A few days after a failed violent assault by droves of Central American migrants from the infamous caravan tried to invade the U.S. on Sunday, over 100 of them grew frustrated and boarded planes for their home countries on Tuesday. And after being appalled by President Trump’s defense of Border Patrol’s use of mere tear gas to repel the attack, ABC and NBC couldn’t be bothered that evening to mention the migrants packing up and leaving and that the Tijuana locals were happy to see them go.
CBS Evening News was the only broadcast network to mention the defeated migrants during their Tuesday evening broadcast. “Today more than 100 Central Americans lined up to fly back to their home countries. They believed their chances of winning asylum were slim,” reported anchor Jeff Glor as part of a 23-second news brief.
He also noted that the Trump administration doubled down on their defense of using tear gas against the attackers. Glor added that the “Department of Homeland Security also firmly denied reports that rubber bullets were used.”
Meanwhile, on Fox News Channel’s Special Report, they ran a full-length report, which noted the “greater realization tonight among thousands of Central American migrants that they may never be successful in their attempt to legally enter the U.S. via asylum,” according to anchor Bret Baier.
Fox News correspondent Jeff Paul was stationed near the migrants still camped out in Tijuana, Mexico. He spoke to one man who seemed to suggest it was “not logical” how the Border Patrol reacted to them on Sunday. But he was “happy” to be going home because, among other things, he would be “reunited” with “my country.”
Paul also spoke to teenager Henri Juarez, who appeared to be the same person ABC talked to on Monday and touted his future attempts to get into America illegally.
While he tried to play down his plans for illegally entering the U.S., Juarez told Paul that “[t]hese crutches will not stop me from crossing that fence, illegally or legally. But I do not intend to cross illegally.” Yet, during ABC’s World News Tonight, the network suggested he sustained the injuries to his head while taking part in the assault on the wall.
“A clash with Border Patrol agents during a Sunday demonstration now complicating the situation,” Paul reported. “While it only involved a few hundred of more than 5,000 migrants, some say it makes them all look bad and they’ve had enough.”
When it came to the Tijuana locals, who ABC and NBC have proven they're not keen on, some couldn’t wait for the migrants to get deported. “Deport them back to where they are. Let them over here. They need to get them out of Tijuana because it’s just crazy for us,” Candace Sanchez told Paul.
“The Border Patrol union now calling on members to Congress to act, pushing them to fund a wall before chaos erupts once again,” Paul continued, a crucial point many in the liberal media don’t like to spread.
It will be interesting to see if the ABC and NBC will mention those migrants heading home during their Wednesday morning programs, and to see if CBS will elaborate further.
In contrast, Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision touched on the returning migrants. "Almost 200 migrants decided to abandon the caravan and return to their countries. They see asylum in the United States impossible after the violent riots in the borders," Univision anchor Illia Calderon said.
Meanwhile, on Telemundo, anchor Jose Diaz-Balart lamented that "[d]espair grows among the migrants in the caravan stranded at the border. With food and basic services increasingly scarce, hundreds decide to abandon the American dream and return to their countries... many took the decision after being sprayed with tear gas."
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
November 27, 2018
6:42:52 p.m. Eastern [23 seconds]JEFF GLOR: The Trump administration today issued a new statement defending its use of tear gas, Sunday, to prevent migrants from crossing into the U.S. from Tijuana, Mexico. The Department of Homeland Security also firmly denied reports that rubber bullets were used. Today more than 100 Central Americans lined up to fly back to their home countries. They believed their chances of winning asylum were slim.
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
November 27, 2018
6:21:04 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: There is a greater realization tonight among thousands of Central American migrants that they may never be successful in their attempt to legally enter the U.S. via asylum. This comes after a violent attempt over the weekend to come into the country by force. Correspondent Jeff Paul reports again tonight from Tijuana, Mexico.
[Cuts to video]
JEFF PAUL: Frustration and desperation setting in for the thousands of Central American migrants who made the journey hoping to enter the U.S.
ROBERTO VASQUEZ (Honduran Migrant via translator): It's real sad crossing to the other side, for them to treat us in that manner is not logical.
PAUL: A clash with Border Patrol agents during a Sunday demonstration now complicating the situation. While it only involved a few hundred of more than 5,000 migrants, some say it makes them all look bad and they’ve had enough.
VASQUEZ (Via translator): I’m happy because I know I'm going to be reunited with my family and my country.
PAUL: Well, what was once a baseball field is now the main shelter for the migrants from Central America. As you take a look over here you can see how thousands are living right now in makeshift tents and blankets, anything to keep them warm through the night. It is pretty rough conditions over here. It smells of raw sewage. And there are a lot of families here, women, men, children, thousands of people living in conditions like this for up to two weeks now. And this is where they're going to be waiting until they figure out their next move whether it's stay here in Tijuana, go back home, or stick it out and try to seek asylum and enter the U.S.
HENRI JUAREZ (Salvadoran migrant via translator): These crutches will not stop me from crossing that fence, illegally or legally. But I do not intend to cross illegally. I am hopeful they will give me the papers because the first thing is to ask for political asylum in the United States to enter legally.
PAUL: While some remained defiant, with the hopes of entering the U.S., others look to stay in Mexico. Locals in Tijuana don't like that idea either.
CANDACE SANCHEZ (Tijuana resident): Deport them back to where they are. Let them over here. They need to get them out of Tijuana because it’s just crazy for us.
PAUL: The Border Patrol union now calling on members to Congress to act, pushing them to fund a wall before chaos erupts once again.
BRANDON JUDD (National Border Patrol Council): What’s happening is they’re gaming the system, they’re thumbing their nose at the American public, the American government.
PAUL: In Tijuana, Mexico, Jeff Paul, Fox News.
