Riot Police, Migrants, and American Tear Gas: 30 Scenes from the United States Southern Border

The United States is a country that tear gasses children. That's one thing we've learned from the situation developing at the southern border, where a group of migrants from Central America have gathered in Tijuana, on the Mexican side, seeking asylum in the United States. Many say they are fleeing direct threats to themselves and their family tied to gang and drug violence in their home countries-mostly Honduras, but also El Salvador and Guatemala. Their presence in Tijuana has caused significant unrest in the city, though much of it seems tied to backlash against the migrants, with the mayor turning to the slogan, "Make Tijuana Great Again." A smaller group, estimated in the hundreds, stormed towards the border fence yesterday, and a few reportedly threw rocks. They were met by Mexican riot police on one side, and with tear gas and a flashbang from the other. The use of tear gas is banned in war, but legal-in the U.S. and many other countries-as a riot-control weapon. In this case, it was deployed by Customs and Border Patrol agents.

It is unacceptable and dangerous for asylum-seekers to rush the border, but it's important to remember that they may believe they're forced to because the Trump administration has repeatedly sought to restrict or entirely deny any attempts to seek asylum-that is, to cross the border legally. Under international law and treaties to which the U.S. is a signatory, these people have a right to a hearing where their asylum claims are evaluated. In another time, we might call them "refugees." Trump's efforts to circumvent existing law culminated in a blanket ban, instituted by executive order, that was struck down by a federal judge last week.

In the meantime, the scenes emerging from the border showcase a situation that threatens to spiral out of control. The U.S. shuttered the San Ysidro border crossing Sunday, which normally sees 100,000 travelers a day. These are almost entirely legal crossings as part of cross-border commerce, which constitutes millions of dollars in business. Combined with the state of affairs in Tijuana, the situation has produced some remarkable visuals. Here are some of them.