Democratic lawmakers took to Twitter this week to call for an investigation into allegations that Border Patrol agents mistreated Haitian migrants at the southern border.
Images of Border Patrol agents on horseback preventing Haitian migrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border prompted outrage as well as criticism of the Biden administration’s decision to deport those who illegally entered the United States from Haiti after an earthquake in the country last month.
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In a tweet Wednesday, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said, “This isn’t border security.”
“It’s inhumane and unacceptable,” the Nevada Democrat wrote, adding that the Department of Homeland Security “must get to the bottom of this and ensure this behavior never happens again.”
While blocking the migrants from crossing the border, agents waved what appeared to be reins but some speculated were whips, fueling the controversy over the images and adding to allegations of mistreatment. There has been significant debate over whether Democratic complaints accurately reflect what happened in Del Rio, Texas.
Earlier in the week, DHS said it would investigate whether misconduct took place.
After viewing the footage, DHS provided the following statement:⁰⁰DHS does not tolerate the abuse of migrants in our custody and we take these allegations very seriously.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 20, 2021
.@SecMayorkas visited Del Rio today and witnessed the extraordinary work of DHS personnel. The footage is extremely troubling and the facts learned from the full investigation, which will be conducted swiftly, will define the appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 20, 2021
“DHS does not tolerate the abuse of migrants in our custody and we take these allegations very seriously,” the department tweeted. “The footage is extremely troubling and the facts learned from the full investigation, which will be conducted swiftly, will define the appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken.”
Sharing a tweet alleging migrants were whipped by border patrol agents, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter that “it doesn’t matter if a Democrat or Republican is President, our immigration system is designed for cruelty towards and dehumanization of immigrants.”
“Immigration should not be a crime, and its criminalization is a relatively recent invention,” the New York Democrat added. “This is a stain on our country.”
It doesn’t matter if a Democrat or Republican is President, our immigration system is designed for cruelty towards and dehumanization of immigrants.
Immigration should not be a crime, and its criminalization is a relatively recent invention. This is a stain on our country. https://t.co/PZKYN4WLyj
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 20, 2021
Rep. Ilhan Omar, sharing a similar tweet, wrote: “These are human rights abuses, plain and simple.”
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“Cruel, inhumane, and a violation of domestic and international law,” the Minnesota Democrat added. “This needs a course correction and the issuance of a clear directive on how to humanely process asylums seekers at our border.”
These are human rights abuses, plain and simple.
Cruel, inhumane, and a violation of domestic and international law. This needs a course correction and the issuance of a clear directive on how to humanely process asylums seekers at our border. https://t.co/tdDN70Hz1z
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) September 20, 2021
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and White House press secretary Jen Psaki were publicly critical of the images, though Psaki said more information was needed.
