Donald M. Payne Jr. for Congressman: Requests Answers for Treatment of Haitian Immigrants at U.S. Border

Media Contact:  Patrick Wright   --  Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. wrote a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, recently to ask for the results of his investigation into the treatment of Haitian immigrants by U.S. Border Patrol agents.  Photos and videos caught the agents apparently using horse reins as whips to prevent Haitian immigrants from entering the country.  In addition, the videos showed the agents verbally abusing the immigrants.  After the images were made public, Secretary Mayorkas vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.   

“No one should be treated in the inhumane way that Border Patrol agents appeared to treat these Haitian immigrants,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr.  “America is a land of immigrants and government officials must treat them with respect and dignity at all times.  Secretary Mayorkas has promised to review the behavior of Border Patrol agents during this incident and I look forward to hearing his conclusions.  We must not return to the disrespectful policies of the Trump Administration, when immigrant children were taken from parents and put in cages.”

In the letter, Rep. Payne, Jr. pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security would be responsible for the investigation and that department officials would be “on-site full time to ensure that Border Patrol agents treat every immigrant with dignity and respect.”  Rep. Payne, Jr. concluded the letter with a request for the results of that investigation and what policy changes had been implemented to prevent such behavior in the future.

The full letter is below.

The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas

Secretary

United States Department of Homeland Security

2801 Nebraska Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20528

Dear Secretary Mayorkas:

Last month, photos and videos showed United States Border Patrol agents on horseback using reins as whips to prevent Haitian migrants from coming across the Rio Grande into the United States, as if these individuals were wild cattle being herded.  Agents were caught on video using profanity towards Haitian families who were legally seeking asylum in the United States.

On September 20, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Customs & Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility would launch a formal investigation into the actions of these Border Patrol agents.  I am pleased to know that additional personnel from the Office of Professional Responsibility are now on site full-time to ensure Border Patrol agents treat every immigrant with dignity and respect.

To guarantee that these actions will lead to meaningful results, I respectfully request an update on the status of this investigation and what, if any policy changes will be implemented to prevent behavior like this from happening again.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this important issue and I look forward to hearing from you on this pending matter.  

Respectfully,

Donald M. Payne, Jr.

original source can be found here.