Matt Drudge tweeted out an article from 2013 showcasing Border Patrol agents using pepper spray on migrants at the border under President Obama.
A group of about 100 people trying to illegally cross the border Sunday near the San Ysidro port of entry threw rocks and bottles at U.S. Border Patrol agents, who responded by using pepper spray and other means to force the crowd back into Mexico, federal officials said.
The incident has raised concerns among advocates on both sides of the immigration debate, as well as Border Patrol representatives.
Immigrant-rights groups in San Diego said they didn’t know beforehand about the plan to rush the border, and they worry that desperation is driving homeless deportees to make a bold bid to rejoin their families in the United States.
Border-security groups see this situation as evidence that the border remains unsecured, something they said should be fixed before Congress considers proposals to grant legal status to unauthorized immigrants.
And Border Patrol representatives worry that Sunday’s confrontation could be a political protest, which they said agents want to avoid — especially when it involves the potential for loss of life.
FLASHBACK: Crowd at border pepper-sprayed under Obama… https://t.co/CbWlDZMxyN
— DRUDGE REPORT (@DRUDGE_REPORT) November 26, 2018
This comes after the left has attacked Donald Trump over his use of tear gas to deter the caravan as it rushed the US border.
The US has closed the port of entry on asylum seekers.
The last time America did this hundreds of Jewish migrants were sent back to Europe. 254 died in the Holocaust.
Now, people fleeing for their lives are tear gassed and persecuted at our border. This is unconscionable. pic.twitter.com/fEeTqLorv8
— Christian Cowart (@dtxErgaOmnes) November 25, 2018
Tear gas and rubber bullets attacking asylum seeking families. Moms shrieking as they pour water on their kid’s burning eyes and others pushing baby strollers as they run in fear. This is America 2018. This is our government. Don’t look away, we must face what is happening.
— Lindsay Toczylowski (@L_Toczylowski) November 25, 2018
Using tear-gas against unarmed families seeking protection of the US government is a new low. All the millions of dollars spent at border militarization these past weeks could have been used to properly process asylum seekers at the US- Mexico border! https://t.co/2s8MaYX1aL
— Esmeralda Flores (@_esme9_) November 25, 2018
Anyone uncomfortable with spraying tear gas on children is welcome to join the coalition of the moral and the sane. We can argue about other stuff when we’ve got our country back.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) November 25, 2018
You tear-gassed women and children, asswipe! And on Thanksgiving weekend, you piece of shit, asshole, motherfucking, evil-creature-person!! https://t.co/ngaAlnhWa0
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 26, 2018
This group began a peaceful march to appeal for the U.S. to speed processing of asylum claims for Central American migrants marooned in Tijuana. #MexicanBorder #immigrantswelcome https://t.co/x2qIiFqYLH
— Joanna Peña-Bickley (@jojobickley) November 26, 2018
Folks are acting as though we had no choice but to use tear gas at our border. But we have known about this group approaching for weeks. We could have had buses and agents ready to process people in an orderly and humane way. Instead, Trump closed the border and gassed them.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 26, 2018
Will they call out Obama as well? Likely not.
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