Members of the press are aghast after mounted U.S. border agents were recorded this weekend striking Haitian asylum-seekers flooding into Del Rio, Texas, with whips.
The alleged incident even inspired angry denunciations from the White House.
The only problem is the story appears to be false. Border agents don’t appear to have used “whips” on anyone, according to photos and videos taken at the border. Rather, the footage shows mounted border agents using their reins to coral the throngs of Haitian refugees swarming into Texas.
This “whipping” business is most likely the result of a “telephone”-style game between reporters in which one journalist alleged one thing, and then, several yards down the line, the resulting narrative is something far off from the initial claim.
On Sept. 19, the El Paso Times published a report claiming a Border Patrol agent shouted at a group of Haitians crossing from Mexico into the U.S., “Let’s go! Get out now! Back to Mexico!”
The report then states: “The agent swung his whip menacingly, charging his horse toward the men in the river who were trying to return to an encampment under the international bridge in Del Rio after buying food and water in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico.”
Citing the report, the Intercept’s Ryan Devereaux claimed later that border agents were seen “cracking whips” and “charging into crowds of Haitian asylum seekers.”
“Um, why are U.S. border agents using whips on Haitians?” asked the Atlantic’s Jemele Hill
From swinging whips “menacingly,” to “cracking whips,” to “using whips,” in three simple steps.
The problem here is that photos and videos from Del Rio clearly show the agents using their reins to direct Haitian refugees. No video or photo evidence suggests otherwise.
Moreover, it’s worth noting border agents aren’t even issued whips, according to NBC News’s Morgan Chesky and Townhall’s Julio Rosas.
“Agents use their reins for a lot of reasons,” one immigration official told Rosas. “Primarily, it’s used to steer the horse, but agents will also spin them sometimes to deter people from getting too close to the horse. If they get too close, the horse can step on them, breaking bones or causing other injures. Agents also need to maintain control of their reins so they don’t lose control of the horse, which can cause injuries to immigrants, the agents, and the horses.”
The source added, “We are not aware of anyone being struck with the reins.”
Yet another source told Fox News: “We do not carry whips, and the only thing I see in their hands is reins.”
You don’t even need to take their word for it (nor should you) to know there’s a discrepancy between what members of the press allege and what the photos and videos they cite show.
Never mind all that. The press are off and running.
“Vice Border Patrol agents are whipping Haitian migrants at the US-Mexico border in Texas,” Vice News reported.
Said New York magazine, “Border Patrol Agent Uses Whip to Chase Down Haitian Migrants.”
“Some on social media commented that the image of fleeing Black men chased by white officers on horseback had echoes of the historical injustices suffered by Black people in the United States,” said Reuters.
PBS News’s Yamiche Alcindor reported Tuesday: “The WH press secretary told me border agents should never again use whips on migrants.”
Speaking of the White House, the Biden administration and its Democratic allies have bought into the whip narrative completely.
“When there’s … 12,000 Black people under a bridge at the border and our government responds with men on horseback and whips,” said Democratic Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan, “this is beyond troubling.”
Added Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, “This is so sick, and [CBP] will continue to commit human rights abuses if we don’t stop it now. Cracking a f***ing whip on Haitians fleeing hardship shows you that this system simply can’t be reformed.”
At the White House, press secretary Jen Psaki said, “I’ve also seen the video. I can’t imagine what the scenario is where that would be appropriate,” adding the footage is “horrible to watch.”
She said the president similarly believes the images from Del Rio are “horrific and horrible.”
“That’s not who the Biden and Harris administration is,” Psaki said.
Pointing to a photo of a border agent waving his reins at a Haitian asylum-seeker, CNN’s Chris Cuomo commented, “It does smack of a bygone era of slavery aided by reports of people being beaten whether with a rioting crop or the reins, most likely.”
All this because members of our press clearly don’t know the difference between a whip and reins. Remember this the next time the press corps backs calls for U.S. involvement in armed conflict
