AOC Says Border Patrol Agents Are “Physically And Sexually Threatening Towards Me”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went back to the United States - Mexican border in El Paso, Texas to tour a housing detention center. The congresswoman went to Twitter claiming the border agents are “physically and sexually threatening towards” her.
Just left the 1st CBP facility.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
I see why CBP officers were being so physically &sexually threatening towards me.
Officers were keeping women in cells w/ no water & had told them to drink out of the toilets.
This was them on their GOOD behavior in front of members of Congress.
Of course, none of AOC’s claims about being “physically and sexually threatened” have been substantiated.
Earlier on Monday, AOC cited a ProPublica story titled, “Inside the Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group Where Agents Joke About Migrant Deaths and Post Sexist Memes.”
The ProPublica article claimed, “Members of a secret Facebook group for current and former Border Patrol agents joked about the deaths of migrants, discussed throwing burritos at Latino members of Congress visiting a detention facility in Texas on Monday and posted a vulgar illustration depicting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez engaged in oral sex with a detained migrant, according to screenshots of their postings.”
ProPublica supposedly contacted three spokespeople for CBP in regard to the secret Facebook group of 9,500 members called “I’m 1-15.” They also gave the names of three agents who allegedly participated in the online chats. According to ProPublica, they haven’t responded.
AOC tweeted: “There are 20,000 TOTAL Customs & Border Patrol agents in the US. 9,500 – almost HALF that number – are in a racist & sexually violent secret CBP Facebook group. They’re threatening violence on members of Congress. How do you think they’re treating caged children+families?”
There are 20,000 TOTAL Customs & Border Patrol agents in the US.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
9,500 - almost HALF that number - are in a racist & sexually violent secret CBP Facebook group.
They’re threatening violence on members of Congress. How do you think they’re treating caged children+families? https://t.co/AfDB50cgHQ
After touring the detention facility, AOC tweeted again: “Just left the 1st CBP facility. I see why CBP officers were being so physically &sexually threatening towards me. Officers were keeping women in cells w/ no water & had told them to drink out of the toilets. This was them on their GOOD behavior in front of members of Congress.”
Just left the 1st CBP facility.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
I see why CBP officers were being so physically &sexually threatening towards me.
Officers were keeping women in cells w/ no water & had told them to drink out of the toilets.
This was them on their GOOD behavior in front of members of Congress.
She tweeted again, “After I forced myself into a cell w/ women&began speaking to them, one of them described their treatment at the hands of officers as “psychological warfare” – waking them at odd hours for no reason, calling them wh*res, etc. Tell me what about that is due to a ‘lack of funding?”
After I forced myself into a cell w/ women&began speaking to them, one of them described their treatment at the hands of officers as “psychological warfare” - waking them at odd hours for no reason, calling them wh*res, etc.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
Tell me what about that is due to a “lack of funding?”
“Now I’m on my way to Clint, where the Trump admin was denying children toothpaste and soap. This has been horrifying so far. It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We’re talking systemic cruelty w/ a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals,” she tweeted.
Now I’m on my way to Clint, where the Trump admin was denying children toothpaste and soap.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
This has been horrifying so far. It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We’re talking systemic cruelty w/ a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals.
Since it’s just Monday, we expect to hear more tweets about the “concentration camps” from the bartender-turned-congresswoman.