Border agents branded AOC a ‘hoe,’ shared explicit images, in secret Facebook group – report
An investigation has been launched after a secret Facebook group for US Border Patrol agents to joke about the death of migrants and make racist and sexist comments about Latino Congress members was unearthed.
The group called ‘I’m 10-15,’ which refers to the Border Patrol code for ‘aliens in custody’ has been active for three years and boasts about 9,500 members comprising of current and former Border Patrol agents from across the country, according to a report from ProPublica.
Also on rt.com It’s not a new problem, so why does the media only care about dead migrant children under Trump?Screenshots revealed members made derogatory comments about Latina lawmakers as recently as Monday, calling them “scum buckets” and “hoes.” Several posts featured a photoshopped image of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a sexual position with a detained migrant, and another with President Donald Trump. Some members also asked for an agent to throw burritos at Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Veronica Escobar, who had planned a visit to a Border Patrol facility outside of El Paso.
Today, CBP was made aware of disturbing social media activity hosted on a private Facebook group that may include a number of CBP employees. CBP immediately informed DHS Office of the Inspector General and initiated an investigation. Full statement: https://t.co/JdPNcZz36Spic.twitter.com/9f7BgKKrgU
— CBP (@CBP) July 1, 2019
Customs and Border Protection responded with a statement saying that an investigation has been launched into the “completely inappropriate” posts. “Any employees found to have violated our standards of conduct will be held accountable,” it said.
Ocasio-Cortez addressed the story on Twitter saying it indicated a violent culture among border patrol agents. “This isn’t about ‘a few bad eggs.’ This is a violent culture,” she said.
This just broke: a secret Facebook group of 9,500 CBP officers discussed making a GoFundMe for officers to harm myself & Rep. Escobar during our visit to CBP facilities & mocked migrant deaths.This isn’t about “a few bad eggs.” This is a violent culture. https://t.co/SkFwThHElx
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
In another exchange, group members responded to a news story about a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant who died in May while in Border Patrol custody in Weslaco, Texas. One member posted a GIF of Elmo with the quote, “Oh well.” Another responded with an image and the words “If he dies, he dies.”
READ MORE: Acting border chief to step down amid immigration staffing shakeup
Another group member posted the now infamous photo of a father and his toddler daughter lying face down in Rio Grande after drowning while attempting to cross the border. The member asked if the photo may have been faked by Democrats as the agent had “never seen [clean] floaters like this.”
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