Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) toured migrant detention facilities Monday and tweeted her findings, accusing Customs and Border Protection officers of acting “physically and sexually” threatening towards her.
AOC insisted that detainees were forced to drink out of toilets. Other reports are surfacing, claiming that the New York lawmaker “screamed” at law enforcement agents in a “threatening manner” during the visit.
The freshman lawmaker toured migrant shelters near El Paso Monday and reported the findings to her 4.59 million Twitter followers. She claimed that CBP officers were “being so physically & sexually threatening” towards her.
“I see why CBP officers were being so physically & sexually threatening towards me,” she tweeted.
“Officers were keeping women in cells w/ no water & had told them to drink out of the toilets,” she continued. “This was them on their GOOD behavior in front of members of Congress.”
Just left the 1st CBP facility.
I see why CBP officers were being so physically &sexually threatening towards me.
Officers were keeping women in cells w/ no water & had told them to drink out of the toilets.
This was them on their GOOD behavior in front of members of Congress.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
Now I’ve seen the inside of these facilities.
It’s not just the kids. It’s everyone. People drinking out of toilets, officers laughing in front of members Congress.
I brought it up to their superiors. They said “officers are under stress & act out sometimes.” No accountability.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
Despite the clear overcrowding issues, Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the argument for additional funding, which would provide more bed space and make the overcrowded facilities more suitable.
After I forced myself into a cell w/ women&began speaking to them, one of them described their treatment at the hands of officers as “psychological warfare” – waking them at odd hours for no reason, calling them wh*res, etc.
Tell me what about that is due to a “lack of funding?”
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
“This has been horrifying so far,” she continued. “It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We’re talking systemic cruelty w/ a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals.”
Now I’m on my way to Clint, where the Trump admin was denying children toothpaste and soap.
This has been horrifying so far. It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We’re talking systemic cruelty w/ a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
However, the New York lawmaker reportedly “screamed” at law enforcement agents in a threatening manner during her visit, according to the Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli. She reported:
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., screamed at federal law enforcement agents ‘in a threatening manner’ during a visit to a U.S. Border Patrol facility in El Paso, Texas, Monday afternoon and refused to tour the facility, according to two people who witnessed it.
“13 other House Democrats as well as their aides were in the room. I’m told only Rep. Ocasio-Cortez reacted in this manner,” she added.
SCOOP: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., screamed at federal law enforcement agents “in a threatening manner” during a visit to a U.S. Border Patrol facility in El Paso, Texas, Monday afternoon and refused to tour the facility, according to two people who witnessed it.
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) July 1, 2019
13 other House Democrats as well as their aides were in the room. I'm told only Rep. Ocasio-Cortez reacted in this manner. https://t.co/XdH5Fpru0z
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) July 1, 2019
All of this follows ProPublica’s recent story, detailing an offensive private Facebook group with what it claims are thousands of former and current Border Patrol agents as members.
Members of a secret Facebook group for current and former Border Patrol agents joked about the deaths of migrants, discussed throwing burritos at Latino members of Congress visiting a detention facility in Texas on Monday and posted a vulgar illustration depicting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez engaged in oral sex with a detained migrant, according to screenshots of their postings.
CBP took immediate action.
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/JdPNcZz36S pic.twitter.com/9f7BgKKrgU
— CBP (@CBP) July 1, 2019
“These posts are completely inappropriate and contrary to the honor and integrity I see—and expect—from our agents day in and day out,” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost said.
“Any employees found to have violated our standards of conduct will be held accountable,” Provost added.
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