Biden's DHS chief knew Border Patrol 'whipping' claims were false all along

CBP, Border Patrol agents from the McAllen station horse patrol unit on patrol on horseback in South Texas. (Photo: Donna Burton)

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It what may be an example of the Biden administration's use of rhetoric to pursue a political agenda – in spite of the truth – emails now confirm that his Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, accused Border Patrol agents of whipping Haitian immigrants even though he already had been provided testimony that that was not the case.

A report by the New York Post on the high-profile situation used by Mayorkas – and even Biden – to blast the nation's border security efforts confirmed that Mayorkas had been told "there was no evidence Border Patrol agents had 'whipped' or 'strapped' Haitian immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border."

Then, later, Mayorkas "bolstered President Biden's lies about the incident."

The Biden administration has been known to use questionable evidence and statements to support its own political positioning on issues. For example, the administration has claimed that parents who object to leftist ideologies in school are "domestic terrorists," Biden himself has claimed repeatedly that President Trump called extremists at a riot in Charlottesville "fine people" when he didn't, Biden has promoted the "Inflation Reduction Act" as addressing inflation when it doesn't, he's called conservatives "semi-fascists" and he's claimed inflation in America will be short-term.

The Post report noted, "A Sept. 24, 2021 email to Mayorkas from Marsha Espinosa, assistant secretary of DHS public affairs, highlighted an interview with the photographer who captured agents on horseback trying to corral migrants and block them from entering the US near Del Rio, Texas."

Photographer Paul Ratje, in fact, said in an interview he didn't witness the agents harming the migrants.

But then later, Mayorkas "did not contradict Biden's false narrative as he stood next to him at the White House podium," the report said.

Biden had claimed, "To see people treated like they did, horses barely running over, people being strapped — it’s outrageous."

In fact, Ratje had said in an interview with KTSM that the horse-mounted Border Patrol officers had in their hands the reins they were using to ride their horses.

"I've never seen them whip anyone," he said. An email of his comments had been sent to Mayorkas by Espinosa before his appearance with Biden.

The Post reported," Biden and other administration officials had repeated immigration activists’ claims that the cowboy hat-clad agents were whipping the migrants, as the pictures originally appeared to show. GOP lawmakers accused the Democratic administration of trying to throw the agents under the bus to take attention away from the crisis at the overflowing makeshift migrant camp at Del Rio."

But the report confirmed the agents were using "cord split reins" to control their horses at the time and "no migrants were harmed."

Following politically motivated statements at the time that the agents absolutely would be punished, an internal review later determined they used undue force.

The email from Espinosa to Mayorkas was reportedly obtained by the Heritage Foundation through a Freedom of Information Act request in March, the report said.

Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said, "It clearly shows [federal officials] are willing to lie to the American people for their self interests."

The Washington Examiner noted that Mayorkas said in a statement that the "whipping" was "horrifying," even hours after being told the evidence didn't support that claim.

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