Hundreds of Venezuelan migrants Sunday attempted en masse to cross the US Border from Mexico and were prevented from doing so by US and Mexican authorities.

The largest group of migrants attempted to reach the US from the Paso del Norte Bridge, which connects Ciudad Juarez, to El Paso, Texas. Simultaneously, other groups of migrants tried unsuccessfully to reach the US on the Bridge of the Americas and the Stanton Street Bridge.

US Customs and Border Protection officers (CBP) described the migrants as “posing a potential threat to make a mass entry.” CBP used physical barriers, termed “port hardening measures,” which prevented entry into the US. The bridges were later reopened and no breach of the border was reported.

CBP stated that they were “working to maintain the legal and orderly flow of entry to the US while protecting the safety and security of legitimate trade and travel”.

The unrest was partially caused by issues with the agency’s app, CBP One. The Biden-Harris administration introduced it help to streamline the asylum application process, allowing migrants to schedule an appointment at the port of entry and make their asylum claim without crossing the border unlawfully. It has been criticized for its persistent glitches and high demand. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said that recent updates will simplify and speed up the process.

Many Venezuelans face administrative and economic barriers to obtaining or renewing passports, as well as receiving other official documents. The current policy means that to qualify for permission to travel to the US by plane, Venezuelans must hold a valid passport and have a US-based sponsor who agrees to provide housing and financial support.

In 2022, the DHS announced a new policy that Venezuelans who illegally enter the US by ports of entry will be returned to Mexico. According to Human Rights Watch, the policy represents a “massive expansion of the abusive Trump-era Title 42 border explosion policy” and “effectively punish[es] those Venezuelans who have been forced to flee their country.”