President Donald Trump early Monday threatened to shut the U.S.-Mexico border "permanently," while calling on Mexico to deport "flag waving migrants" a day after several people tried to illegally cross the border.
"Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries," the president tweeted. "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!
On Sunday, the BBC reported that Mexico’s Interior Ministry had announced it will deport some 500 migrants who attempted to storm the U.S. border.
The migrants were captured after trying to cross the border "violently" and "illegally" near the city of Tijuana, the ministry said, and all those who attempted to cross the border would be deported immediately.
On Sunday, U.S. border officials shot tear gas at people trying to cross the border at San Ysidro, Calif., and both the U.S. and Mexico closed the port of entry on their respective sides of the border due to the incident.
The Trump administration says asylum claims for caravans coming from Central America must be processed outside the United States.
Sunday night, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said northbound and southbound crossings at San Ysidro were stopped at about 11:30 a.m. local time, but pedestrian crossings reopened just over four hours later and vehicle lanes reopened at about 5 p.m., reports Fox News.