In September 2021, Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was aware horseback Border Patrol personnel did not whip Haitian migrants with reins, contrary to what numerous dishonest corporate media sources falsely claimed.
Mayorkas spread the falsehood during a White House news briefing barely hours after learning the photographer who shot the viral photographs had not witnessed any flogging.
The Email
Emails acquired by the Heritage Foundation through a Freedom of Information Act request reveal Marsha Espinosa, deputy secretary of DHS public affairs, informed Mayorkas and other top DHS officials about a local news interview exposing the widespread “beating” hoax.
This happened on September 24, 2021.
In the text of her letter to Mayorkas, Espinosa emphasized the comments of Las Cruces, New Mexico photographer Paul Ratje, who stated he never observed mounted Border Patrol agents using their leather reins to lash anyone while filming them.
NEW: Email reveals DHS Secretary Mayorkas was alerted by DHS' top public affairs official that the "whipping" narrative behind horseback BP photos wasn't true, but at a WH press conference 2.5 hours later, he didn't refute that narrative, instead calling the images "horrifying". pic.twitter.com/Qyfy2NBkNo
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) October 12, 2022
Some few hours after receiving the letter providing crucial evidence that contradicted the false narrative, Mayorkas delivered a speech at the White House. It appeared to corroborate the lies and disparage Border Patrol agents.
Mayorkas stated our nation witnessed horrific sights that do not represent us. He stated they know the photographs cruelly evoke the darkest aspects of our nation’s continuing struggle against systemic racism.
Mayorkas declined to accept he had seen or accepted that story when questioned about the photographer’s statement that no caning occurred.
Mayorkas initially backed Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz in dismissing the whipping allegations amid images and videos of Border Patrol personnel in Del Rio, Texas, corralling many migrants attempting to cross the water into the United States surfaced.
He went so far as to clarify the so-called whips were reins meant to prevent horses from stomping migrants.
Biden’s Part of It
Democrats and the Biden administration utilized these photographs and footage to accuse border law enforcement officials of using “whips” against illegal border crossers. With his back to the presidential seal, Biden informed reporters that the sight was dreadful.
Mayorkas changed his tune after the White House, Democrats, and corporate media produced sufficient anger over the whipping lies.
Mayorkas stated in a CNN interview that he was startled by what he saw; a horse cannot be weaponized to attack a youngster forcefully; it was unacceptable and contrary to their policy and training requirements.
In July, nearly ten months after mainstream media and liberal conspiracy scholars swamped front pages with the beating story, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inquiry found no proof the horseback unit struck the Haitians illegally entering the U.S.-Mexico border with their reins.
In reality, the study recognized it was the media’s exaggerated coverage that prompted the initial probe.
Mayorkas knew from his staff within hours that the whipping story was fake. He lied. He must resign or be fired today. Like, right now.
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) October 12, 2022
As a result of his ineptitude and this discovery of dishonesty, calls for Mayorkas’ impeachment have been reignited in the midst of what’s become the nation’s worst border crisis in known history.
This article appeared in NewsHouse and has been published here with permission.
