The deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection defended the agency from recent allegations of wrongdoing aimed at some of its employees, saying the vast majority of officers and agents that are working to protect the nation’s borders are performing their tough duties with the utmost professionalism.
Robert E. Perez said the agency “diligently and very aggressively investigate every allegation of misconduct” and the 70 current or former employees that have been linked to a secret Facebook that included offensive and disturbing posts regarding immigrants and members of Congress represent a very small percentage of the more than 60,000 employees that make up the law enforcement organization.
“The vast majority of our people — our agents and officers, every one of our employees — they are compassionate mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, who take very seriously the oath that they took to perform this incredible mission every day,” Mr. Perez said on CNN.
Mr. Perez also said the only time children are now being separated from adults at the border is when the adult is deemed a danger to the child.
“If there is a criminal history, there is a medical issue that is required to be addressed, a mental health issue or something else that might put that child in danger … that is the only time we are separating any children [from] any of their adults right now,” he said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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