Border Patrol chief condemns 'completely inappropriate' private Facebook group for agents
Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost spoke out on Monday against derogatory posts found in a secret Facebook group for current and former agents, calling them "completely inappropriate and contrary to the honor and integrity I see — and expect — from our agents day in and day out."
ProPublica reported earlier in the day about the group, which has about 9,500 members. There were several sexually explicit posts about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on the page, ProPublica said, as well as a chain of comments questioning the authenticity of a photo showing a migrant father and his daughter who drowned last month in the Rio Grande.
Ocasio-Cortez and several other Democratic lawmakers spent Monday touring detention facilities in Texas, and described "appalling" conditions, with Ocasio-Cortez adding that the Facebook posts are "just indicative of the violent culture that we saw." Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said there will likely be a congressional investigation into the posts, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced a probe into "disturbing social media activity" is underway.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
President Trump, meanwhile, told reporters he did not see any of the posts, The Associated Press reports, and defended Border Patrol agents, saying they're "patriots, they're great people. They love our country. They know who's coming in."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
A growing iodine deficiency could bring back America's goiter
Under the Radar Ailment is back thanks to complacency, changing diets and a lack of public-health education
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 10, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - civic duty, uncertain waters, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 ladylike cartoons about women's role in the election
Cartoons Artists take on the political gender gap, Lady Liberty, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Racist texts tell Black people in US to prepare for slavery
Speed Read Recipients in at least a dozen states have been told to prepare to 'pick cotton' on slave plantations
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
Speed Read Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
FTC bans fake online product reviews
Speed Read The agency will enforce fines of up to $51,744 per violation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
States sue TikTok over children's mental health
Speed Read The lawsuit was filed by 13 states and Washington, D.C.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Amazon ending 'Just Walk Out' grocery checkout
Speed Read In its place, the company will let customers scan while they shop with Amazon Dash Cart
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justice Department bites Apple with iPhone suit
Speed Read The lawsuit alleges that the tech company monopolized the smartphone industry
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
House votes to force TikTok to sell or face US ban
speed read The House passed a bill to ban TikTok on national security grounds unless it sells to a non-Chinese company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Apple kills its secret electric car project
Speed Read Many of the people from Project Titan are being reassigned to work on generative AI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published