White House officials decry viral Border Patrol videos: 'This is not who we are'

Prominent White House officials took to the morning shows on Tuesday to further condemn the disturbing reports of horse-mounted U.S. Border Patrol agents chasing Haitian migrants in Texas. The Department of Homeland Security said Monday night it will be conducting a swift investigation into the matter, and that disciplinary action will be determined based on the investigation's findings.
"One cannot weaponize a horse to aggressively attack a child. That is unacceptable," said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on CNN's New Day. "That is not what our policies and our training require."
"We will not tolerate mistreatment, and we will address it with full force based on the facts that we learn," added Mayorkas. He noted that he was "horrified" and "profoundly" troubled by what he saw in the now-viral clips and images.
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.
Separately, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki appeared on CBS to decry the tactics she defined as "horrific."
"This is not who we are," Psaki said. "That's not who the Biden-Harris administration is."
On Monday, Psaki said during a press briefing that while she didn't have the full context for the videos, she "can't imagine what context would make that appropriate." "I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate," she added.
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
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Book review: 'Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus' and 'When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines'
Feature The college dropout who ruled the magazine era and the mysteries surrounding Jesus Christ
By The Week US
-
Not invincible: Tech burned by tariff war
Feature Tariffs on Asian countries are shaking up Silicon Valley, driving up prices and deepening global tensions
By The Week US
-
Fake AI job seekers are flooding U.S. companies
In the Spotlight It's getting harder for hiring managers to screen out bogus AI-generated applicants
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
Russian strike kills dozens in Ukraine
Speed Read The Sumy ballistic missile strike was Russia's deadliest attack on civilians this year
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
South Korea court removes impeached president
Speed Read The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law in December
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Myanmar quake deaths rise as survivor search intensifies
speed read The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar has killed a documented 2,000 people so far, and left scores more trapped beneath rubble
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clash
speed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Turkey arrests Istanbul mayor, a top Erdogan rival
Speed Read Protests erupted in Turkey after authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Israel strikes Gaza, breaking ceasefire
Speed Read 326 Palestinians were killed in the first major attack since Netanyahu's government signed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas
By Peter Weber, The Week US