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Congressman Bennie Thompson says images...

Congressman Bennie Thompson says images of treatment of Haitians at border “horrific”

By: Frank Corder - September 21, 2021

U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. Thousands of Haitian migrants have been arriving to Del Rio, Texas, as authorities attempt to close the border to stop the flow of migrants. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

The crisis at the U.S. Southern border is worsening by the day.

The White House confirmed on Monday that thousands of Haitian migrants crossing the Rio Grande river in Texas are being airlifted out of the country while border patrol agents on horseback are rounding up the undocumented immigrants and forcing them back across the border.

“We have reiterated that our borders are not open, and people should not make the dangerous journey,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said on Monday in press conference. “If you come to the United States illegally, you will be returned.”

Congressman Bennie Thompson

However, images of the handling of the border crisis has drawn criticism from Democrats, including House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi.

Thompson called the images of the mounted border agents “horrific and disturbing.”

“This mistreatment runs counter to our American values and cannot be tolerated,” Thompson said, as reported by France24.

Secretary Mayorkas expressed his concern over the images as well, telling CNN that “any mistreatment or abuse of a migrant is unacceptable” and adding, “the pictures that I’ve observed troubled me profoundly.”

On Monday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves joined 25 other governors across the country in requesting a meeting with President Joe Biden to discuss the crisis at the Southern Border.

The governors want to “discuss the flood of more than 1.3 million people who are entering our country illegally due to his open border policy.”

The AP is reporting that more than 6,000 Haitian and other migrants have been removed from an encampment near Del Rio, Texas, and Secretary Mayorkas says that number will increase in the coming days.

Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS01) took to social media to express his discontent with the situation, saying ultimately that, “The Biden Administration IS the crisis.”

“President Biden’s policies make Americans less safe,” Palazzo tweeted. “His open border invites drugs into our neighborhoods, his weakness toward Russia & China makes our nation vulnerable, & his abhorrent decisions in Afghanistan cost American lives. The Biden Administration IS the crisis.”

Congressman Michael Guest (R-MS03) shared Palazzo’s frustration while pointing to the drugs being smuggled into the U.S.

“Over 10,000lbs of fentanyl have been seized at the border this year, enough to kill 2.37 billion people – or the U.S. population 7 times. Over 1 million migrants have been apprehended at the border,” Guest tweeted. “The liberal plan for the border is only helping drug cartels & human smugglers.”

About the Author(s)
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Frank Corder

Frank Corder is a native of Pascagoula. For nearly two decades, he has reported and offered analysis on government, public policy, business and matters of faith. Frank’s interviews, articles, and columns have been shared throughout Mississippi as well as in national publications. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, providing insight and commentary on the inner workings of the Magnolia State. Frank has served his community in both elected and appointed public office, hosted his own local radio and television programs, and managed private businesses all while being an engaged husband and father. Email Frank: frank@magnoliatribune.com