California Assesses Legal Action Against Use of Force at Border

Attorney General Xavier Becerra, the son of Mexican immigrants, is assessing whether the State of California can take legal action over the use of force against migrants.

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"We have been approached by folks who have expressed complaints," said Becerra, and added that "we are monitoring what's occurring."

On Sunday, U.S. authorities fired tear gas canisters toward Central American migrants near the border crossing separating Tijuana from San Diego, California.

While the U.S. federal government has juridiction over the border and the admininstration of immigration functions, Becerra suggested that if a California's resident was being affected, including by shutting the border down, the state could have cause to intervene.

"I can't act unless the rules are on our side," Becerra, said.

Becerra's announcement joins growing public outrage over the implementation of President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies.

"My country threw gases to children. There are no words that can describe my horror,"

This was part of Anne Hathaway’s strong criticism after US soldiers threw tear gas at migrants from the caravan.

The criticism of border patrol's use of force has reached into conservative circles with Geraldo Rivera of Fox News saying that "We treat migrants as of they are zombies from 'The Walking Dead" in an emotional appeal to the audience.

In January, Becerra obtained the first nationwide injunction against the Trump administration, halting its decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which protects eligible immigrant youth brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. As many as 45,000 of these child immigrants, known as Dreamers, have had their status renewed as a result of this injunction after Trump sought to revoke their legal status.