Tag Archive for: border patrol

Kamala Harris Caught Chanting ‘Down With Deportation’ In Unearthed Video

Recently unearthed video captured Vice President Kamala Harris chanting for the total abolition of deportations during a 2018 Los Angeles parade.

“Up, up with education. Down, down with deportation,” the then-California senator chanted alongside a crowd during a January 2018 parade in Los Angeles, according to video first obtained by the Daily Mail. The footage further demonstrates how Harris, once a staunch opponent of basic immigration enforcement policies, has shifted her tone on the issue since becoming the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee.

WATCH: Kamala Harris Caught Chanting ‘Down With Deportation’ In Unearthed Video

The chant took place at the 33rd annual Kingdom Day Parade, which celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Video footage collected by parade organizers that year — which listed her as a “grand marshall” of the event — shows Harris in the same outfit she wore during the chant, confirming the time and date of the aforementioned clip.

Similar to the video of the crowd chant, convicted hate crime hoaxer Jussie Smollett could also be seen in background during her interview with a reporter.

Harris appeared to take a shot at then-President Donald Trump during the interview.

“It feels great to be in LA, to be in California, to celebrate Dr. King, his vision, his spirit — which is alive and well,” Harris said at the time. “And in the midst of time where there are supposed-leaders who are sowing hate and division, it is really important to remember we, as a country, are so much better than that.”

“And it’s not who we are,” she continued.

Harris’ participation in the 2018 parade chant coincided with her opposition to a number of immigration enforcement policies at that time in her political career. When vying for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, Harris was among the majority of candidates who raised their hands when asked if they supported the decriminalization of illegal border crossings.

Harris had also gone on record calling Trump’s border wall a “un-American” and a “stupid waste of money.” In 2019, she pledged her support for taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgeries for illegal migrants being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment.

Immediately upon entering office in 2021, the Biden-Harris administration attempted to enforce a 100-day moratorium on most deportations, but that executive order was ultimately blocked in court.

Since President Joe Biden announced he would forgo his quest for re-election, paving the way for Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee, the vice president has pivoted to the right on a number of issues, particularly immigration. Her campaign has since launched advertisements announcing her support for more Border Patrol agents and depicting her as a hardline border-state prosecutor who cracked down on cartels and gangs.

During an interview with CNN in August, Harris said she believed there should be “consequence[s]” for those that cross the border illegally. When asked by host Dana Bash to explain her apparent flip-flops on border enforcement and other issues, Harris said her “values had not changed.”

The Harris campaign did not respond to a Daily Caller News Foundation request for comment on the 2018 parade video.

AUTHOR

Jason Hopkins

Immigration reporter.

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All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

ICE Nabs Convicted Sex Offender And Illegal Immigrant Roaming Free In ‘Sanctuary County’

RIVERDALE PARK, Maryland — Deportation officers apprehended a registered sex offender living illegally in a “sanctuary” jurisdiction after he was convicted of false imprisonment and sex crimes, the Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively witnessed.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents apprehended 21-year-old Honduran national Darwin Adonai Garcia-Garcia in the early morning hours of Thursday, July 11. Garcia-Garcia’s apprehension came roughly two months after a local Maryland court chose to suspend virtually all of his 30-year prison sentence relating to his conviction for sex offenses and false imprisonment of a child, according to ICE. Authorities had previously charged him with kidnapping, abducting a child under 12, abducting a child under 16, assault in the second degree and a fourth-degree sex offense.

The DCNF was on scene to witness the apprehension, which took place around 6 a.m. outside his residence in Riverdale Park, Maryland. Numerous ICE agents staked out Garcia-Garcia’s apartment complex and waited for him to exit the building, which he eventually did, allowing agents to make an arrest outside in the apartment parking lot.

He did not appear to know any English, as deportation officers communicated with him solely in Spanish during the apprehension.

Border Patrol arrested Garcia-Garcia on December 4, 2018 after he illegally crossed into the U.S. near San Luis, Arizona, the agency told the DCNF. Border Patrol served the Honduran national with a notice to appear before an immigration judge and, the next day, he was transferred into ICE custody and subsequently released into the U.S.

Several years later, Garcia-Garcia was targeted by local law enforcement for his alleged abduction and sexual assault of a minor, according to ICE. He was arrested by Prince George’s County, Maryland Police on Jan. 4 and charged with kidnapping, abducting a child under 12, second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sexual offense.

The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County in Upper Marlboro, Maryland convicted him of a fourth-degree sex offense and false imprisonment on May 13, sentencing him to three decades in prison, according to ICE. However, the court subsequently suspended all but 229 days of prison sentence, allowing him to roam free in the country again.

ICE Baltimore became familiar with Garcia-Garcia’s daily activities and knew roughly when he’d be leaving his residence in Prince George’s County. The DCNF accompanied deportation officers as they staked out his residence Thursday morning and nabbed him as he was presumably on his way to work.

The apprehension took place without incident, with no apparent signs of him resisting arrest or attempting to flee the deportation officers. Garcia-Garcia remains in Enforcement and Removal custody, where he will presumably remain pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.

He is currently listed as a sex offender, according to the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Baltimore deportation officers told the DCNF that they prioritize the apprehension of dangerous illegal migrants who pose serious risks to the local community, and they are seeking to increase their number of sex offender apprehensions.

It’s not entirely clear why the circuit court in Prince George’s County chose to suspend nearly all of Garcia-Garcia’s entire 30-year prison sentence, despite the severity of his convictions. The court did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF about the case.

Prince George’s County is listed as a “sanctuary” jurisdiction by the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization that seeks stricter enforcement of U.S. immigration law.

In the past, ICE has publicly criticized Prince George’s County specifically for local non-cooperation policies that, they say, protect criminal illegal migrants.

“The county leadership has chosen misguided politics over public safety,” the Baltimore field office director said at the time. “We aren’t asking Montgomery County or Prince George’s County to conduct immigration enforcement, we’re asking them to honor a lawful request to transfer these individuals into our custody where they can avail themselves of due process in the immigration court system.”

A spokesperson for Prince George’s County did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.

AUTHOR

JASON HOPKINS

Immigration reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

FLORIDA: Illegal Immigrant Mom Arrested For Trying To Hire Hitman Was Released From ICE Detention Years Ago

An illegal immigrant mother arrested for attempting to pay a hitman to kill witnesses involved in her son’s murder trial was previously detained by federal authorities but later released, immigration officials confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Josefina Cardona-Cardona, an illegal migrant from Guatemala, was arrested on Monday after allegedly agreeing to pay an undercover agent to kill two cooperating witnesses in her son’s fatal stabbing case in Palm Beach County, Florida. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation that Cardona-Cardona entered the U.S. unlawfully and was taken into the agency’s custody in 2019, but was later released and referred to a program intended to monitor migrants waiting for their court dates.

The Guatemalan migrant seemingly did not comply with the program and skipped out on her immigration hearing.

“Josefina Cardona-Cardona, is an unlawfully present non-citizen from Guatemala, who entered the country illegally on an unknown date and location without admission or parole,” an ICE spokesperson said to the DCNF. The agency confirmed that Cardona-Cardona was arrested by Border Patrol on April 4, 2019, and then transferred into Enforcement and Removal Operations custody on April 8, 2019.

However, she did not remain in the agency’s physical custody for long.

“[She was] subsequently released on an Order of Recognizance and was required that she enroll in and comply with the Alternatives to Detention program,” the ICE spokesperson stated. An immigration judge in Miami, Florida, ordered Cardona-Cardona to be removed from the U.S. in absentia, meaning she never showed up to her immigration hearing, the spokesperson added.

Cardona-Cardona was arrested by Palm Beach County law enforcement on Monday after she allegedly agreed to pay an undercover agent, whom she thought was a hitman, to kill two cooperating witnesses in her teenage son’s murder trial. She offered to pay $4,000 for each hit, according to the arrest report.

Her son, Manuel Marcos Cardona, was at a five-year-old’s birthday party in June 2022 when a fight broke out. An individual stepped in to break up the fight, but then Marcos Cardona stabbed him five times, with the victim succumbing to his wounds the following day.

Marcos Cardona — who was 14 years old at the time of crime, but charged as an adult — was subsequently handed a 15-year prison sentence after agreeing to a plea deal.

ICE confirmed to the DCNF that their Enforcement and Removal Operations division has since lodged a detainer for Cardona-Cardona. She is currently being held in a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office detention center, and local officials said she is subject to deportation following the completion of her prosecution.

The discovery of Cardona-Cardona’s referral into Alternatives to Detention (ATD) marks the latest blemish in what has become a controversial program.

Established in 2004, the ATD program allows migrants to move freely in the country and avoid physical detention while they await their immigration court dates. This is done by using GPS monitoring, phone applications or other forms of tracking services to remain aware of their whereabouts.

As the current border crisis rages on, participation in the program has increased, with hundreds of thousands of migrants enrolled in the program, according to ICE. However, a previous DCNF investigation found the Biden administration has increased its reliance on a phone application that only tracks the location of an illegal immigrant at specific times, in lieu of relying on GPS monitoring, which can track them most or even all of the time.

AUTHOR

JASON HOPKINS

Contributor.

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All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

‘Dead On Arrival’: Mike Johnson Rips Reported Details Of Senate Border Deal

House Speaker Mike Johnson sent a letter to all House Republicans on Friday indicating his opposition to reported details of a border security deal being negotiated in the Senate.

The Senate is currently considering proposals to increase border security and reform the immigrant parole process for asylum seekers, demanded by Republicans, in exchange for authorizing aid to Ukraine to be used in its war against Russia. After alleged details of the plan were reported in the press, Johnson indicated that he would not support the deal should they be included, according to the letter which was obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

“I wanted to provide a brief update regarding the supplemental and the border since the Senate appears unable to reach any agreement,” began Johnson in his letter. “If the rumors about the contents of the draft proposals are true, it would have been dead on arrival in the House anyway.”

Letter from Speaker Mike Johnson of Jan. 26, 2024 by Daily Caller News Foundation on Scribd

The negotiations — currently being led by Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona — have not yet been completed and a draft proposal has not been published. However, several media reports have alleged contents of the deal, which have spawned conservative opposition.

One alleged aspect of the deal, reported by The New York Times, concerns reform of “humanitarian parole,” a status granted by the Department of Homeland Security that temporarily permits some foreign nationals fleeing persecution to remain in the United States without obtaining a visa. The Biden administration has issued parole status to millions of foreign nationals from nations such as Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Republicans seek to significantly curtail parole issuance to foreign nationals seeking asylum, who either present themselves at a port of entry or cross the border illegally. The draft proposal in the Senate would reportedly add detention capacity for U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to preclude the issuance of parole to illegal entrants, which is often done due to a paucity of space, the Times reported.

The deal also reportedly includes a reported threshold of migrant encounters per day that, if reached, would suspend parole and processing of foreign migrants. The threshold is reportedly 5,000 individuals per day, though that number is far below the current number of daily migrant encounters by Border Patrol, the Times reported.

“[T]here needs to be a hard cap on parole,” said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

“[T]hey want this outcome and this outcome is terrible for the American people,” said Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Thursday during a press conference to oppose the deal, which he termed a “stinking pile of crap,” according to The Hill.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell supports the deal, according to a report by Politico. “He’s fully behind the border bill, fully behind the support for Ukraine and is not going to let political considerations of any campaign stand in the way of his support,” said Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, regarding McConnell’s views on the matter.

In 2023, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, known as the “Secure the Border Act,” which has served as the body’s border security proposal in negotiations. The bill would appropriate funds to construct a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, prohibit asylum status for persons who enter the country illegally and expand the authority of law enforcement to remove foreign nationals ordered deported.

Other Republicans, however, have attacked the alleged parole reform for not being strict enough. “What is currently being worked on in the Senate will be meaningless in terms of Border Security and Closure,” wrote former President Donald Trump, the leading candidate for the party’s presidential nomination, in a statement.

Democrats, by contrast, want to preserve parole authority and limit removals of aliens, who have long been settled in the country yet are ordered deported from the United States. “Expanded nationwide expedited removal is an incredibly dangerous tool,” said Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California to NBC.

“I am emphasizing again today that House Republicans will vigorously oppose any policy proposal from the White House or the Senate that would further incentivize illegal aliens to break our laws,” Johnson wrote.

AUTHOR

ARJUN SINGH

Contributor.

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All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Biden Admin Watered Down Vetting Process For Chinese Illegal Immigrants, Email Shows

The Biden administration drastically simplified the vetting process for Chinese illegal immigrants in April 2023, according to an internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The April 2023 email, which was sent by a CBP supervisor to a “master list” of about 500 Border Patrol agents, instructs CBP officials to radically reduce the number of interview questions for Chinese migrants apprehended after illegally crossing into the country from roughly 40 to just five. The “headquarters guidance” came as border agents were overwhelmed with near-record numbers of illegal crossings.

This scaling back of the interview process fast-tracked the releasing of Chinese illegal immigrants into the U.S. while making it more difficult for CBP agents to identify national security threats, J.J. Carrell, a retired CBP deputy patrol agent in charge, told the DCNF after reviewing the email.

“This policy change has accelerated the time it takes to process Chinese illegal immigrants — this doesn’t make America safer,” Carrell said. “The final result is that dangerous Chinese illegal immigrants will still be released into the U.S.”

“This is just the government covering their ass, so they can say they vetted,” said Carrell. “I believe the government recognizes the threat of Chinese soldiers and spies that are pouring into America, and they want to try and identify these individuals. However, the same government does not want to stop the flow of illegal aliens or Chinese nationals — just the ‘bad ones,’ which is impossible.

While previously agents might spend hours vetting a single Chinese illegal immigrant, the new guidance simplifies the vetting process by reducing the number of questions that agents are required to ask, thereby speeding up the flow of Chinese illegal immigrants into the U.S., Carrell said.

The former law enforcement official who provided the email to the DCNF said human smuggling operations quickly adapted to these new guidelines, coaching Chinese illegal immigrants on how to answer CBP’s shorter list of questions.

“It was almost immediate where [the Chinese illegal immigrants] knew what to say and what not to say,” said the former official, who requested anonymity in fear of U.S. government retribution.

Carrell described smuggling operations as “highly coordinated.” He told the DCNF that illegal immigrants are “coached from the beginning of the journey.”

“The stories are identical,” Carrell said. “The streets and the names they use just differ because of the nations they’re from.”

The April 2023 CBP email also states that Chinese illegal immigrants who pass field agents’ five “basic questions” may be released into the U.S. interior.

“If they do not alert to the above, there is no requirement to further delay current processing pathway — NTA/OR,” the email states.

“NTA/OR” is an abbreviation for “Notice to Appear” / “Order of Recognizance,” according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In practice, this allows Chinese illegal immigrants entry into the U.S. with a court date several years down the road, the former official said. By November 2023, the backlog of U.S. immigration court cases topped three million, signifying an all-time high.

Since 2022, Border Patrol has encountered approximately 35,000 Chinese illegal immigrants at the border, according to CBP data. Between 2022 and 2023, Border Patrol encounters with Chinese illegal immigrants surged over 1,000%, according to government records.

After answering agents’ “basic questions,” Chinese illegal immigrants are “sent out wherever they go, whether that’s contracted through Catholic Charities or other nonprofits,” the former official said.

‘Basic Questions’

The new guidance directs agents to ask five “basic questions” concerning “Military Service,” “Universities,” “POB/Region,” “Employment” and “Political Party.” All the questions are aimed at determining whether or not a Chinese illegal immigrant poses a national security threat, the former official told the DCNF.

“They’re really trying to see their ties to either terrorism or the government itself,” the former official said.

Questions regarding “Military Service,” “Universities,” “Employment” and “Political Party” are meant to tease out potential ties to the Chinese government, Chinese Communist Party or Chinese military. The question on “POB/Region” relates to terrorism, the former official told the DCNF.

“If there is a Yes to any of the above, they are then referred and transported to [redacted] for an in-depth interview by Tactical Terrorism Response Team,” the April 2023 email states.

The Tactical Terrorism Response Team (TTRT) is “part of the sector intelligence unit,” which is responsible for conducting in-depth questioning for Chinese illegal immigrants with potential terror or Chinese government ties, the former official said.

“Think of TTRT as the vetting unit before an individual is determined to be a national security risk or a terrorist,” Carrell, the former CBP agent, told the DCNF. “If TTRT determines that the individual is a security risk, that individual is turned over to Joint Terrorism Task Force for further investigation and deportation.”

Despite these concerns, DHS’s Special Interest Alien (SIA) list does not include immigrants from China.

SIA are defined as a “non-U.S. person who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests,” according to DHS. “Often such individuals or groups are employing travel patterns known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism. DHS analysis includes an examination of travel patterns, points of origin and/or travel segments that are tied to current assessments of national and international threat environments.”

‘Bogged Down’

The vetting system for Chinese illegal immigrants in place prior to the April 2023 email was overwhelmed by the recent surge in crossings at the southern border, the former law enforcement official told the DCNF.

Under the previous system, it took up to four hours to process Chinese illegal immigrants, the former official told the DCNF.

“At the very beginning, what was happening was either at the station level — if they couldn’t get them to the processing center if it was too bogged down — or at the sector level at the processing center, the agent would then have to go through a long list of questions and it was taking almost four hours per person,” the former official said.

Carrell said the CBP vetting process was far more stringent for Chinese illegal immigrants during the Trump administration.

“If I received a Chinese national, we’d input them into the DHS database, look through [the National Crime Information Center] for criminal history in America — and nine times out of 10 these people have never been in America — so they’ll come back clean,” Carrell told the DCNF. “I would then set that individual up for deportation and [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] would fly him or her back to China. Never in a million years would I then process that Chinese national and then just release them into America.”

“Now, that person would be interviewed, put into the database and then just simply street-released,” Carrell said.

The DCNF reviewed a copy of CBP’s longer questionnaire for Chinese illegal immigrants, which the former official also shared.

While field agents are no longer required to vet Chinese illegal immigrants using the longer questionnaire of approximately 40 questions, TTRT still uses that questionnaire to vet those who’ve failed the five “basic questions,” the former official said.

In addition to the five “basic questions,” CBP’s longer questionnaire further directs agents to ask Chinese illegal immigrants about “prior arrests,” the “handling of weapons/firearms,” “smuggling fees,” and various other matters.

DHS and CBP did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

AUTHOR

PHILIP LENCZYCKI

Daily Caller News Foundation investigative reporter, political journalist, and China watcher. Twitter: @LenczyckiPhilip.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Illegal Migrant Encounters At The Southern Border Surpass 547,000 In Less Than Three Months

Border Patrol encounters of migrants crossing the southern border illegally surpassed 547,000 less than three months into fiscal year 2024, according to preliminary internal data obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The number of encounters, which reached 547,593 on Thursday morning, is higher than the number of encounters recorded in the first three months of any fiscal year before President Joe Biden took office, according to federal data going back to 1999. Between October and December 2022, Border Patrol recorded 634,832 encounters of illegal migrants, according to federal data.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW: Internal federal data obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation

CLICK HERE TO VIEW: Internal federal data obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation

Border Patrol recorded 153,613 encounters during the first three months of fiscal year 2019, and 101,779 encounters during that same time period in fiscal year 2020, according to federal data. It recorded 209,342 encounters between October and December in fiscal year 2021 and 496,730 encounters those same months in fiscal year 2022.

As of early Thursday, Border Patrol had more than 24,000 illegal migrants in custody nationwide, according to the data, which showed that three sectors of the southern border, Del Rio, Rio Grande Valley and Tucson, exceeded holding capacity. On Wednesday, Border Patrol had released 8,388 illegal migrants into the country.

The Del Rio sector of Texas, which encompasses Eagle Pass, exceeded 190% capacity, according to the data.

Border Patrol had more than 23,000 migrants in custody as of Tuesday evening after releasing more than 6,000 others from custody and into the country.

“The encounter levels we are currently seeing across the southwest border are presenting a serious challenge to the men and women of CBP. To meet this challenge, we are using all available resources to ensure the safety and security of our agents and officers, and the migrants who are often misled and victimized by the transnational criminal organizations,” Troy A. Miller, senior official performing the duties of the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said in a statement to the DCNF on Wednesday.

“These smugglers are recklessly putting migrants into harm’s way: in remote locations across the border, onto the tops of trains, or into the waters of the Rio Grande River,” Miller added. “We continue to go after the smugglers and are implementing new measures to impose consequences on transportation companies including bus and van lines used by smuggling organizations and nefarious actors to move migrants through northern Mexico and to our southwest border. CBP and our federal partners need additional funding from Congress so that we can continue to effectuate consequences for those who do not use the established pathways.”

CBP closed several ports of entry and railways in San Ysidro, California, Lukeville, Arizona and El Paso and Eagle Pass, Texas, allowing 100 Office of Field Operations employees as well as law enforcement personnel from other agencies, including the Bureau of Prisons, to help Border Patrol, an agency spokesperson told the DCNF.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Shot Between The Eyes’ — Border Patrol Chiefs Testify On Cartel Violence Against Border-Crossers

Several Border Patrol sector chiefs testified to Congress in recent months that migrants who cross the southern border without the help of human smugglers are often retaliated against by the cartels in Mexico, according to a transcript of closed-door testimony exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The Border Patrol chief of the Laredo sector, Joel Martinez, for example, testified in June to the House Homeland Security Committee that in one instance, migrants who chose to not use the cartels were shot in between the eyes and had half their head blown off. Border Patrol agents along the southern border have seen a record increase in recent years, recording more than 2.2 million encounters of migrants crossing illegally in fiscal year 2022 and more than 2 million in fiscal year 2023, according to federal data.

“For starters, if you go down the river without their permission—every section of river has a boss that owns that particular part of the river. If you go down there without their permission, they can either beat you or hit you with, like, a paddle, and they’ve been known to shoot people, you name it. That’s how they—they rule through intimidation, so that’s a very common practice,” Martinez testified.

“The other day, we had two people wash up to our shores, and they had no identification on them, but we’re thinking they were migrants that went down there without permission. One of them had his head halfway blown off, and the other one was shot between the eyes,” Martinez added.

Republicans on Capitol Hill have blamed the Biden administration and its Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for the sharp rise in illegal crossings. Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene reintroduced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas for a third time at the end of November, citing the crisis at the southern border.

House Homeland Committee Chairman Mark Green has been investigating Mayorkas because he’s allegedly been derelict of his duty in handling the southern border.

“Thanks to Secretary Mayorkas’ policies, criminal cartels now exercise unprecedented control of the Southwest border. They have taken advantage of his refusal to enforce the immigration laws passed by Congress, strategically overwhelming Border Patrol agents with illegal crossings in one area so they can push record numbers of people and deadly drugs across in another,” Green said in a statement to the DCNF.

“It’s no wonder that the former chief of the Border Patrol told Congress earlier this year that the cartels ‘control the border today’ because of illegal immigration ‘to a level that they’ve never had.’ And let’s not lose sight of the fact that the consequences have been disastrous not just for American citizens suffering from fentanyl poisonings and families shattered by illegal alien crime—the migrants themselves are suffering and dying in record numbers,” Green said.

The cartels control the traffic crossing the southern border into the U.S., making it extremely difficult to traverse the area without soliciting their help, the chiefs testified. Crossing without them often comes with a cost.

“The organizations that own those lanes get paid for every thing and person that crosses in that area. So they are afforded a payment for everything that goes through, and they don’t want to lose that payment. And so we have run into individuals who have been robbed or beaten when they’ve tried to make it through without contacting one of the people in charge of that area,” Chief Patrol Agent for the San Diego Sector Aaron Heitke testified to the committee on May 9.

Chief Patrol Agent for the El Centro Sector Gregory Bovino testified on July 12 that while it’s “uncommon,” crossing without the help of cartels would result in “consequences” for migrants.

“The transnational criminal organizations would apply a consequence to an individual that tried to cross without going through them,” Chief Patrol Agent for the El Paso Sector Anthony “Scott” Good testified on June 29.

Chief Patrol Agent for the Tucson Sector John Modlin testified on July 26 that agents in the area have come across migrants who have been “beaten” for trying to cross the southern border without paying the cartels.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

RELATED ARTICLE: ICE Nabs Fugitive Wanted For Assaulting Child Who Was Previously Released By Border Patrol

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Border Patrol Suspends Training Activities In Tucson Sector Over ‘Immediate Need’ To Address Migrant Surge

Border Patrol agents in the Tucson sector of Arizona have suspended all training activities due to an overwhelming surge of illegal immigration along that area of the border, according to an internal agency email obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Agents received the message Monday while dealing with the surge of migrants in the area that has already led the agency to call in reinforcements from other parts of the sector, according to an internal memo the DCNF obtained Sunday. The latest message acknowledges that trainings are “integral” and necessary for “mental and physical readiness.”

“This surge poses immense challenges requiring an ‘all hands-on deck’ posture to staff vital positions with security, transportation, casework, and triage. To that end, all training to include Use of Force, Firearms Qualifications, and K9, is cancelled for the remainder of this week,” the email read.

Additionally, the agency closed the highway checkpoint for vehicle inspections, according to the memo.

“Border Patrol field leaders determine how to prioritize and best deploy personnel and resources under their command,” Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement to the DCNF.

Roughly 4,600 illegal migrants were in custody as of Sunday evening in all of the Tucson sector compared to nearly 20,000 nationwide, two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, told the DCNF.

Tucson Border Patrol announced Sunday it was temporarily shutting down its social media due to the migrant surge.

“At this time, all available personnel are needed to address the unprecedented flow,” John Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent of the Tucson Sector, tweeted late Sunday. “The social media team will return once the situation permits.”

Agents have been pulled from the frontlines to largely process and transport migrants crossing illegally into the sector, one agent told the DCNF on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. As a result, agency morale continues to tank.

“The last thread of morale we have is gone. If I didn’t have so many years of service, I’d bolt. I love my job when I’m able to do it tracking groups, being on the ATV unit, but this administration has killed that,” the agent said.

“It’s extremely frustrating. Our national security is non-existent,” a second agent told the DCNF.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©2023. All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

U.S. Authorities On Alert After Discovering New Chinese Migrant Smuggling Route in Florida

Federal authorities are growing increasingly concerned about a route Chinese migrants are utilizing to make their way to Florida illegally, according to an internal federal intelligence report obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The report states that law enforcement lacks information regarding who is coordinating the smuggling between the Bahamas and Florida, where the migrants are being staged in the Bahamas and why Chinese migrants are choosing the Caribbean island. It also references recent incidents of Chinese nationals entering Florida illegally via the Bahamas.

There have been five such incidents of Chinese migrants attempting to “self-smuggle” from the Bahamas, according to the report. One incident took place on July 16 and involved a group of six Chinese migrants.

View Document #1 obtained by Jennie Taer//Daily Caller News Foundation

“The Chinese purchased a Bahamian registered vessel in GBI and tested the capabilities before leaving and being interdicted in Palm Beach. All 6 Chinese migrants were repatriated to the Bahamas,” the report stated of the latest interdiction.

Document #2 obtained by Jennie Taer//Daily Caller News Foundation

Border Patrol agents stationed in Florida have seen a spike in arrests of illegal migrants from China, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

Agents apprehended 27 illegal migrants from China in Florida between October 2022 and June, up from 5 in all of fiscal year 2022 and 7 in fiscal year 2021, according to the data. It is unclear, however, how many of the total number of Chinese migrants caught by Florida authorities used the Bahamian smuggling route.

Federal authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border also recorded a recent uptick in encounters of Chinese migrants crossing illegally. Between October 2022 and June, Border Patrol agents apprehended more than 14,000 illegal migrants from China at the southern border, compared to roughly 1,900 in all of fiscal year 2022, according to federal data.

“Right now in China there’s extreme pessimism, especially among people in their 20s about the future of their country, so it’s understandable that they’re leaving and they’re trying to get into the United States. And, you know, these are people who are relatively middle class, so it shows you the problems in Chinese society are severe,” China expert Gordon Chang previously told the DCNF of the surge in Chinese migrants crossing the southern border.

“When I first saw that the surge in Chinese migrants, that’s the thought that came to my mind that these are either Ministry of State Security agents or Chinese military, who are coming to this country to commit acts of sabotage against the US,” Chang added.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

RELATED ARTICLE: Illegal Immigration Surges After Biden Admin Takes Victory Lap Over Border Numbers

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz To Retire

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz will retire next month, according to an internal agency email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Ortiz will retire from the federal government effective June 30, according to the email. The Border Patrol Chief has overseen the agency during record surges in illegal immigration, with Border Patrol agents recording more than 2.2 million illegal migrant encounters in fiscal year 2022 at the southern border, according to agency data.

“After a 32-year Border Patrol career spanning multiple Sectors, HQ tours, and overseas assignments in Afghanistan, I have decided to retire from federal service on June 30th,” Ortiz wrote in the email.

Multiple agents confirmed the authenticity of the email to the DCNF, and that Ortiz would step down June 30.

“Serving as your Chief has been one of the greatest honors and privileges I have had and please know I will always champion this agency, its mission, and the people who make the Border Patrol everything that it is,” Ortiz wrote.

So far in fiscal year 2023, agents have recorded more than 1.2 million encounters.

Border Patrol agents have also apprehended 196 individuals whose names appear on the terror watchlist between October 2021 and April 2023.

Amid the influx of migrants at the southern border, Ortiz testified that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lacked “operational control” of the area, contradicting DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

“Chief Ortiz has been a great leader of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol for the past two years, and at every level of the organization throughout his three decades of service. He embodies the core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity, as well as the Border Patrol’s motto: honor first. His steady leadership and operational expertise have greatly benefited the agency, the Department, and the nation — and will continue to influence the Border Patrol well into the future,” Mayorkas said of Ortiz’s retirement in a statement shared with the DCNF.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Drone Video of Illegal Aliens on Rio Grande Setting up Camps Before Biden Ended Title 42

I wish to thank the Texas Department of Public Safety for the drone footage contained in the below article. May I further thank each and every law enforcement officer, National Guardsman and fireman/medic standing post along what use to be America’s southern Border. The southern Border of the United States which helps define the national sovereignty of this exceptional nation, has, by all accounts, collapsed. This has been the plan, written and spoken about by Obama when he declared that he would “forever change America.” The well-stated and written plan is to collapse the United States into the New-World Order, a global community where nations no longer have sovereign status but are part and parcel of the global community which is divided into ten regions world wide.

Not only are approximately 1 million illegals from 160 countries coming into America commencing with the abolishment of Title 42, but you need to add the approximate 6 million illegals already here. These numbers are law enforcement and threat assessment close working estimates, minus the “get aways” who could not be interdicted, recorded, checked or even detained. It is well known that hardened criminals and gang members along with military age Chinese males have made their way across the border already, NOT counting what is now crossing. The danger being allowed into America is beyond comprehension. May 6th at the Douglas, Arizona border crossing, US Customs discovered and IED (explosive device) being smuggled into our country. Cartels and Chinese military have been sending weapons and munitions for many months securing them in storage lockers at various locations across America.

Another dimension not even discussed is the medical crisis looming. My national show ARIZONA TODAY will have a presentation on this sobering and alarming dimension shortly. I already did two shows on this subject, but as I write this report one of my nationally recognized medical specialists contacted me with updated medical concerns of a serious nature now landing on our lands.

Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and each elected office holder who has not vigorously fought to protect and defend the sovereignty of the United States should be impeached or arrested for treason. Deliberately, publicly and consistently pushing to weaken our national sovereignty is a High Crime and Misdemeanor – Treason as outlined in our Constitution. Such acts are far and above political rhetoric or grandstanding. Very shortly, within days even, Americans will witness, firsthand, the effects of said treason as 1 million pour into America. Do your very best to get ready…an ugly human tidal wave is about to become reality, and quite possibly in your city or community as they are deliberately transported across America, especially into historically conservative communities and regions. That is the well thought out plan to bring disruption and even chaos to America.

Drone footage shows makeshift camps built along Rio Grande by migrants waiting for Title 42 to end

Drone footage taken along Rio Grande, the river that serves as the natural border between most of Mexico and the United States, shows sprawling tent encampments stretching out all over the border.

Hundreds of people reside in a massive camp made of tents and other dwellings with thin blue plastic sheets acting as roofs right outside of Brownsville, near the southern tip of Texas. (Related: Thousands of migrants set to flood the US once Title 42 expires this week.)

The drone footage also shows an “enormous line” of illegal immigrants who recently crossed into Brownsville. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, who shared the footage, noted that a large majority of the illegals are single adults.

Nonstop flow of illegal crossings here in Brownsville. Working on scripts in my car and look at the window and see another large group gathering for processing after crossing over,” wrote Melugin on his Twitter account. “Border Patrol buses have been coming and going constantly. It’s going to be a very busy week.”

Brownsville is one of the key spots along the border where officials have noted that the illegal immigrants are congregating in the thousands in order to cross, with the other notable crossing points being El Paso, Texas and Yuma, Arizona. But similar situations are developing and getting worse all along the nearly 2,000 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.

[ … ]

Watch this clip of Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez talking about the illegal crossings along the Rio Grande.

Read more.

©2023 Lyle J. Rapacki, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

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EXCLUSIVE: Here Are The Docs Instructing Border Patrol To Release Waves Of Migrants Into The Country

JENNIE TAERINVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

Border Patrol agents have been instructed to begin releasing illegal migrants into the country without a notice to appear in court as officials prepare for the expected surge in immigrants crossing the southern border, according to documents exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz sent the instructions Wednesday, asking senior officials in the agency to begin the mass parole of illegal migrants ahead of the end of Title 42, a Trump-era expulsion policy, on May 11. The illegal immigrants will be “parole[d] with conditions,” meaning they are required to schedule a court date with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or request service of a Notice to Appear (NTA), according to the instructions.

However, the paroled illegal migrants will be released without any tracking technology, meaning there is no way to supervise them after their release, according to NBC News.

Those paroled into the country will be screened by Border Patrol for their criminal and immigration history, and will be assessed by agents on a case-by-case basis.

Border sectors should request to use parole with conditions if either holding capacity is over 125%, agents across the southern border have apprehended 7,000 migrants per day for more than 72 hours or migrants are spending an average of over 60 hours in custody, according to the instructions.

Although paroling illegal immigrants into the country is inevitable with the expected surge, it nevertheless poses a risk to national security, a Department of Homeland Security official, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, told the DCNF.

“There is no other option than to parole. It will make it easier for the processing agent and for the facility to get people out. Of course that will be the route that will be taken. There is no way you can do vetting when you have 4,000 in custody. You just have to parole them,” the official said.

Border agents have recorded an average of 8,750 encounters per day for the last week, which is double the average daily encounters during the height of a surge in May 2019, according to the instructions.

“This memorandum describes a policy concerning when CBP (Customs and Border Protection) may exercise its discretionary parole authority for urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit, including where there are conditions requiring the expeditious processing of noncitizens in exigent circumstances in order to ensure (1) appropriate and safe conditions for the health and safety of individual noncitizens in custody and (2) USBP’s continued ability to carry out its critical border security and enforcement mission,” the instructions state.

Jennie Taer//Daily Caller N… by Daily Caller News Foundation

Border agents are not permitted to parole illegal migrants that are determined to be “unmitigable” flight risks, national security risks, public safety threats or unaccompanied children, according to the instructions.

DHS didn’t respond to a request for comment.

AUTHOR

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Over A Dozen Illegal Migrants Escaped From Border Patrol Bus, Union Says

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include additional information about the escape.


A group of illegal migrants from Venezuela broke out of a Border Patrol bus Wednesday and are currently unaccounted for in the city of El Paso, Texas, President for the National Border Patrol Council for the El Paso sector Durango Ayala told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

One Border Patrol agent, the driver, accompanied the group of 18 illegal migrants bound for expulsion under Title 42, a Trump-era order applied to certain nationalities in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, at the Stanton bridge commuter crossing, Ayala told the DCNF. As of late Wednesday, Ayala said the group escaped by kicking open a hatch in the bus, and was currently unaccounted for.

Two Border Patrol agents, who requested anonymity to speak publicly on the matter, confirmed the illegal migrants’ escape.

Having only one agent accompany the group was a violation of policy, Ayala said.

“The never-ending disregard to enforce immigration law by the current administration is causing frustration throughout CBP [Customs and Border Protection]. Overcrowded detention facilities and limited transportation is a daily occurrence,” a Border Patrol agent working in the El Paso sector, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, told the DCNF. “Migrants that are still arriving at the southern border from the original surge invitation by the president are becoming impatient with extended processing times and turning frustrations against CBP personnel.”

“Damaging facilities, creating unrest and escaping while in custody are just a glimpse of what this president has allowed into our communities,” the agent added.

Venezuelans are currently expelled under Title 42 and face an entry ban of up to five years, according to CBP. The Biden administration plans to end Title 42 on May 11.

Migrants amenable to Title 42 have the option to apply for an exemption before entering the U.S. through the CBP One phone app. However, many have had issues with getting prompt appointments and avoiding glitches with the process.

The migrants’ frustrations with the process contributed to an incident in which hundreds of them stormed the Paso del Norte bridge in El Paso on March 12.

CBP recorded more than 2.3 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2022 and another roughly 1 million between October 2022 and February 2023.

A CBP spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment about Wednesday’s incident.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Northern Border Agents Were Asked To Deploy To Florida Due To Massive Illegal Migrant Surge

Agents patrolling the northern border were asked to deploy to Florida due to a large surge in illegal migrants in recent months, National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd told the Daily Caller News Foundation Friday.

The Miami sector has seen increasing flows of illegal migrants with a surge of hundreds of them reaching the Florida coast in a matter of days in early January, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded more than 1,300 migrant encounters. For the last few months, agents stationed along the northern border have been dealing with their own migrant surge and deployments to address another surge at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“While the southwest border with Mexico continues to be the most problematic area for border security, Biden has made it possible for people and cartels to exploit weakness on all our borders including our coastal borders and northern border. Robbing Peter to pay Paul by moving resources from one area to another is, and has never been the answer, while it might help one area, it weakens the area the agents vacated. This Administration has proven it has little ability and care to protect our borders thereby safeguarding US Citizens,” Judd told the DCNF.

Border Patrol agents stationed along the U.S.-Canadian border, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak, confirmed to the DCNF that they were asked to volunteer.

“What’s next?” one of the agents told the DCNF. “We’re all being stretched pretty thin.”

“The situation in Florida isn’t uncommon. However, it wasn’t consistent as it has appeared to be recently. Once the boats started showing up consistently, and with hundreds of apprehensions per vessel, the need for additional agents brought about the requests for agents who wanted to volunteer to deploy down to Miami Sector,” a second northern border agent told the DCNF.

The situation has also led Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to send in additional state resources, including the National Guard, and declare an emergency. In one instance, two cruise ships in the area came to the rescue.

CBP told the DCNF that it had deployed additional resources to address Florida’s influx of illegal migrants.

“Due to maritime migrant fluctuations in Florida, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has deployed additional Border Patrol and Air and Marine Agents to the south Florida area of operations. These additional resources along with our integrated collaboration with our federal, state, and key stakeholders, allows for a rapid and efficient response to any increase in migratory flows. CBP seeks to deter and disrupt human smuggling activities by transnational criminal organizations and ensure our personnel are properly equipped to maintain border security,” a CBP spokesperson said.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

‘Finally Backing Down’: Border Patrol Lifts Vaccine Mandate For Personnel

  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has lifted its vaccine mandate, according to a memorandum exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
  • “CBP is halting the COVID-19 screening program, and employees may choose to withdraw their pending reasonable accommodation requests for screening exemption,” an internal CBP memorandum stated.
  • Several agents who fought for vaccine exemptions are both happy and frustrated over the new decision, they told the DCNF.
  • “Management is finally backing down because this is a fight that they’re not going to win. I think this is a huge win for people that didn’t get the vaccine. It’s almost like a relief,” one Border Patrol agent said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has ended the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for its personnel, according to a memorandum exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

“CBP is halting the COVID-19 screening program, and employees may choose to withdraw their pending reasonable accommodation requests for screening exemption,” an internal CBP memorandum stated. National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd confirmed to the DCNF that both the vaccine mandate and testing requirements have been lifted.

President Joe Biden issued the mandate for all federal employees via a Sept. 9 executive order. Border agents who didn’t get vaccinated and didn’t have approved exemptions faced possible termination, two active agents and a union official previously told the DCNF.

Due to a court order, CBP paused the vaccine requirement in January in favor of Texas’ push to block the mandate.

But the latest move makes some unvaccinated agents feel like their battles against the mandate, the ostracization from their fellow agents and fears that they’d lose their jobs were all for naught, four of them, all from different sectors of the southern border, told the DCNF on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

“It frustrates me,” one Border Patrol agent fighting the mandate with a pending appeal for a religious exemption told the DCNF.

“It boggles my mind that the agency was ready to lose maybe about half of its workforce during this crisis that we’re having right now at the border. I just didn’t understand that they were willing  to reprimand these guys or even dismiss them or fire them going through this crisis at the border,” the agent added.

CBP leadership has realized it was fighting a losing battle, a second Border Patrol agent, who requested a religious exemption, told the DCNF.

“Management is finally backing down because this is a fight that they’re not going to win. I think this is a huge win for people that didn’t get the vaccine. It’s almost like a relief,” the agent said.

“It’s a joke because we’re so worried about COVID that we’re letting in all these aliens unvaccinated, untested, we’re not doing anything for them, right? We’re not testing them when they come across. We’re not giving them the vaccine when they come across, but COVID is such a big deal,” they added.

The record surge in illegal migration in fiscal year 2022, when CBP encountered roughly 2.3 million migrants, has only made matters worse for the workforce, especially those threatened for not getting the jab.

“It doesn’t even feel like we’re the sworn agents that we were developed and made out to be … we’re the guys that are protecting the border. It’s like they don’t even care. We’re not even like people to them. At this point. It’s just a statistic,” a third agent requesting a religious accommodation said.

“It does very much feel like we’re being tossed around and like our lives don’t matter. We’re talking about people with families, with medical issues, prior medical issues, monetary issues, there are some people that live check to check, and the patrol is going to burden them with termination. That was insane. You got to be kidding. We’re at this point now.”

A fourth agent, who fought against the vaccine mandate on both religious and medical grounds, said other than one superior, they’ve not faced too much scrutiny over the fight for an exemption.

“The rest of them, they understand it’s bullshit,” the agent said.

CBP didn’t respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.