NATIONAL NEWS

Border Patrol Head Condemns Agents’ Offensive Facebook Posts

Jul 2, 2019, 9:16 AM | Updated: Feb 13, 2023, 2:44 pm
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is swarmed by the media after touring the Clint, TX Border Patrol Facility housing children on July 1, 2019 in Clint, Texas. Reports of inhumane conditions have plagued the facility where migrant children are being held. (Photo by Christ Chavez/Getty Images)
(D-NY)

CLINT, Texas (AP) — The head of the U.S. Border Patrol on Monday slammed as “completely inappropriate” sexually explicit posts about U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and comments questioning the authenticity of a photo of a drowned man and his young daughter in a secret Facebook group for agents.

The existence of the group was reported by ProPublica as roughly a dozen members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including Democrats Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Veronica Escobar of Texas, toured border facilities where attorneys said they had found migrant children living in fetid, filthy conditions.

Some of the posts were graphic, doctored images of Ocasio-Cortez, including one that shows a smiling President Donald Trump forcing her head toward his crotch. Other comments refer to Ocasio-Cortez and Escobar as “hoes,” and one member encouraged agents to throw a “burrito at these bitches.”

Ocasio-Cortez said she wasn’t surprised by the posts, especially after the treatment of migrants she said she witnessed at the facility.

“It’s just indicative of the violent culture that we saw,” she said.

The revelation about the Facebook posts only added to the vitriolic atmosphere surrounding immigration and the treatment of tens of thousands of migrants who have crossed the border, vastly straining the system that has been struggling to keep up amid Trump’s hardline rhetoric.

The Democrats delivered an emotional denunciation of what they saw inside the border facilities as protesters shouted that they didn’t believe them.

“When we went into the cell, it was clear that the water was not running … in fact, one of the women said that she was told by an agent to drink from the toilet,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas and twin brother of presidential candidate Julian Castro.

The Texas visit came the same day as Trump signed a $4.6 billion emergency aid package that Congress passed on Friday. The Democratic-led House had pushed for more restrictions on how the money could be used and stricter oversight, but ultimately lost the battle.

Trump said he hadn’t seen the postings, but claimed Border Patrol agents were not happy with Congress.

“So the Border Patrol, they’re patriots, they’re great people. They love our country. They know who’s coming in,” said Trump.

Lawmakers who toured the facilities shared their experiences widely on social media. Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts called them “jail-like. No way to keep a child or innocent human being.” The head of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, California Rep. Judy Chu said “what we saw was appalling and disgusting.”

Castro said there would likely be a Congressional investigation into the Facebook posts.

Billed as “fun, serious and just work related,” the group of about 9,500 members of current and former Border Patrol employees states: “We are family, first and foremost,” according to ProPublica.

Another thread involved the image published last week by The Associated Press of a migrant father and his toddler, drowned on the banks of the Rio Grande. One commenter suggested the image was doctored because the bodies were too clean.

“We’ve all seen the dems and liberal parties do some pretty sick things,” the comment read.

They marked a sharp contrast to accounts of Border Patrol officers spending their own money on food for migrants in their care, or rescuing migrants from the Rio Grande , or from a bombing range in Arizona. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of Border Patrol, said an investigation into “disturbing social media activity” was underway.

“These posts are completely inappropriate and contrary to the honor and integrity I see — and expect — from our agents day in and day out,” Border Patrol chief Carla Provost said. “Any employees found to have violated our standards of conduct will be held accountable.”

Ocasio-Cortez raised hackles last month when she tweeted: “This administration has established concentration camps on the southern border of the United States for immigrants, where they are being brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying.”

Her tweet set off a firestorm of criticism from GOP lawmakers and others over her use of “concentration camps,” with some saying she was unfairly comparing the southern border to the Holocaust. The Border Patrol’s union, while condemning the Facebook posts, also took a swipe at her.

“Whether one agrees with the politics of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Escobar, they both must be treated with dignity and respect,” according to a statement from the union. “Similarly, when Rep. Ocasio-Cortez refers to CBP facilities as concentration camps … she does nothing to improve the political discourse.”

___

Long reported from Washington. Associated Press Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report from Washington.

KSL 5 TV Live

Top Stories

National News

FILE - A pump jack sits idle in front of palm trees on June 9, 2021, in Signal Hill, Calif. Califor...
Adam Beam, Associated Press

New California gas price law another defeat for oil industry

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new law that could penalize oil companies for making too much money.
1 day ago
Many experts are concerned that the formula shortage of 2022 could easily happen again. (Brandon Be...
Jen Christensen

FDA sketches out plan to bolster fragile US infant formula supply management

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday its initial strategy to boost and strengthen the management of the country's supply of infant formula.
1 day ago
Cherry blossoms bloom on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on March 27, 2023 in Washington, DC.  This...
Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press

Man accused of stabbing Senate staffer after prison release

A U.S. Senate staffer remained hospitalized Tuesday after police say he was attacked leaving a restaurant in Washington this weekend by a man who had been released from federal prison a day earlier.
1 day ago
A police officer walks by an entrance to The Covenant School after a shooting in Nashville, Tenn. o...
Christina Zdanowicz

What we know about the Nashville shooter Audrey Hale

Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old former Covenant School student who killed six people at the school Monday, carefully planned the attack.
1 day ago
Nashville school shooting...
Pat Reavy, KSL.com 

Quick actions of Nashville officers saved lives, former Utah chiefs say

The officers who stopped an active shooter at a Nashville elementary school on Monday did exactly what they were supposed to do.
1 day ago
Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to reporters before the MockCon event at University Chapel ...
Jill Colvin and Eric Tucker

AP Sources: Judge rules Pence must testify before grand jury

A federal judge has ruled that former Vice President Mike Pence will have to testify before a grand jury in the federal probe into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election.
1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...
PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.
Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...
BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.
Close up of an offset printing machine during production...
Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.
vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...
Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.
Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...
Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.
notebook with password notes highlighted...
PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.
Border Patrol Head Condemns Agents’ Offensive Facebook Posts