GATEWAY CLOSED, MIGRANTS PROTEST NEW ASYLUM RULES

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

U.S. - and Mexican - authorities closed the Gateway Bridge in downtown Brownsville late morning Friday after reports that a protest by mostly Venezuelan migrants waiting in to claim asylum had turned violent. At the top photo, black smoke drifts over the Mexican side of the bridge, triggering the closing.

Some U.S. law enforcement sources initially said the trouble stemmed from clashes between warring cartels, either between them or with the Mexican military. These diverse statements could not be verified. However, Matamoros media posted photos of a mass protest involving columns of newly-arrived Venezuelan migrants.

In a prepared statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said, “In light of a current demonstration at the midpoint of Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, CBP has temporarily halted traffic and continues to implement appropriate port hardening measures, such as placement of K-rails and conducting periodic mobile field force exercises to ensure the safe and secure processing of travelers at our international bridges.

“All of these measures seek to ensure the safety of the traveling public and our officers while facilitating lawful trade and travel.”

Pro-migrant advocates say the protest began by 200 to 300 Venezuelan migrants at the middle of the bridge after U.S. authorities announced that an agreement between the Mexican and U.S. governments was approved which required Mexico to keep the migrants on thier side of the border pending a review of their asylum applications. 

Immigration attorneys say that the recently announced change in immigration policies affecting Venezuelan migrants triggered the protest. Under the policy, conditional humanitarian permits would only be provided only to 24,000 Venezuelan migrants arriving by air. Any Venezuelan caught crossing the border illegally will be sent back to Mexico under Title 42.

A local broadcaster quote immigration attorney  Carlos Garcia who said that under the new rules "if you try to enter unlawfully after yesterday, if you try to do that today, then you won't even qualify for any type of program.” immigration attorney Carlos Garcia said.

Shoppers and pedestrians waiting to cross from Brownsville to Matamoros were turned away and sought to cross at the other two spans in the city. However, the Brownsville and Matamoros bridge a half mile away – known locally as the "old" bridge – was also closed during the protest. Both are now open. 

A heavy Texas Department of Public Safety contingent blocked the southbound entrance to the bridge and federal officers guarded the middle of the span.