On this holiday Sunday, United States officials have temporarily closed the U.S.-Mexico border in San Ysidro, California, after roughly 500 Central American asylum-seekers marched to the border to protest their conditions and slow U.S. processing. Mexican police set up barricades, turning back cars and foot traffic into the United States.
After some migrants instead walked across the Tijuana River (a mostly dry concrete flood channel) and attempted to enter the United States through a fence, U.S. authorities fired tear gas at the group to disperse them.
It is legal to seek asylum in the United States by presenting yourself at the border and requesting it. Of the more than 5000 asylum seekers currently sheltering in Tijuana, however, U.S. border agents have been processing fewer than 100 per day. The remainder are confined to temporary shelters in Tijuana.
The closure of a major point of entry into (and out of) the United States at the end of a holiday weekend is a nontrivial decision; Mexico is an extremely popular holiday destination for Americans. There is no word on how long the closure will last.