Staff Reports
Surprisingly, Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, met privately with Border Patrol agents who had been wrongly accused of beating undocumented immigrants. This conference took place two years following the September 2021 incident in Del Rio, Texas, where images and recordings showed agents obstructing Haitian migrants while mounted on horses. Numerous Democrats, such as President Joe Biden, had complained about the agents' mistreatment.
President Biden had harshly denounced the agents, keen to create a polarizing image, saying, "To watch individuals treated like they did, horses barely them racing over… It's absurd. You can count on those folks to pay." The statement made by Representative Maxine Waters was, "This incident was worse than what we witnessed in slavery."
How telling.
#AlejandroMayorkas #Bidenadministration #Bordercrisis #BorderPatrol #Bordersecurity #DepartmentofHomelandSecurity https://t.co/wqIBXjHQf1
— Conservative Tribune (@conserv_tribune) November 30, 2023
Secretary Mayorkas changed his mind after first endorsing the idea, saying that "any mistreatment or abuse of a migrant is unacceptable." The images that I saw deeply disturbed me." Even though an internal inquiry refuted the allegations and found no proof of whipping, the agents were disciplined for nebulous "administrative violations."
In the course of the conversation, Secretary Mayorkas allegedly addressed the falsely accused agents in a "professional and respectful tone," enabling them to discuss the impact the incident had on their lives and careers, without extending an apology. This strategy may work well in human resources, but it doesn't address the agents' legitimate concerns after false allegations had a significant negative impact on their life.
The relationship between the Border Patrol and the Biden administration is already poor, and this episode has made it even worse. The number of encounters with illegal migrants at the southern border has increased dramatically; in fiscal year 2023 alone, it approached 2.5 million. The Biden administration's demonization of Border Patrol personnel and their usage as political pawns has resulted in a decline in morale among them, which can be attributed to the lack of viable alternatives.
It serves as a harsh reminder to people who feel undervalued in their work that Border Patrol agents have faced unfounded allegations, disciplinary proceedings, and a lack of transparency from their political superiors despite their commitment and diligence. It illustrates the difficulties experienced by those entrusted with border security in a setting where politics frequently trumps national security.
