US Customs closes major point of entry along southern border

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reportedly closed the pedestrian and vehicle bridges at the San Ysidro port of entry near San Diego, Calif., on Sunday.

CNN reported that the roads and bridges at the entry point have been closed in both directions, and additional personnel has been dispatched to the area in anticipation of the arrival of Central American migrants who are part of a so-called caravan.

San Ysidro is one of the largest land border crossings between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, where hundreds of migrants have been staying in recent days before attempting to enter the U.S

{mosads}CBP did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

The agency last week shut down traffic at San Ysidro in both directions as agents set up barbed wire, concrete and rebar to reinforce the border area. The port was later reopened prior to its closure on Sunday.

The Trump administration has taken a number of steps to crack down on the border in response to the caravan’s trek toward the U.S. The president directed thousands of troops be deployed to the southern border, and signed a proclamation preventing certain immigrants from claiming asylum.

President Trump has escalated his threats in recent days, pledging to shutdown the southern border entirely if Mexico does not agree to hold migrants in the country while the U.S. processes their asylum claims.

The president has painted the caravan as an imminent national security threat for weeks. The groups is made up primarily of Honduran, El Salvadorian and Guatemalan natives, many of whom are fleeing violence and poverty.