Border patrol agents mock migrants with racist messages in Facebook group
A second secret Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Facebook group has been exposed for its derogatory depiction of migrants in a series of vulgar and inappropriate posts.
The group, called “Real CBP Nation”, was discovered after two individuals familiar with the page sent screenshots to journalists at CNN.
The page contained posts mocking the separation of migrant families, racist and racially divisive comments about Asian and African American people, and memes mocking congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The group had around 1,000 members.
In one post, a meme posted of a border patrol agent apprehending someone was captioned: “Felt kinda cute, might separate some families today idk.”
The immigration authority said: “CBP received screenshots of social media posts allegedly by CBP employees and has shared those posts with the office of professional responsibility, the office charged with investigating potential employee misconduct”. It added it planned to launch an investigation.
The spokesperson continued: “If the investigation verifies that employees posted content in violation of CBP’s code of conduct, the findings will inform management decisions regarding appropriate disciplinary action.”
The news of this CBP Facebook group comes after another page, called “I’m 10-15”, was exposed by ProPublica for mocking dead migrants, posting sexist and sexually suggestive imagery of Ms Ocasio-Cortez, and using offensive and dehumanising language concerning asylum seekers.
These posts included accusations that the picture of drowned migrants Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his daughter Valeria, who died while trying to cross the Rio Grande in June, was faked by “dems and liberal parties” because the migrants were “so clean”.
The picture of the father and daughter was taken by a Mexican journalist, Julia Le Duc.
One member posted doctored images of Donald Trump pushing Ms Ocasio-Cortez’s head towards his genitals, captioned: “That’s right b*tches. The masses have spoken and today democracy won.”
The “I’m 10-15” group had over 9,000 members, and several posters had been reported to CBP higher-ups.
The two groups are now undergoing internal investigations.
