Migrant families climb border fence

Central American migrants climbed over a border fence in Tijuana on Thursday (December 27), as many grow restless in shelters south of the border to get their asylum claims to U.S. authorities.

A series of fences dot the international border line between Mexico and the U.S. near Tijuana. Migrants crossing this older section of the fence were met by U.S. border patrol officials on the other side.

Mexican officials have said as many as 1,000 individuals from the caravan of Central American migrants have hopped or otherwise skirted fences to reach the U.S. since they arrived to the border city of Tijuana.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to make it harder to get asylum, claiming criminals are amongst the migrant group. But a federal court has placed a temporary restraining order on his policy that only permitted asylum claims made at official ports of entry.

Under former President Barack Obama a system dubbed “metering” began, which limits how many can ask for asylum each day in Tijuana. Lawyers say Trump is using the system more aggressively to stem the flow at the port of entry.