Children and Pregnant Women Among Migrants Gased at Mexico Border

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents lobbed tear gas at an estimated crowd of 150 migrants including pregnant women and children on New Years Day. On Jan. 1, 2019, agents claimed their assault was aimed at “people throwing rocks south of the borderline,” according to ABC News.

The group was defined as “a violent mob” by a Homeland Security spokesperson. Why is it the use of chemical weapons is banned in Article I.5 of the Geneva Convention but the U.S. continues to shoot tear gas into crowds of migrants? Should this not be thought of as an act of war when used against foreigners?

The migrants who actively climbed the fence included children. Officers reported seeing adults lifting small kids up and over the metal spikes of the existing border wall. Agents lobed gas at pregnant migrants as they attempt to cross to border even though it is disallowed.

According to the CBP, patrol agents used pepper spray and gas dispersing weapons on the migrants. Two teens were among the 25 people arrested. They also claim no one was injured in the altercation. Moreover, no injuries were sustained by agents or arrestees.

Tear gas was used on the migrants in November 2018. At the time, women and children were among those accosted. CBP arrested 42 individuals, however, no criminal charges were filed against the migrants or agents.

Typically, there are no longlasting side effects of tear gas for healthy individuals. However, pregnant women must be concerned with the possibility of lower birthweights and other negative effects on their unborn child. Young children have delicate lungs and exposure to chemicals increases a kid’s chance of developing respiratory diseases like asthma.

Non-life-threatening events associated with tear gas and pepper spray include serious permanent injury or death. Injuries can present as severe bruising, the loss of eyesight, skull fracture. Loss of life from the supposed non-lethal weapon is unconscionable.

Using tear gas and pepper spray against migrants, much less pregnant women and children, at the Mexico/San Diego border violates common sense and international law. Nonetheless, President Donald Trump defends the use of chemical warfare against migrants he erroneously insists are “some very tough people.”

Written by Cathy Milne-Ware

ABC News: US fires tear gas into Mexico as migrants attempt to cross border into San Diego
ABC News: Migrant mother seen fleeing tear gas with children: ‘I felt I was going to die’
The CUT: What Are the Long-Term Health Effects of Tear Gas?

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of waynewhuang’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License