Katko on the Del Rio Horse Patrol Investigation Report

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement slamming the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) report on the investigation into the Del Rio horse patrol unit agents.

“This report is nothing more than a desperate attempt by the Biden administration to justify their initial knee jerk rush to judgment that these Border Patrol agents were guilty of misconduct. Thus, they set out on a mission to save face and make an example out of these Border Patrol agents, who were only attempting to manage the untenable humanitarian and security crisis President Biden handed down to them. As part of its justification, this insufficient report from DHS cites the negative impact that ‘significant media attention’ had on the department as the rationale for punishment. Let’s be clear: negative media attention, much of which was brought on by statements coming from those within the Biden administration itself, is not justification for vilifying these agents who have committed their lives in service to this nation’s homeland security.

“Months ago, these agents were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by DHS’ Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) through investigations. Border Patrol agents are leaving in record numbers and experiencing devastating impacts on their mental health as a result of the Biden Border Crisis. This is not what they signed up for. Our Border Patrol agents deserve better than this. Full stop.”

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