Recently, President Biden harshly condemned Border Patrol officers that appeared to be “whipping” illegal migrants while on horseback. Shocking images capture of the event sparked a quick and harsh backlash from Democrats, even Vice President Harris likened the treatment to slavery.
However, it seems there’s much more to the photographs than the Biden administration wants to own up to. Paul Ratje, the photographer who captured the images says that the agents were not whipping migrants and he’s never seen them engage in that behavior.
For all you Twitter warriors out there: these are NOT whips. And no, Border Patrol agents are NOT "whipping" people.
They are REINS… Stay with us here, like a steering wheel is used to drive a car, the reins are used to “drive” the horse.
Thanks for coming to our TED talk. pic.twitter.com/r0n2kXHqvy
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) September 21, 2021
The Washington Examiner reports:
“Some of the Haitian men started running, trying to go around the horses,” Ratje told NBC affiliate KTSM.
“I’ve never seen them whip anyone,” he said . “He was swinging it, but it can be misconstrued when you’re looking at the picture.”
Numerous Democrats expressed fury at the border agents’ actions, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“That is not what our policies and our training require. … We will not tolerate mistreatment,” Mayorkas said .
Will the Biden administration clarify its statement attacking border agents for doing their jobs or will they continue to take the side of illegal immigrants?