Young Mother Impaled in Attempt to Climb Border Fence

The 26-year-old mother of two children is a Guatemalan native. She was accompanied by her children. One was three-years-old and the other was five.

Per U.S. Customs and Border Control, she tried to scale a section of border fence on the U.S. and Mexico border near the San Ysidro Port of Entry. This section is part of a 14-mile segment under construction to replace aged fencing.

Pieces of rebar, a steel bar for support often in concrete, stabbed the woman’s side and buttocks. Impaled by the fence in front of her children, she fell off and was found 8:30 p.m. last Friday night. EMS stabilized her straight away.

The three-year-old and his sibling were transported to Rady Children’s Hospital. The children were assessed and given to Border Control Custody. The mother was sent to Scripps Mercy Hospital. Her injuries were not fatal. There are no updates regarding her condition.

In Tijuana, there are thousands of migrants waiting to apply for asylum in the United States. Although the young mother distinguished herself from those of the migrant camp, she may have been shaken by the humanitarian crisis there.

The migrants arrived in a large group together, known as a caravan, on November 13. They are from different places in Central America, mostly from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

Children, pregnant women, and others are camped out in tents hoping to gain entry into the U.S. This past Sunday, according to Mexican Interior Minister Alfonso Navarrete, migrants demonstrated with intent to split up and run across the border.

About 500 migrants started with a peaceful pro-immigration demonstration. A group rushed the border wall and some scaled the first boundary. They meant to scale the second spiked boundary.

Border Patrol reports they were assaulted by rocks. To protect themselves, U.S. officials unleashed tear gas to deflect them.

Tear gas enveloped the region, even those who were not running for the border. Parents ran from the gas with their choking children. Children and pregnant women fainted. Fearful babies could not stop crying.

Border Patrol fired shots near people trying to squeeze through gaps in border fencing as a scare tactic.

The U.S. response to Sunday was to temporarily close the San Ysidro border crossing. Monday morning, President Trump tweeted he will not hesitate to close the border permanently. President Trump is allowing the use of lethal force by troops at the border.

The 42 people who crossed the first border boundary were arrested for numerous charges, one being disturbing the peace. Mexico deported 98 Central Americans and condemned the migrants’ actions.

Migrants are increasingly desperate as they realize how long it can take to be approved for asylum. Courts must approve each case before migrants can step foot on American soil.

Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons