Guest Introduces Resolution to Condemn Biden Administration for Politicizing Actions of Border Agents to Secure Border

Washington, D.C.– Today, Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03) introduced a resolution expressing support for U.S. Border Patrol agents and condemning the Biden Administration for politicizing the measures taken by mounted Border Patrol agents to respond to an influx of illegal Haitian immigrants in Del Rio, Texas, in September of 2021.

“President Biden, Vice President Harris, and others in the Biden Administration manufactured a political scandal by targeting the agents who are working hard every day to secure our border and protect our nation,” Guest said. “As the morale of our border agents remains low due to extreme pressure and long hours exacerbated by the President’s border crisis, the last thing they need is their elected officials turning their backs on them or, in cases such as Del Rio, publicly betraying them. Congress must continue expressing its support for our law enforcement agents and work with them, not against them, to secure our border.”

The resolution goes on to cite the successful efforts of border patrol agents in combating the drug, crime, and humanitarian crises that are symptoms of the greater border crisis. Specifically, the resolution mentions the 56 suspected terrorists detained by border agents, the more than 1 million pounds of drugs seized, and the more than 3 million encounters with illegal migrants under the Biden Administration.

Background:

Photos of border agents on horseback holding long reins who were working to protect the southwest border in Del Rio, Texas, circulated online and in print publications in September 2021. The Biden Administration quickly responded with negative comments about the agents before any investigation took place and as the photographer who released the photos claimed that the images could be misconstrued and that he did not see the agents whipping anyone.

“It’s outrageous. I promise you, those people will pay,” President Biden said in response to the photos.

“What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback treating human beings the way they were, was horrible,” Vice President Harris said.

Earlier this month, the Biden Administration released its findings from an inquiry into the events, deciding to discipline agents involved despite the report finding that there was no evidence to support the initial “whipping” allegations. The report cites one agent using “denigrating and offensive language” and a “failure to make good decisions” as reasons for the disciplinary actions.

You can find the text of the bill here.