The camp set up for the Central American migrant caravan in Tijuana was on “lockdown” on Sunday as Mexican residents of the city attempted to storm the area in protest. The unwelcome arrival of the caravan had put tremendous pressure on Tijuana’s resources resulting in many locals taking to the streets in opposition. It was a serious and dangerous development that went completely unreported during ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News Monday evening.
The CBS Evening News kept up its record of being the only broadcast network evening program treating the caravan seriously. In a news brief, anchor Jeff Glor updated their viewers on the caravan:
The U.S. today partially closed the busiest border crossing with Mexico for several hours to install new security barriers. Cars backed up in Tijuana. There were protests there over the weekend by locals who are opposed to the migrant caravans from Central America. 3,000 have already poured into Tijuana hoping for asylum in the U.S.
Meanwhile, on Fox News Channel’s Special Report, anchor Bret Baier had more news on the caravan to share. According to Baier, DHS officials told Fox News “they have identified more than 500 criminals traveling with that caravan” and “the caravan is made up mostly of single-adult or teen males who’ve place women and children in front of the line in an effort to gain sympathetic media coverage.”
According to Fox News national correspondent William La Jeunesse, while Tijuana has long been a “stepping stone” for those trying to sneak into the U.S., “this caravan, the numbers, how they’ve crossed, [and] how they’ve acted seemed to have awakened a silent, now vocal minority against them.”
A feature of La Jeunesse’s report was the testimonials he received from Tijuana residents. “We are here because our government has not taken control of what we call invasions,” Manuel Roses said. An unidentified woman told him: “I'm not really in favor of them coming the way they did. You know, to me, it feels like they invaded.” “I tell them it's better for you to get a job and start working right. And then out you head trying to cross the border,” resident Alberto Perez explained.
“Shouting ‘Hondurans go home’ and ‘viva Mexico’, riot police Sunday stopped hundreds of Mexicans try to storm the migrant shelter,” La Jeunesse added. “They fear crime, a loss of jobs, depressed wages in a country where 40 percent already live in poverty.”
As for Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision, they both drew attention to the anti-caravan protest in Tijuana. “At the top of their lungs, they asked for only one thing: the expulsion of the migrants from Mexico,” Telemundo correspondent Raul Torres reported.
“The United States closed the traffic for some hours at the pedestrian bridge between Tijuana and San Diego, to install new safety barriers in what looks like an attempt at containing the possible massive entry of Central American migrants that face strong rejection in Tijuana from sectors of the population in that city,” noted Univision anchor Enrique Acevedo.
Instead of noting the protests, ABC spent time hyping the countdown to Black Friday and NBC praised the Cleveland Indians for unveiling their new politically correct logo.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
November 19, 2018
6:52:18 p.m. Eastern [21 seconds]JEFF GLOR: The U.S. today partially closed the busiest border crossing with Mexico for several hours to install new security barriers. Cars backed up in Tijuana. There were protests there over the weekend by locals who are opposed to the migrant caravans from Central America. 3,000 have already poured into Tijuana hoping for asylum in the U.S.
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
November 19, 2018
6:04:08 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: Officials, as we mentioned with the Homeland Security Department, say they have identified more than 500 criminals traveling with that caravan flow of Central American migrants headed to the U.S. They say the caravan is made up mostly of single adult or teen males who’ve place women and children in front of the line in an effort to gain sympathetic media coverage. And there is new backlash tonight against some of those migrants, but it’s not from the Trump administration from Mexicans living in Tijuana. National correspondent William La Jeunesse is in Tijuana again tonight. Good evening, William.
WILLIAM LA JEUNESSE: Good evening, Bret. You know, illegal immigration is not new to Mexico. Generations of Central Americans have used it as a stepping stone into the United States but this caravan, the numbers, how they’ve crossed, how they’ve acted seemed to have awakened a silent now vocal minority against them.
[Cuts to video]
Tension in Tijuana.
MANUEL ROSES (Tijuana resident): We are here because our government has not taken control of what we call invasions.
LA JEUNESSE: Shouting “Hondurans go home” and “viva Mexico”, riot police Sunday stopped hundreds of Mexicans try to storm the migrant shelter. They fear crime, a loss of jobs, depressed wages in a country where 40 percent already live in poverty.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I'm not really in favor of them coming the way they did. You know, to me, it feels like they invaded.
LA JEUNESSE: Nearby, a counter-protest, supporters say Mexico should welcome and protect immigrants.
(…)
LA JEUNESSE: Shelter, Sunday, remained on lockdown until protesters went home.
(…)
LA JEUNESSE: More than 6,000 caravan migrants arrived in Tijuana. Their shelter looking now like a refugee camp as many realized they cannot easily cross the border and any asylum interview is at least five weeks away.
ALBERTO PEREZ (Tijuana resident): I tell them it's better for you to get a job and start working right. And then out you head trying to cross the border.
LA JEUNESSE: This morning, for the first time, the U.S. shut down the San Ysidro port of entry. Kirstjen Nielsen saying in a tweet, CBP believed a, quote, “large number of caravan migrants planned to rush the border to gain illegal access to the U.S.”
[Cuts back to live]
So, by shutting down lanes, slowing traffic, increasing wait times President Trump is sending a message to Mexico City: to stop these caravans on their southern borders or face consequences here on the north. It's a language, Bret, that everyone understands, time is money. Bret?
BAIER: William La Jeunesse live in Mexico tonight. William, thank you.
