GOP senators urge DHS to release findings from probe into Border Patrol agents

FIRST ON FOX: A bunch of Republican senators on Wednesday urged the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) to launch its findings from the probe into Border Patrol brokers who had been on the middle of false claims that they “whipped” Haitian migrants.

“We agree that the general public deserves to know the outcomes of this investigation,” the lawmakers, led by Sen Invoice Hagerty, R-Tenn., wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

PROBE INTO BORDER PATROL AGENTS STILL ONGOING, 6 MONTHS AFTER FALSE ‘WHIPPING’ CLAIMS 

“But, it has been greater than six months since this episode occurred, and no report has been launched,” they are saying.

The opposite senators on the letter are Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, John Cornyn, R-Texas, Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Mike Lee, R-Utah.

The investigation centered round brokers on horseback who in September tried to dam Haitian migrants from getting into the U.S. by way of a river in Del Rio, close to a large migrant camp. The controversy started when some media retailers and Democratic lawmakers misidentified the brokers’ cut up reins, which they use and twirl to regulate and direct the horse — and falsely claimed the brokers had been utilizing “whips” on the migrants.

Mayorkas initially backed the brokers alongside Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz, however later stated the pictures “troubled me profoundly” earlier than including that “one can’t weaponize a horse” towards migrants. Vice President Kamala Harris additionally weighed in, saying she wished an investigation and was “deeply troubled” in regards to the alleged therapy of migrants.

Shortly after that, Mayorkas introduced that horses would not be utilized in Del Rio, and the brokers had been shifted to desk obligation pending an investigation into their conduct. He would go on to vow that the investigation could be “accomplished in days, if not weeks.”

That Friday, President Biden elevated the stress on the brokers by repeating the whipping claims, and in addition previewed what he hoped could be the end result of the investigation.

“To see individuals handled like they did, horses barely operating over, individuals being strapped – it is outrageous,” Biden stated, making a whipping movement along with his hand. 

“I promise you, these individuals can pay,” he stated “There will likely be an investigation underway now and there will likely be penalties. There will likely be penalties.”

The Republican letter says that the administration “very publicly and harshly condemned this patrol exercise” even earlier than the information had been gathered.

Six months later, the investigation remains to be ongoing. A DHS spokesperson advised Fox final month that the company “will share the outcomes of the investigation as soon as it’s full and supply updates, as obtainable, in line with the necessity to defend the integrity of the investigation and people’ privateness.”

BORDER PATROL STUNNED AS BIDEN GOES TO WAR WITH HIS OWN AGENTS OVER FALSE ‘WHIPPING’ ALLEGATIONS

The spokesperson referred to an replace from November, which outlined how the matter had been referred to the Workplace of Inspector Common — which declined to research and as a substitute referred it to Customs and Border Protections (CBP) Workplace of Skilled Accountability — and the steps which might be to be taken.

However the prolonged investigation has led to accusations that the investigation is being lengthened for political causes. The top of the Border Patrol Union just lately advised Fox Information Digital that he thinks “they’re making an attempt to tug this out and get the American public to neglect about it as a result of finally they will have to come back again and say [the agents] did nothing mistaken, or they will should make some costs up and attempt to match some costs below coverage.”

A DHS official who spoke to The Washington Examiner in January shared that evaluation, and even questioned whether or not the administration would ever launch the report. 

“I doubt that the present administration will launch this report on the horse patrol incident as a result of it makes the administration look horrible,” the official stated. “They primarily convicted the mounted brokers based mostly upon a lie, which the investigation after 120 days would certainly have revealed.”

The Republicans say that “it stays unclear why these findings haven’t been launched.”

“The American individuals—and particularly your brokers whose superiors publicly accused them of misconduct—deserve the transparency you promised, even whether it is embarrassing for the Biden administration,” they are saying.

The lawmakers request that the findings of the investigation be launched by April 13.