A U.S. border patrol officer grabs the shirt of a migrant trying to return to the United States along the Rio Grande river, after having crossed from the United States into Mexico to buy food, as seen from Ciudad Acuna, in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico September 19, 2021. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril

Politics

DHS “horrified to see” viral videos of migrants at the southern border

Sep 21, 2021

By Ben Burke (Digital Producer), Ryan Tiedgen (Editor)

Disturbing images and videos taken near the southern border in Del Rio, Texas drew strong reactions on both side of the aisle Tuesday.

One video appeared to show a U.S. Border Patrol agent on horseback blocking migrants from crossing the river. Other images show an agent holding what are called “split reins” while grabbing the shirt of a migrant carrying food.

On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security announced they are investigating the incident. “DHS does not tolerate the abuse of migrants in our custody and we take these allegations very seriously,” the DHS said in a tweet thread. “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.”

The tweet came a day before DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified at a Senate committee hearing Monday. There, he was asked about the border videos. “I was horrified to see the images, and we look forward to learning the facts that are adduced from the investigation, and we will take actions that those facts compel,” Mayors said. “We do not tolerate any mistreatment or abuse of a migrant. Period.”

At least two members of the White House commented on the border videos Tuesday, including Vice President Kamala Harris. “What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback treating human beings the way they were was horrible and I fully support what is happening right now, which is a thorough investigation into exactly what is going on there,” Harris said. “But human beings should never be treated that way. And I’m deeply troubled about it.”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki added “I have seen some of the footage. I don’t have the full context. I can’t imagine what context would make that appropriate”.

Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott went down to the border Tuesday. There, he placed the blame for the “total chaos” at the border squarely on the Biden administration.

“They have shown no capability of being able to process all of these migrants by the end of this week,” Gov. Abbott said. “The only thing that they’ve shown is an incapability of dealing with this crisis candidly in a way where they pretend it doesn’t even exist.”

Tags: Immigration, Joe Biden

”Hey you use your women this is why your country IS SHIT CAUSE you use your women for this.”>>

Annie Andersen: DISTURBING IMAGES OUT OF DEL RIO, TEXAS, SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE BORDER AGENTS MISTREATING SOME HAITIAN MIGRANTS WHO’VE CAMPED THERE WAITING TO SEEK ASYLUM.

THIS VIDEO… APPEARS TO SHOW A U-S BORDER PATROL AGENT ON HORSEBACK BLOCKING MIGRANTS FROM CROSSING THE RIVER.

THIS PICTURE APPEARS TO SHOW AN AGENT HOLDING WHAT ARE CALLED ‘SPLIT REINS’ WHILE GRABBING THE SHIRT OF A MIGRANT CARRYING FOOD AND

THIS PICTURE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE THAT SAME AGENT APPROACHING A MIGRANT IN THE WATER… HAS SHOCKED MANY.

LEADING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO ANNOUNCED THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT…

TWEETING DHS DOES NOT TOLERATE THE ABUSE OF MIGRANTS IN OUR CUSTODY …ADDING THE FOOTAGE IS EXTREMELY TROUBLING AND THE FACTS LEARNED FROM THE FULL INVESTIGATION…WILL DEFINE THE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI WEIGHED IN.

Jen Psaki: ”I don’t think anyone seeing that footage would think it’s acceptable or appropriate.”

ANNIE ANDERSEN: IT’S ESTIMATED AT ITS MAX THERE WERE ABOUT 12 TO 14-THOUSAND MIGRANTS – MANY OF THEM HATIAN- GATHERING IN AN AREA UNDERNEATH THE DEL RIO INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE.

VIDEOS AND PICTURES OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS SHOW MIGRANTS CROWDED UNDER A BRIDGE CROSSING THE RIO GRANDE RIVER INTO TEXAS.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN CORNYN FROM TEXAS PLACED THE BLAME ON THE PRESIDENT.

Sen. John Cornyn: “Border Patrol, state, and local officials have been working around the clock to ease the humanitarian crisis that President Biden and his policies created, and they’re being overwhelmed.”

Annie Andersen: On SUNDAY, U-S OFFICIALS STARTED FLYING MANY OF THE MIGRANTS TO HAITI AND PROCESSING THOSE SEEKING ASYLUM.