A Facebook group frequented by current and former Border Patrol agents drew outrage Monday after a news investigation revealed offensive and disturbing posts, including mocking illegal immigrants and members of Congress.
Pro Publica reported one post suggested throwing burritos at members of Congress who were visiting the border Monday while another juxtaposed a photoshopped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a sexual encounter with a photoshopped image of President Trump.
Another post seemed to suggest the horrifying photo of an illegal immigrant father and 23-month-old daughter, found dead on the banks of the Rio Grande last week, was staged.
“Have y’all ever seen floaters this clean,” wondered the poster.
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, called the Facebook group “beyond sexist and racist.”
“The agents found to be responsible for these vile comments should no longer have the privilege of representing the United States of America in uniform,” he said in a statement.
The Facebook group is “secret,” meaning it’s not visible to those who haven’t been admitted to join.
The group has more than 9,000 members, Pro Publica reported.
Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Border Patrol, said it has referred the matter to the Homeland Security inspector general and said discipline will result from anyone who broke policies.
“Don’t let the actions of the few be representative of the whole,” Brian Hastings, chief of operations at the Border Patrol, said on CNN.
For her part Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, as she traveled from one border facility to another, said on Twitter Monday that she was stunned by what she saw.
“I see why CBP officers were being so physically &sexually threatening towards me,” she said. “Officers were keeping women in cells w/ no water & had told them to drink out of the toilets. This was them on their GOOD behavior in front of members of Congress.”
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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