After it was revealed in 2019 that scores of border officials belonged to a private Facebook group that contained racist and otherwise offensive posts, investigations into the misconduct resulted in disciplinary actions.
A private Facebook group named “I’m 10-15,” refers to the Border Patrol code for illegal immigrants in custody that included thousands of Border Patrol agents and higher-ups that caused a scandal in 2019 when its existence became to the public.
After news reports began to cover questionable content being posted in the group, an official internal review board suggested a mass firing.
After the investigation, 60 employees were found to have violated the agency’s code of conduct after posting offensive images and memes, including one questioning whether a photograph of a dead migrant father and child was staged, and obscenely doctored pictures of Hispanic lawmakers. Most of the agents who posted in the group have been reduced extensively but only two agents have been fired.
Regardless of your right to free speech, especially if you work for the government, you just can’t post stuff like that because one of the two agents who are fired posted an image “where Former President Donald Trump raping a member of Congress.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, a departmentwide investigation was conducted to identify and eliminate “intolerable discrimination,” as well as reform rules and training.
An agency spokesperson, Luis Miranda, said in a statement, “CBP will not tolerate hateful, misogynist or racist behavior, or any conduct that is unbecoming of the honor we hold as public servants, CBP is working to review policies and to underscore the need to respect the dignity of every individual, fight against discrimination, safeguard civil rights and civil liberties, and increase transparency and accountability.”
For the most part, however, critics appear to be angered by the fact that Border Patrol agents had any private space online to express their thoughts and opinions with each other.
High-ranking officials within the Border Patrol have acknowledged that they joined the group so that they could understand what their subordinates were thinking and feeling.
This is undoubtedly useful for any leader who wishes to know what the prevailing mood is amongst the workforce, particularly in such a difficult line of work.
As for the rank and file members, being a Border Patrol agent nowadays must be exceedingly stressful both due to the nature of the job and due to widespread hostility from politicians and segments of the public.
Sharing jokes and unfiltered remarks with peers is hardly an uncommon way of coping with a difficult and stressful work environment.
The fact that only two agents were fired is very telling clearly, the Border Patrol thinks that it will struggle to replace agents in this climate.
Current agents are already struggling to do their job under constant scrutiny from Congress and the White House. Why would anyone else sign up for such a thankless job?
Sources: Rightwingnewshour, Thewall, Anandmarket
