Hundreds of Migrants Amass to Enter US After Rumor of ‘Open Border’ Spreads

Hundreds of migrants gathered on the south banks of the Rio Grande on Monday after a false rumor that the US was opening the border began circulating online.

The migrants were shouting, rattling the gates of a railroad crossing, and allegedly throwing rocks across the river, according to the El Paso Times.

US Customs and Border Protection officials said the migrants attempted to make a mass entry at 8:50 p.m., the outlet reported. Authorities at the border dispersed the crowd using pepper balls.

There is a network of faith-based shelters in the area, but many migrants are hesitant to seek out those resources, according to the Times. Migrants say they also fear robbery and mistreatment by criminals and law enforcement.

"Every day more people arrive. We are seeing more people in the streets again," Enrique Valenzuela, director of a migrant aid organization, told the outlet. "We have so many people who don't want to go to the shelters. We insist on the official information that we have."

US Customs and Border Protection released a video statement following the incident, clarifying that the border is not open to "irregular migration."

"Don't listen to the lies of smugglers. US immigration policies have not changed," Sean Coffey, a border patrol agent, said in the video.

He added that individuals who are removed for illegally entering the US could be banned from re-entry for up to five years.

"Individuals should rely on only official US government information, not social media rumors or other unofficial sources," Coffey said.