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Mexico asks US to investigate tear gas incident at border

Mexico's foreign affairs ministry has formally asked the United States government through its embassy for a thorough investigation into a Jan. 1 incident in which U.S. agents fired tear gas into Mexico to stop crossing migrants

Migrants run after U.S. Border Patrol agents throw tear gas to the Mexican side of the fence after the migrants climbed the border fence to get into the U.S. side to San Diego, from Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Discouraged by the long wait to apply for asylum through official ports of entry, many migrants from recent caravans are choosing to cross the U.S. border wall and hand themselves in to border patrol agents. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
Migrants run after U.S. Border Patrol agents throw tear gas to the Mexican side of the fence after the migrants climbed the border fence to get into the U.S. side to San Diego, from Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Discouraged by the long wait to apply for asylum through official ports of entry, many migrants from recent caravans are choosing to cross the U.S. border wall and hand themselves in to border patrol agents. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)Read moreDaniel Ochoa de Olza / AP
    by Associated Press, AP_pmn_1
    Published 

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's foreign affairs ministry has formally asked the United States government through its embassy for a thorough investigation into a Jan. 1 incident in which U.S. agents fired tear gas into Mexico to stop crossing migrants.

In a statement Thursday, the ministry said it lamented any violent acts along its border. It reiterated its commitment to the safety of migrants.

In the first hours of the new year, about 150 migrants attempted to breach the border fence in Tijuana. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that agents fired gas at migrants throwing rocks. It said it was investigating.

But an Associated Press photographer at the scene only saw rocks thrown after agents fired gas as migrants scaled the fence.