WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus issued the following statement following an incident in El Paso on October 31, 2022:
“I am monitoring reports surrounding events in El Paso in which several hundred migrants attempted to enter the United States without authorization along the Rio Grande River International Boundary, near downtown El Paso.
During this event, preliminary reports indicate that several individuals became combative and physically assaultive, resulting in the deployment of pepper ball munitions— a less-than-lethal system that agents are trained to use in order to protect themselves and others from attack.
In accordance with the need to ensure any use of force by CBP personnel complies with our policies, CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility is reviewing this incident.”