials, American authorities released tear gas into the crowd.

Many of the migrants currently waiting in northern Mexico entered the country by forcing their way through its own southern border. A man was reportedly killed in one such charge after a rubber bullet struck him in the head.

Mexican authorities say they will deport about 500 people who attempted to force their way into America “violently” and “illegally.”

The chief agent for San Diego Sector Border Control, Rodney Scott, told CNN earlier Monday that U.S. authorities arrested 42 people who tried to force their way through.

He added that the group was largely composed of adult males, who in some cases moved women and children to the front as the men began to throw rocks at the border agents.

After the event, President Trump again called for a new border wall, tweeting, “We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!”

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!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2018

The president earlier this month threatened to veto any spending bill that does not include funding for his border wall.