Tear gas, border protection, and the inconsistency of Trump’s critics

It’s obviously bad that innocent women and children were in the way and ended up inhaling tear gas. But we need to discuss the use of force along the southern border.

[Read more: Obama admin used pepper spray on migrants at border in 2013]

The use of nonlethal force to police the border is not a Trump administration innovation. Under the Obama administration, Border Patrol used nonlethal projectiles like pepper balls, “kinetic impact” rubber bullets, and sting ball grenades. The type of outrage you see today under the Trump administration was almost nonexistent under the Obama administration. It’s a similar story to when outlets used photos of detention centers from 2014 to criticize the Trump administration’s child separation policy.

But let’s put aside the discrepancy in terms of outrage and focus on what matters the most: facts.

According to an analysis by the Republic of nearly 1,600 Customs and Border Protection use-of-force reports from 2010 to mid-2012, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, the vast majority of the time agents responded to rock throwers with less-lethal weapons and easily dispersed rock throwers without injury to the agents, rock throwers, or bystanders in the crowded areas on both sides of the border.

Some are arguing that border patrol agents are using too much force, but few have offered less aggressive alternatives.

The key here is that it’s not new for Border Patrol agents to use these nonlethal — but still unpleasant — tactics to break up big crowds of migrants and rock throwers. It’s perfectly fine to be critical of the Trump administration’s tactics in securing the border, however, we note the volume of the criticism depends on the party of the president.