Major International Bridge on Border Shut Down After ‘Waves’ of Illegal Migrants Attempt to Storm Across
Richard Moorhead
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A major bridge connecting the United States and Mexico in Texas had to be closed Friday after waves of illegal migrants attempted to storm across.
The Pharr International Bridge, which crosses the Rio Grande and connects the American and Mexican cities of Pharr and Reynosa, is one of the most heavily trafficked border crossings between the two countries. The bridge has become a target of criminal smuggling activity, and Customs and Border Patrol Agents intercepted more than 400 pounds of meth at the border crossing in April.
The bridge was attacked by an aggressive group of illegal aliens on Friday. A press release from Customs and Border Patrol described the nature of the incident.
“At about 4 a.m. today[Friday], a group of 47 undocumented individuals attempted to illegally enter the United States in three waves via the Pharr International Bridge. Ignoring commands to stop, the group suddenly rushed the temporary barricades, bent metal poles and disabled the concertina wire affixed to the barrier.”
When several illegals got through the bridge’s protective fortifications, they attempted to assault Border Patrol officers and seize their protective gear. CBP officers ultimately deployed tear gas and pepperball to disperse the unruly and violent crowd, and Mexican law enforcement on the other side of the bridge are said to have taken the mob members who didn’t cross the border into custody.
16 individuals were detained by CBP, and two are set to face criminal charges for their involvement in the incident.
The ‘wave’ action undertaken by the migrants isn’t entirely unlike accounts of riotous refugees attacking border fortifications in Europe during the continent’s 2015 migration crisis. Middle Eastern migrants adopted a strategy of violently overwhelming border officials with the hopes of entering Croatia.
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