Reporter Claimed Border Agents Were ‘Whipping’ Migrants. The White House Didn’t Correct Them

Reporter Claimed Border Agents Were ‘Whipping’ Migrants. The White House Didn’t Correct Them

Jennie Taer on April 6, 2022

A reporter claimed Tuesday that Border Patrol agents were “whipping” migrants, and, despite an ongoing investigation into the incident, the White House didn’t correct her.

Ebony McMorris, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about the incident, which occurred in September in Del Rio, Texas as thousands of Haitian migrants attempted to cross the border. Horseback border agents responding to the influx appeared to be herding migrants to turn back to the Mexican town of Acuña.

Images of the incident in the media and online brought accusations that the agents were whipping migrants. Some reporters that witnessed the situation firsthand and experts said the agents appeared to be using long reins to steer their horses to encircle the migrants so they would turn back to Mexico.

“Patrol agents that were seen whipping Haitian migrants were not charged and held accountable for actions,” McMorris said. “Even the President talked about early on how it was outrageous. What’s his reaction to that response and to those who saw this horrific video go viral, and then, at the end of the day nothing happened, there’s no accountability?”

Psaki referred McMorris to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who is conducting an investigation into the incident.

From today’s WH briefing: A reporter asking about the border “whipping” investigation basically claims that the border agents accused of wrongdoing are guilty, calling the videos of the incident “horrific.” pic.twitter.com/xLoE0wgo2n

— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) April 5, 2022

Neither the White House nor McMorris responded to requests for comment from the DCNF.

A DHS spokesperson pointed the Daily Caller News Foundation to a November press release that was last updated in January as the latest update on the probe.

“DHS is committed to transparency. We will share the results of the investigation once it is complete and provide updates, as available, consistent with the need to protect the integrity of the investigation and individuals’ privacy,” the spokesperson said.