EXCLUSIVE: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was told that the photographer who captured a clash between Border Patrol agents and Haitian migrants in Del Rio had said that the incident was being misconstrued — hours before Mayorkas joined a White House press conference where he didn’t challenge the false narrative.
The Heritage Foundation obtained the Sept. 24, 2021 email via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the Heritage Foundation. It sheds light on the internal discussions surrounding the controversy in Del Rio Texas. Democrats and the White House promoted a narrative that migrants were “whipped” or “strapped by Border Patrol agents, despite this being quickly disproved.
Agents used split reins to keep their houses in control as migrants ran across the river. However, the narrative was based on a misinterpretation and photographs were being used. President Biden was also involved in further fueling it on Sept. 24,
“To see people treated like they did, horses barely running over, people being strapped — it’s outrageous,” Biden told reportersHis hand makes a whipping motion. “I can promise you, these people will be punished. There will be consequences. There will be consequences.
CBP FINDS ‘NO EVIDENCE’ BORDER PATROL AGENTS WHIPPED HAITIAN Migrants, STILL SEEKS DISCIPLINE THEM
Agents of the U.S. Border Patrol watch Haitian migrants on the Rio Grande in Del Rio Texas, September 20, 2021. This was viewed from Ciudad Acuna Mexico.
((Photo by John Moore/Getty Images).)
Although the investigation remains ongoing, more than one year later, findings by the Office of Professional ResponsibilityIn July, it found no whips in the possession of the migrants and no strikes by the reins. However, other infractions were discovered.
But just hours after Biden made his inflammatory remarks to cameras, Marsha Espinosa, assistant secretary of DHS public affairs, emailed Mayorkas and cc’d other DHS leadership, alerting them to a news article that showed that the photographer who took the images did not see any whipping. Espinosa pointed out the comments made by the photographer in the email. He stated that he didn’t witness whipping.
Mayorkas met Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, two and a quarter hours after receiving the email. He continued pushing the narrative at the White House Press Conference.
“Our nation saw horrific images that don’t reflect who we are,” Mayorkas said. Mayorkas stated that we know those images conjured up the worst elements in our ongoing fight against systemic racism.
Mayorkas had spoken earlier in week alongside Raul Ortiz from Border Patrol and had defended the agents. He even pointed out that agents use long reins for control of their horses, and not whips. This clarification was dropped at the end of week.
Mayorkas stated that the images “terrified us in terms what they suggest and conjure up”,
Mayorkas didn’t mention the new information received from the photographer at conference. When asked about his initial comments, Mayorkas replied that he had not seen the images and had made them.
He stated, “I saw the images from the flight back and made the statement that i did with respect to the suggestions they suggested.”
He was then asked about the discrepancy between the photographer’s claims about no whipping being witnessed and the president’s statement.
“The horses have long reins, and the image in the photograph that we all saw, and that horrified the nation, raised serious questions about what…occurred and as I stated quite clearly, it conjured up images of what has occurred in the past,” he said.
“There’s also a question of how one uses the horse and how one interacts with individuals with the horse,” he said. “And so I’m going to let the investigation run its course.”
Mayorkas was later asked about “the whipping… the whips, the horse whips” by a reporter. The Homeland Security chief replied that it was “something that horrified us all.”
Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project obtained the emails. In March, Heritage filed a FOIA to DHS asking for all communications related to the whipping incident. Heritage filed a FOIA with DHS in March asking for all communications about the whipping incident. The emails were finally turned over by Heritage in June.
National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd stated to Fox News that it was “smoking guns evidence.”
Before the Senate, Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security, testifies.
((Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images).)
He said, “It clearly indicates they are willing to lie about the American people for themselves.” “They withheld facts. If you withhold facts to the American people.. you should quit your job. Better men step down. This is a clear indication that they are not better men.”
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The investigation We found no evidenceAgents found that the migrants were not wearing whips when they struck them. Agents were accused of using “denigrating, offensive” language towards migrants about their nationality and gender and of maneuvering a horse around a child “unsafely” — while agents were alleged to have used “unnecessary force” to bring the migrants back.
Federal sources report that the supervisor and three horseback agents are still under discipline for between 3-14 days without pay suspensions. The federal sources also claim that they are trying to address the accusations. Biden and Mayorkas both have not publicly said that whipping was involved.
