Former U.S. Border Patrol deputy chief Ron Colburn early Monday defended the use of pepper spray to deter migrants attempting to enter the U.S. at the Mexican border, saying it is “natural” and “you could actually put it on your nachos and eat it.”
“Fox & Friends” host Steve Doocy asked Colburn, who is now president of the nonprofit Border Patrol Foundation, if such measures were necessary, prompting Colburn to call the contents of the pepper spray “natural” and “a good way of deterring people without long-term harm.”
{mosads}U.S. Border Patrol agents used tear gas and pepper spray Sunday on migrants attempting to cross the border near San Diego.
Colburn said using pepper spray was “absolutely” warranted.
The Central American migrants were seeking to come through a border crossing between Tijuana and California shortly after the U.S. suspended pedestrian crossings at the San Ysidro port of entry.
The migrants attempting to enter the country are members of the so-called migrant caravan featured heavily in the news and in President Trump’s comments in the weeks leading up to the midterm elections.
Trump has sent thousands of troops to the border in an attempt to block them from entering the U.S.