Border Patrol Tells Congressional Delegation It Can't Meet With Agents Who Detained 7-Year-Old

[DonViejo]

Source: BuzzFeed News



Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are scheduled on Tuesday to visit the remote station where Jakelin Caal was held.

John Stanton
BuzzFeed News Reporter

Reporting From Lordsburg, New Mexico

Posted on December 17, 2018, at 2:23 p.m. ET

LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO — The Department of Homeland Security has told members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that they will not be allowed to speak with Customs and Border Protection agents involved in the apprehension and detention of Jakelin Caal, the 7-year-old Guatemalan asylum seeker who died in CBP custody earlier this month, during their visit Tuesday to the remote station where her illness was first treated.

According to a source with CHC, DHS’s refusal to allow the lawmakers to interview the agents came during a conference call Monday. The refusal frustrated lawmakers, and the CHC source said at one point Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, warned that if the agents are not made available during the Tuesday inspection, they can expect to be called before Congress as soon as Democrats take control of the House in January.

DHS and members of Congress were frequently at odds over access to DHS facilities during the summer as controversy raged around the administration’s family separation policy.

DHS has promised a full investigation of the events surrounding Caal’s death.

Read more: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/johnstanton/border-patrol-congress-guatemalan-girl?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc

[irisblue]

1. Yeah. That's not going to work for long.

[RKP5637]

2. Yet another MAJOR WTF!!! n/t

[Ilsa]

3. Bully Trump's bullies don't know who they are

Messing with. These people will be questioned about this death and the neglect surrounding it.

[byronius]

4. DHS and the Border Patrol and ICE are going to keep on digging that hole.

In the end, everyone involved in this horror needs to be stripped of citizenship and gently shoved across the border.

Real Americans don't do things like this.

[pazzyanne]

15. Agree in that the people in charge

need to realize that the Congress members who are visiting the border are there as elected representatives of the people who pay their salaries - namely us, the US taxpayers. They are refusing to "allow" their "bosses" to supervise them. How long would that last in the private sector. President (and I use that term lightly) donald j trump, HS Secretary Kirsten Neilsen, and HHS Secretary Alex M. Azar II are due for a job performance evaluation that starts with reminding them that they are committing insubordination with the refusal to allow Congress to do the job they were elected to do, which is oversight. The fact that these three people are in charge of providing services in the name of the people who pay their salaries, reflects badly on all American citizens and is shameful. Then let's put guidelines in place that outline what Border Patrol and Homeland Security officers can do and how it is to be done in place. This is called job descriptions, and should include the penalties should they not be performing to expectation. Follow this up with mandatory training which includes the job description. This is what is done in the private sector, why not in the government sector?

[byronius]

16. There's a sense in the Trump camp that DHS is Trump's private army, and they're acting like it.

All of this needs to be cleaned out, reversed, done with, legislated out of existence.

One thing Trump has done -- shown us all our weak spots.

[montanacowboy]

5. Won't the Dems hold the Purse Strings

for these jack booted thugs? pull the funding, fire them, close them down.

[lark]

6. LIARS!!!!!

They know what happened. A sick little girl came to them and they let her die because of spite and inhumanity and racism. It was done and the agents should be tried for manslaughter.

[LiberalFighter]

7. Everyone involved needs to be held accountable.

[LonePirate]

8. We desperately need to purge the racists and deplorables in CBP and ICE.

The next Dem President needs to put the word out that these racist and inhumane acts will desist or they will result in termination. Perhaps eliminating the two agencies is the only surefire way to accomplish that.

[RainCaster]

10. It starts at the top

DFT is the most racist pig to ever appear in the White House.

[KWR65]

9. If I was those agent's lawyer I would tell them to plead the fifth.

Just because they are government employees doesn't mean they don't have constitutional rights.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

17. As a former Federal government employee, allow me to educate you.

I was deposed and had to testify in court many times. Pleading the fifth is unacceptable at the level of the rank and file of ICE, DHS or the Border Patrol. All government employees have the same rights The Constitution accords everyone, but lying when under oath, or refusing to answer questions in the investigation into the death of a child is NOT something you can get away with and it never should be. If anyone of these individuals tries to pull a stunt like that, they may well find themselves in contempt of court and placed in jail until they understand the law and their responsibilites under it.

[KWR65]

19. They can fire you for not cooperating. Cooperating may get you a prison sentence.

So the best advice in any criminal investigation is to get a lawyer and let them handle it. You can always get another job. Just sayin.. Not defending any of the officers involved.

[PatrickforO]

11. That's all right. Later, these agents can be captured and

tried for crimes against humanity in the international court in the Hague.

[turbinetree]

12. I guess they forgot there are congressional subpoenas......

if they don't know that simple fact maybe they should look for another job.................


November 3, 2020 cannot get here fast enough..................

[ZeroSomeBrains]

13. I don't trust their internal investigation

They need to be held accountable and those who didn't help this child should be fired. Absolutely shameful.

[DeminPennswoods]

14. It's clear the ICE needs a complete overhaul

I'd recommend psychological testing for CPB and ICE agents as well.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

18. Under trump, the criteria for these jobs

was virtually nothing. You can't lower the bar any further when its lying on the ground. If you could walk basically upright through the job interview, you could get hired. People with criminal records were accepted for some of these positions. I was shocked out of my socks when the applications were posted.

And remember, this administration hired thousands of these people, keeping in mind that if they ever wanted to declare martial law, Border Patrol and ICE agents could be pressed into law enforcement patrolling the streets.

[SunSeeker]

20. A DHS investigation of this is as worthless as a Nunes Russia investigation.

We must have an independent investigation, as her family has requested.

There are absolutely no grounds for denying the Congresspersons access to these employees, other than to cover up malfeasance.