SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — At 10 a.m. and dressed in full riot gear, dozens of Customs and Border Protection Officers ran into several traffic lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry prepared to fight back a large crowd.
It was only an exercise.
But it looked serious enough to turn heads, and it left border commuters wondering what was going on.
Throughout the 15-minute training, loudspeakers pumped out messages for drivers asking them to be patient during the exercise.
“They’re doing the right thing to protect the border,” said Rafael Milagros.
Other commuters didn’t seem to mind having to wait a little longer to cross into the U.S.
“All they’re doing is their jobs, they’re trying to protect the United States,” said Miguel Villalobos.
CBP called the training an “Operational Readiness Exercise,” meant to “assess the capabilities of our facilities.”
A CBP statement went on to say “preparations include participating in operational readiness exercises and the mobilization of resources, as needed, to ensure the facilitation of lawful trade and travel.”
Border Report was told the exercise had nothing to do with a large gathering of migrants who have been living just south of the border at an unofficial campsite. Many have been there for almost a month.
Reports that some migrants might try to rush through the port of entry as a way to get into the U.S. are not deemed credible and have been labeled “simply rumors.”
