Report Finds That Border Agents Used ‘Unnecessary’ Force Against Haitian Migrants
A report issued last week by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) stated that border agents in Texas used unnecessary force against some Haitian migrants. Video footage shows border agents on horseback whipping Haitian migrants, pursuing them along the Rio Grande river, and grabbing them by their shirts and spinning them in September 2021. This incident caused public outcry for the treatment of migrants along the border and the use of force by border agents. CBP began its own internal investigation and concluded that there was a “lack of command control and communication” which led to this incident. The investigation states that “there were failures at multiple levels of the agency, a lack of appropriate policies and training and unprofessional and dangerous behavior by several Individual agents.” The report also concludes that the agents displayed inappropriate behaviors towards the Haitians including yelling profanities, racial slurs, and offensive comments.
As a result of this report’s findings, the four agents responsible have been placed on administrative duty since the investigation began and have been recommended for disciplinary action. CBP is now taking steps to ensure that such an incident never takes place again.