WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has suspended all northbound traffic on the US-Mexico border crossing in California to install additional security barriers after receiving reports that groups of migrants from the caravan were planning to rush illegally through the San Ysidro port of entry.
Meanwhile, the White House is likely to grant US troops on the border with Mexico additional authorities to protect CBP personnel if needed, Reuters reported Monday, citing a US official on the condition of anonymity.
However, Politico reported earlier on Monday citing US Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan that the US Defense Department has planned to complete the withdrawal of all 5,800 troops from the US southern border by Christmas.
Meanwhile, CBP Office of Public Affairs Branch Chief Jaime Ruiz told Sputnik on Monday that CBP has not received any asylum applicants from the migrant caravan that has already reached the Mexican border city of Tijuana.
Last week, a CBP spokesperson said they were aware of the first groups from the caravan arriving in Tijuana, however, the San Ysidro port of entry was at its full capacity and those individuals would continue to wait in Mexico until CBP is able to process them.
Recently, some 40 buses with migrants have entered the Mexican state of Sonora, and are on their way to Tijuana, where some 2,000 migrants have already gathered in the hope of crossing into the United States.
The caravan set out from Honduras in the direction of Mexico and the United States on October 13 hoping to obtain asylum. The UN estimates estimated that the caravan included more than 7,000 migrants. However, Mexican authorities have said that the caravan marching through its territory included around 3,600 migrants.
