More than 100 migrants stormed the border but it did not work out for them.
They were hit with tear gas, smoke and pepper spray, CNN reported.
Some of the migrants threw rocks as others lifted children over the razor-edged wire late Monday in the San Diego sector, the agency said a statement, which was based on initial reports. The confrontation continued into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
One image distributed by Reuters shows a man covering his mouth as he is surrounded by smoke. Another shows people going over the wall as armed agents stand on the US side.
About 150 migrants approached the fence, but about one-third of the group members turned back into Mexico when they saw Border Patrol agents, CBP estimated.
Others tried to enter the United States by going over or under the fence. The agency said teenagers wrapped in jackets, blankets or mats were put over the wire, as were “toddler-sized children.”
“Once again we have had a violent mob of migrants attempt to enter the United States illegally by attacking our agents with projectiles,” said Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security. “As has happened before — in this and previous administrations — our personnel used the minimum force necessary to defend themselves, defend our border, and restore order.”
CNN has reached out to Families Belong Together, an advocacy group that works with migrants at the border, but didn’t get an immediate response.
Waldman said there were no reported injuries among the people throwing rocks. She called on Congress to act on funding for a border wall, amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, and end the Flores settlement agreement.
Will you look at that… the fence worked!
U.S. fires tear gas across Mexico border to stop migrants https://t.co/7jEoU4uVPJ pic.twitter.com/1VERRRHPWH
— CTV News (@CTVNews) January 2, 2019
150 migrants tried to illegally enter our country on New Year’s Eve – putting themselves and their children in danger. This is exactly why we need Senate Democrats to work with @realDonaldTrump on border security. This has got to stop. https://t.co/11OdYEQ97B
— Ronna McDaniel (@RonnaMcDaniel) January 2, 2019
American border officers sent tear gas into Mexico early Tuesday to drive away about 150 migrants trying to cross the border into the United States, the authorities said https://t.co/RXBNjm3Lib
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 2, 2019
U.S. border authorities fire tear gas into Mexico as a group of roughly 150 migrants attempt to cross the border into San Diego. https://t.co/odOoPmciFe pic.twitter.com/0w0EdFjCcs
— ABC News (@ABC) January 2, 2019
