CBP Orders New Training After Minnesota That Could Expand Use of Chemical Weapons [View all]
Source: Huff Post
Jan 16, 2026, 01:10 PM EST | Updated an hour ago
As the federal government cracks down on protests in Minnesota, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has told its officers they must undergo more crowd-control training that opens the door to using chemical munitions against demonstrators, according to a memo obtained by HuffPost.
CBP, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for safeguarding the countrys borders and ports of entry, but has taken a leading role in the crackdown in Minneapolis.
Under the plan, many current CBP employees would need to attain a higher certification in whats known as mobile field force training, according to the memo. The certification requires a three-day training on how to handle the kind of civil unrest that isnt common at ports or borders but is fast becoming a basic feature of the White Houses urban immigration operations.
The advanced training is a prerequisite for using pepper balls and tear gas canisters as opposed to just pepper spray provided officers attain additional certifications.
Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-cbp-officers-crowd-control_n_696a6113e4b018dc941d85c0