The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to “discipline” several Border Patrol agents who were accused of “whipping” Haitian migrants despite no evidence of the same actually occurring, according to a report from Fox’s Bill Melugin.
Melugin reported Tuesday evening that “per [a] federal source, DHS is preparing to discipline multiple horseback Border Patrol agents who were accused of ‘whipping’ Haitian migrants in Del Rio last summer. I’m told DHS will imminently allege ‘administrative violations’, agents will be able to respond.”
BREAKING: Per federal source, DHS is preparing to discipline multiple horseback Border Patrol agents who were accused of “whipping” Haitian migrants in Del Rio last summer. I’m told DHS will imminently allege “administrative violations”, agents will be able to respond @FoxNews
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 14, 2022
Melugin said the federal source said the announcement is “expected to come down any day now.”
“It’s unclear what ‘administrative violations’ the BP agents will be accused of, but they are not being accused of any criminal conduct,” Melugin added.
The incident took place on Sept. 19 when thousands of Haitian migrants showed up to the border in Del Rio, Texas. Agentson horseback were captured in images swinging their reins in the air. The images sparked immediate backlash with hundreds accusing the agents of whipping migrants.
Photographer Paul Ratje, who captured the shots, said he never actually saw agents “whipping” migrants and that his photos were being misinterpreted.
“Some of the Haitian men started running, trying to go around the horses,” Ratje said. “I’ve never seen them whip anyone. He was swinging it, but it can be misconstrued when you’re looking at the picture.”
Border Patrol agents disputed the allegations, saying the alleged “whips” were actually horse reins.
Video footage later released by an Associated Press reporter appeared to confirm the “whips” were indeed reins.
The agents were later cleared of criminal misconduct amid an ongoing investigation.