Hillary Clinton on reports of tear gassing at border: ‘This is wrong’

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton decried the use of tear gas against migrants attempting to cross the border illegally on Sunday.

“This is wrong,” Clinton wrote Monday in a tweet that linked to a story about the incident. It included a photo of a mother struggling to pull her children to safety.

This is wrong. https://t.co/umrKs9CBeK

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 26, 2018

The tweet from Clinton decrying the use of tear gas at the border comes days after she came under some criticism for a tweet that said Europe needs to “get a handle” on immigration as a means of thwarting right-wing populism.

{mosads}”I think Europe needs to get a handle on migration because that is what lit the flame [of right-wing populism],” Clinton told The Guardian in an interview published last Thursday.

“I admire the very generous and compassionate approaches that were taken particularly by leaders like [German Chancellor] Angela Merkel,” she said, “but I think it is fair to say Europe has done its part, and must send a very clear message — ‘we are not going to be able to continue provide refuge and support’ — because if we don’t deal with the migration issue it will continue to roil the body politic.”

Clinton came under criticism from the left, including from some groups backing migrants, over the remarks.

Border officials and the Trump administration have defended the use of tear gas at the border.

The tear gassing took place after Mexican federal police tried and failed to stop a group of migrants from rushing the border. When members of the group began throwing rocks at U.S. border officials, American authorities released tear gas into the crowd.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan defended the decision Monday, saying it “prevented a dangerous situation from getting worse.”

“[CBP] effectively managed an extremely dangerous situation involving over 1,000 individuals who sought to enter the U.S. unlawfully in large groups,” McAleenan told CNN. “They did so safely and without any reported serious injuries on either side of the border.”