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Honduran mom tear-gassed at border allowed into U.S, lawmakers say

Story behind tear gas photo of mom, children
Story behind photo of mom and children running away from tear gas 01:24

A Honduran mother who was photographed running away from tear gas with her kids at the southern border was allowed into the U.S. to seek asylum, according to two California lawmakers who camped out with a group of migrants near a port of entry by San Diego.

Democratic Reps. Jimmy Gomez and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán each tweeted early Tuesday that Maria Meza and her children had been allowed into the U.S. to claim asylum. They said they were among a group of migrants who had camped out near the port.

Gomez and Barragan live-tweeted the experience, saying that Meza and her children were allowed in after waiting seven hours. They had been told, he said, that the facility was at capacity.

Meza's family were let in along with eight unaccompanied children, to be processed, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

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