The U.S. Border Patrol deployed hundreds of agents to the streets of Washington Monday evening as part of President Trump’s federal response to riots in the District of Columbia, the Washington Examiner has learned.
A Customs and Border Protection official, which oversees Border Patrol, confirmed 350 agents decked in green uniforms were assigned to assist the Metropolitan Police Department, Secret Service, National Guard, and other federal agencies after several nights of citywide looting and arson incidents.
“CBP personnel have deployed to the National Capital Region to assist law enforcement partners. These “protests” have devolved into chaos & acts of domestic terrorism by groups of radicals & agitators. @CBP is answering the call and will work to keep DC safe,” acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan wrote on Twitter.
Agents organized at the agency’s headquarters before heading outside. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, who was named to the post earlier this year, rallied agents, as well as other CBP personnel who work at ports of entry, before heading out. CBP employs approximately 60,000 federal employees, including 20,000 Border Patrol agents who work along the country’s border with Canada, Mexico, parts of the Southeast, and the coasts.
“It is our duty & responsibility as a federal law enforcement agency to stand w/ our partners nationwide at the federal, state & local level upon their request to assist. Our HQ workforce is deploying to stabilize our nation’s capital & bring these violent, rioting groups to justice,” Scott said in a post on Twitter.
It is our duty & responsibility as a federal law enforcement agency to stand w/ our partners nationwide at the federal,state & local level upon their request to assist.Our HQ workforce is deploying to stabilize our nation’s capital & bring these violent,rioting groups to justice. pic.twitter.com/6iEBhl5tje
— Chief Rodney Scott (@USBPChief) June 1, 2020
Some agents were assigned to the National Mall to stand watch on the federal park land following vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial. The memorials are each located less than a mile from the White House, where most of the daytime protests over police brutality have taken place.
In the wake of last night’s demonstrations, there are numerous instances of vandalism to sites around the National Mall. For generations the Mall has been our nation’s premier civic gathering space for non-violent demonstrations, and we ask individuals to carry on that tradition. pic.twitter.com/LmIHfW2AHj
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) May 31, 2020
Border Patrol agents gathered around the Washington Monument Monday evening, standing in place after the 7 p.m. EST curfew went into effect.
.@CBP is currently securing national monuments and memorials across DC. Last night, some of them were defaced by rioters. We’re working hard to prevent it from happening again, and we’re proud to protect them. pic.twitter.com/XWuDN19z9V
— Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan (@CBPMarkMorgan) June 2, 2020
Earlier Monday evening, Trump announced the mobilization of civilian and military federal personnel “to stop the rioting and looting, to end the destruction and arson, and to protect the rights of law-abiding Americans, including your Second Amendment rights.”
