Congressmen Robert Garcia and Dan Goldman Continue Investigation Into Racist Threats Within DHS Following Reports of Racist Rhetoric Used by Customs and Border Patrol Agents
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the acting head of the Customs and Border Patrol requesting an update on actions the Department has taken to address the threat of racism and white nationalism within the Department.
A HuffPost article from April 30, 2024, titled “Border Patrol Agents Joked About Killing Migrant Children, Records Show” raised concerning questions from the lawmakers as it highlighted a continuing pattern of unacceptable and derogatory rhetoric from border patrol agents. Documents retained by HuffPost under the Freedom of Information Act reveal widespread use of the derogatory slur “tonk”, along with further examples of inhumane rhetoric from CBP agents, including references to beating migrants, killing children in custody, lacing Rice Krispy Treats with cyanide, and more. The letter can be found here.
“The HuffPost reporting revealed that Custom and Border Patrol Agents have been saying racist and disgusting things about families seeking safety from violence,” Congressman Robert Garcia said. “As lawmakers, it is our duty to hold agencies accountable for their actions and ensure that all individuals, regardless of their background, are treated with dignity and respect. I look forward to hearing from Secretary Mayorkas and learning more about what is being done to address these concerns and to prevent any further incidents of hate speech or violence within the Department of Homeland Security.”
"For far too long, violent domestic extremism and racism has spread within the ranks of the Department of Homeland Security," Congressman Dan Goldman said. "Recent reports describing the despicable and appalling comments made about killing migrant children run counter to our country's core values. These uniquely vulnerable children often arrive here without a choice and simply seek a better life. They must be treated with the dignity, respect, and care that every child deserves. The Department must take immediate steps to hold accountable those responsible for this unacceptable conduct.”
"The Project On Government Oversight commends Rep. Garcia and Rep. Goldman for their continued attention to extremism at CBP. It's not enough to say that hateful language is unacceptable—leaders must also show that they won't accept it."
In July of last year, Garcia and Goldman, along with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), led 63 fellow members of Congress in sending a letter to Secretary Mayorkas requesting an update on the actions the Department has taken to address the threat of domestic violent extremism within the DHS. The Members asked whether DHS had an authoritative definition of ‘domestic violence extremism,’ what DHS policies or protocols exist for agents’ interactions with vigilantes, militia, or paramilitary groups, how does DHS ensure that agents are not collaborating with actors engaged in extremist activities, as well as other questions aimed at understanding what capabilities DHS has to root out and address potential domestic terrorism threats within the department.
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