Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Jokes About Migrant Deaths, Throwing Burritos At Latino Lawmakers Fester In Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group
ProPublica: Inside The Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group Where Agents Joke About Migrant Deaths And Post Sexist Memes
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. (Thompson, 7/1)
Boston Globe: ProPublica Got A Look Inside A Secret Border Patrol Agent Facebook Page. What It Found Was Ugly
The “I’m 10-15” Facebook group, created in August 2016, has roughly 9,500 members from across the country. “10-15” is Border Patrol radio code for “aliens in custody.” The group described itself in an online introduction as a place for “funny” and “serious” discussions about work with the agency. (Finucane, 7/1)
The Washington Post: A Facebook Group For Border Agents Was Rife With Racism And Sexism. Now DHS Is Investigating.
On a post about a 16-year-old migrant who died in Border Patrol custody, group members responded with crass comments such as, “Oh well,” and “If he dies, he dies.” (Rosenberg, 7/1)
The Associated Press: Border Patrol Head Condemns Agents' Offensive Facebook Posts
The head of the U.S. Border Patrol on Monday slammed as "completely inappropriate" sexually explicit posts about U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and comments questioning the authenticity of a photo of a drowned man and his young daughter in a secret Facebook group for agents. (Attanasio and Long, 7/1)
The Washington Post: Lawmakers Condemn ‘Vulgar’ Posts In Secret Border Agent Facebook Group
A separate statement from Customs and Border Protection, the patrol’s parent agency, said the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security would conduct an independent investigation. (Moore, DeBonis and Wagner, 7/1)
ABC News: CBP Launches Investigation Into Private Facebook Group Mocking Lawmakers As They Blast Immigrant Treatment
"Today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection was made aware of disturbing social media activity hosted on a private Facebook group that may include a number of CBP employees," CBP’s Matthew Klein, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Professional Responsibility noted in a statement. "CBP immediately informed DHS Office of the Inspector General and initiated an investigation." Klein added that CBP employees are expected to adhere to the agency’s standards of conduct, "both on and off duty," directing that its ranks "not make abusive, derisive, profane, or harassing statements or gestures, or engage in any other conduct evidencing hatred or invidious prejudice to or about one person or group on account of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability." (Parkinson and Owen, 7/1)
ProPublica: Investigation Of Secret Border Patrol Group Launched As New Degrading Facebook Posts Surface
The disclosure of the group’s existence and the nature of the posts raise a number of questions that remain unanswered. It’s apparent from some of the comments that agents were aware that the posts were inappropriate, and potentially actionable, for serving government employees. But it’s unclear whether CPB’s senior leadership was aware of the group or if any complaints had been made to the agency. (Thompson and Lind, 7/1)
Politico: Dems Call For Firing Border Patrol Agents Over ‘Vile’ Facebook Posts
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), condemned the "derogatory and sexist comments regarding immigrants and members of Congress" and called for a full investigation by the Department of Homeland Security as well as the officers' removal. Castro and other Democrats vowed to scrutinize the agents’ Facebook posts as part of a congressional tour of border facilities in Texas, where lawmakers spoke to mothers with young children who had been detained there, and learned of what they called unacceptable conditions. (Ferris and Caygle, 7/1)
