Report: Biden restricts Border Patrol personnel from talking to media as crisis grows
Erin Coates, The Western Journal By Erin Coates, The Western Journal
Published March 17, 2021 at 43pm
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The Biden administration has reportedly placed an unofficial "gag order" on Border Patrol agents and sector chiefs as a surge of migrants swarm the southern border.
Four current and two former Customs and Border Protection officials said to NBC News that they have been told to deny requests for media "ride-alongs" with agents, and press officers have been told to send any requests for information to the press office in Washington for approval.
Agents responsible for keeping track of the number of migrants in custody have also been told to prevent leaks by not sharing their information. The officials said the restrictions and others like them are often referred to as unofficial "gag orders."
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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Tuesday the agency is "on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years."
"Across the federal government, certain employees are designated spokespeople for their respective agencies and public statements are vetted to ensure accuracy," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.
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"This standard and process has been followed at DHS since the Department's inception and across bipartisan administrations. Customs and Border Protection continues to publicly provide the same monthly data on the same schedule as it has since 2014."
The unofficial policy was reportedly passed down verbally, and it has led some agents to release videos showing the state of the border without permission from Washington, according to NBC.
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One video released by Rep. Henry Cuellar's office over the weekend showed dozens of migrants crossing the Rio Grande on a raft. The Texas Democrat has been vocal in the past about his disapproval of President Joe Biden not visiting the border as it is flooded by migrants.
