A group of lawmakers visited two border facilities in Clint and El Paso, Texas, on Monday, and they made sure everyone knew about the poor living conditions they saw by sharing graphic details of their trip via Twitter.
The visit was organized by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus after reports about the Clint border facility indicated that migrant children were being neglected. According to the Associated Press, children were separated from their families, sat in soiled diapers, and ate meals with little nutritional value.
Then on Monday, ProPublica reported on a private Facebook group for current and former Border Patrol agents where they shared derogatory comments about migrants and female lawmakers, including those on the tour. One post suggested a GoFundMe should be made to compensate whoever would hurl a burrito at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) during their visit to the Clint border facility. Members also made sexist comments about Ocasio-Cortez, sharing photoshopped images of her in sexually explicit situations.
In a news conference after their tour of the facilities, lawmakers tried to share the bleak details of what they saw — although their words were drowned out by protesters calling for more border security and deportations, according to the New York Times. Many of the protesters used racist and sexist language. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), one of the first Muslim women to join Congress, along with Ilhan Omar, had to speak over a protester yelling, “We don’t want Muslims here.”
“You can all scream at me,” Tlaib said. “I will never stop speaking truth to power.”
In a statement about ProPublica’s investigation, Customs and Border Protection chief Carla Provost said, “These posts are completely inappropriate and contrary to the honor and integrity I see — and expect — from our agents day in and day out.” CBP has initiated an investigation and said any employees who have violated the agency’s guidelines will be held accountable.
CBP Deputy Commissioner Robert Perez also appeared on CNN on Tuesday to respond to lawmakers’ criticism of the poor conditions within the facilities. While he emphasized that the system is currently “oversaturated,” he said he is confident that CBP is meeting strict standards when it comes to access to fresh water and hygiene products.
“We’ve had dozens of congressional staffers and delegations come through our facilities,” he said. “As far as I’ve been made aware this is the first time these types of allegations have been made to us.”
Here’s what every lawmaker who visited Clint said about their trip to the border facility:
Rep. Joaquín Castro (D-TX)
While all the lawmakers were required to hand in their cellphones during the tour, Castro was able to use a device to take footage of the facilities’ crowded cells and showers, which he later shared on Twitter. He described the showers as “dank, dirty and only too small in number for the hundreds of people there just a few weeks ago.”
The showers at Clint Border Patrol Station. pic.twitter.com/z0ATi67q1i
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) July 2, 2019
This moment captures what it’s like for women in CBP custody to share a cramped cell—some held for 50 days—for them to be denied showers for up to 15 days and life-saving medication. For some, it also means being separated from their children. This is El Paso Border Station #1. pic.twitter.com/OmCAlGxDt8
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) July 1, 2019
Castro said the “border patrol system is broken” and continues to stay broken because it is kept a secret — which is why the group of lawmakers shared the details of their tour. The Texas Congress member called for a change from the current “morally bankrupt” culture.
There are many good agents — men and women working earnestly to care for the people in their custody. But they are overwhelmed in a system that is morally bankrupt and challenged by rogue agents whose culture was on full display in the Facebook group revealed by ProPublica today.
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) July 1, 2019
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
After ProPublica released its article on the Border Patrol officers’ Facebook group, Ocasio-Cortez reaffirmed that she would still be visiting the border facilities, despite having read about the threats targeting her within the group.
9,500 CBP officers sharing memes about dead migrants and discussing violence and sexual misconduct towards members of Congress.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
How on earth can CBP’s culture be trusted to care for refugees humanely?
PS I have no plans to change my itinerary & will visit the CBP station today.
In a series of tweets, she wrote about the women she met who were sobbing “out of fear of being punished, out of sickness, out of desperation, lack of sleep, trauma, despair.”
Here’s another photo from inside taken by @JoaquinCastrotx, where we’re trying to comfort women trapped in cells.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 2, 2019
This woman was telling me about her daughters who were taken from her - she doesn’t know where they’ve taken them.
We held & listened to them. They were distraught. pic.twitter.com/ca1GwKfDfU
Ocasio-Cortez also shared details of women having to drink out of toilet bowls because of their lack of access to water.
This was in fact the type of toilet we saw in the cell.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
Except there was just one, and the sink portion was not functioning - @AyannaPressley smartly tried to open the faucet, and nothing came out.
So the women were told they could drink out of the bowl. https://t.co/rcu9Rt6B2x
Like many of the other lawmakers who visited the facilities, Ocasio-Cortez said she was shocked by the lack of accountability.
Now I’ve seen the inside of these facilities.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
It’s not just the kids. It’s everyone. People drinking out of toilets, officers laughing in front of members Congress.
I brought it up to their superiors. They said “officers are under stress & act out sometimes.” No accountability.
She also directly addressed the comments made toward her in the CBP officer Facebook group.
And to these CBP officers saying they felt “threatened” by me -
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 2, 2019
They were literally discussing making a GoFundMe for an officer who attacked my on my tour.
They confiscated my phone, and they were all armed. I’m 5’4”.
They’re just upset I exposed their inhumane behavior.
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX)
Like Ocasio-Cortez, Escobar was specifically targeted within the Border Patrol officer Facebook group. She said the poor living conditions at the border facilities were a problem that came from a “disconnection from our values,” specifically pointing to officers involved in the Facebook group.
We need greater transparency, oversight, and especially after the reports about the vile Facebook group, we need accountability.
— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) July 1, 2019
No person who has that much disdain for another human being — especially the most vulnerable among us — should have a gun or a badge.
Escobar also shared a video of a protester yelling curses at her and the other lawmakers during the news conference held after the tour. The protester can be heard screaming, “What about El Paso citizens?” and calling Escobar “lawless” and “fake.”
Take a listen. This is what my staff and I have to deal with because we demand dignity for migrants. This woman was yelling this at me and others the entire presser. https://t.co/OcKtoDAhVi
— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) July 2, 2019
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)
In a video shared on Twitter, Chu described what she saw as “appalling and disgusting.” She also expressed concern over the CBP Facebook group and what that said about the integrity of border officials.
“If they have these kind of derogatory feelings about us, you can only imagine what they’re thinking about these detainees,” she said. “These are the ones who’re in charge of them? Well, there seriously has to be some change.”
"If you want water, just drink from a toilet." That's what border patrol told one thirsty woman we met on today's #DemsAtTheBorder trip. These are the same CBP personnel who threatened to throw burritos at members of Congress. Changes must be made. #DontLookAway pic.twitter.com/dW34DRduDA
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) July 1, 2019
Tuesday morning, Chu also shared her bill with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), HR 1069, which would shut down unlicensed temporary emergency shelters for children who have been separated from their families.
Thank you to all of my new followers. I don't have a Soundcloud or a Patreon, but I do have a bill with @SenJeffMerkley - HR 1069 - that would shut down unlicensed child prison camps like the ones in Tornillo and Homestead. I'd love for you to check that out #KeepFamiliesTogether
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) July 2, 2019
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA)
Aguilar called the conditions “heartbreaking and abhorrent.”
The conditions we saw today at CBP facilities in Texas were heartbreaking and abhorrent. From cells that are too crowded to lie down in, to women being told by Border Patrol agents to drink water from the toilet, the situation at the border is unacceptable. #DemsAtTheBorder
— Rep. Pete Aguilar (@RepPeteAguilar) July 1, 2019
Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA)
In a tweet where she shared a video of herself being interviewed by Univision, Torres called for more transparency and demanded answers from CBP about the poor living conditions within the border facilities.
Como congresistas y ciudadanos Americanos, debemos demandar transparencia y respuestas sobre las condiciones en los centros de detención de @CBP en Texas. Hable con @ClaudiaUceda @despiertamerica sobre que espero encontrar hoy en mi investigación con @HispanicCaucus #DontLookAway pic.twitter.com/dnHDbmP78A
— Rep. Norma Torres (@NormaJTorres) July 1, 2019
She also shared a video of her interview with CNN Tuesday morning where she discussed more details about the facilities she toured, such as children wearing dirty clothes and covering themselves with aluminum-type sheets.
“Imagine your child having to live under those conditions,” she said. “It is inhumane. It is embarrassing. And what we need to do is we need to send every single one of these border agents back to training because they certainly haven’t been versed in what is humane and inhumane.”
Rep. @NormaJTorres, who toured border facilities in Texas yesterday, said migrant women told her there was no running water in their cell except for the toilet.
— New Day (@NewDay) July 2, 2019
“It is inhumane … we need to send every single one of these border agents back to training.” https://t.co/PPKiv5EwXX pic.twitter.com/jrKGNfbB0S
Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX)
While Garcia didn’t detail her visit on Twitter like her colleagues, she did post about the need for an immediate investigation into the Border Patrol officer Facebook group.
An official investigation is needed right away to verify what ProPublica is reporting. These actions must have consequences. Apologies and terminations would only be a start. Beyond poor taste. #nobabyjails #FamiliesBelongTogether @RepEscobar @AOC @HispanicCaucus https://t.co/31IazgEKw6
— Rep. Sylvia Garcia (@RepSylviaGarcia) July 1, 2019
Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA)
After touring the El Paso facility, Trahan said she was “horrified” by the conditions she saw. In the past, she had tweeted that, as the mother of two young daughters, she was “disturbed by reports of children being denied access to basic necessities.”
The children at these detention centers will have suffered significant harm and trauma after being in these facilities for months at a time. I am horrified by the treatment of migrant children I just witnessed. They are not equipped for this. #DemsAtTheBorder #DontLookAway
— Congresswoman Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) July 1, 2019
After touring the Clint facility as well, Trahan wrote a list of the bleak scenes she saw and promised to fix the broken system.
Toddlers quarantined in a 8x10’ room sleeping on the floor w/the flu.
— Congresswoman Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) July 1, 2019
Young girl in a hot warehouse coloring with a chain link fence around her.
Women sobbing in a crowded cell because they were separated from their kids.
Our system is broken. I won’t stop until it’s fixed.
Rep. Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA)
Kennedy tweeted that “trust is broken between the agency and Congress/the public.” He emphasized that Congress would use its oversight power to hold CBP accountable — even if the agency resisted.
Spent the morning in TX at Clint and El Paso detention facilities. Big takeaways -- 1) @CBP was very resistant to Congressional oversight. They tried to restrict what we saw, take our phones, block photos and video. Atmosphere was contentious and uncooperative.
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) July 1, 2019
3) The entire system is broken, rotten and rife with abuse. And Trump doubles down on it despite the growing horror -- child detention, metering, Remain in Mexico, threatened ICE raids. Every action he takes exacerbates and entrenches the humanitarian crisis at our nation's feet.
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) July 1, 2019
He also shared a video of protesters hurling insults at Rep. Rashida Tlaib during the news conference held after the tour. In the video, a particular protester can be heard yelling, “We don’t care about Sharia law. We care about Jesus Christ,” and “Go take care of your country.”
Do not miss the racist, sexist slurs @RashidaTlaib @RepEscobar @AOC @AyannaPressley and others face for doing their jobs. Nor the fact that they continue to fight like hell anyways. https://t.co/KG0WmTsmlB
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) July 2, 2019
Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX)
In a video he shared on Twitter after leaving Clint, Veasey said he heard stories about people being denied showers and held in the facility much longer than they’re supposed to be.
“I thought it was really terrible what we saw today, and what’s so amazing about that is that it was clear that they tried to do everything they can to make these facilities look as clean and as welcoming and as friendly as possible,” he said. “But we still saw things today that just should not be happening on US soil.”
I just left the Clint Border Patrol station, along with several of my colleagues. What I found wasn’t good. #DemsAtTheBorder pic.twitter.com/SuRZZKWCqD
— Rep. Marc Veasey (@RepVeasey) July 1, 2019
Later, Veasey tweeted that a lack of resources is not what is causing the poor living conditions within the facilities and vowed to hold CBP accountable through Congress’s oversight responsibilities.
The problems here go beyond a lack of resources. Treating others with respect is free. After today I am more determined than ever to ensure that Congress exercise it's oversight responsibilities and to see that America create an immigration system worthy of our values. (5/5)
— Rep. Marc Veasey (@RepVeasey) July 1, 2019
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
Prior to beginning her tour, Pressley said she was “furious” about what she had learned so far and described the migrants’ detainment as “incarceration.”
“With every little bit we learn by the hour, the more our heart breaks, the more furious I become and the more committed I am to addressing these human rights violations ... to getting these children and their families out of incarceration,” she said.
In #ElPaso #Texas on my way to see the conditions at Casa Franklin - a facility that serves migrant children between 5-17 yrs old. We're here to see for ourselves if Casa Franklin is providing the comprehensive services they say they are. #JusticeForOurChildren #DontLookAway pic.twitter.com/oujeaO1Pad
— Rep Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) July 1, 2019
She later retweeted an ABC News Politics video of herself giving an impassioned speech at the news conference after the tour.
“This is about the preservation of our humanity. and this is about seeing every single person there as a member of your own family,” she said. “I am tired of the health and the safety, the humanity and the full freedoms of black and brown children being negotiated and compromised and moderated.”
She later called for a humane and compassionate system that keeps families together.
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA)
Dean said the issue of poor facility conditions is a human rights issue, not a partisan issue.
We were met with hostility from the guards, but this is nothing compared to their treatment of the people being held.
— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@RepDean) July 1, 2019
The detainees are constantly abused and verbally harassed with no cause. Deprived physically and dehumanized mentally - everyday.
This is a human rights issue.
Some women, even those who were in their 50s and 60s, were being contained in a crowded cell with no running water, she added.
Just left the first CBP facility. The conditions are far worse than we ever could have imagined.
— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@RepDean) July 1, 2019
15 women in their 50s- 60s sleeping in a small concrete cell, no running water. Weeks without showers. All of them separated from their families.
This is a human rights crisis.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)
Tlaib shared emotional encounters she had with several groups of people, including a woman pregnant with her first child.
We can't just focus on the children anymore. I met grandmothers, mothers and fathers who are suffering. This is devastating. The look in one father's eyes broke me. I can't look away. #CloseTheCamps
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 1, 2019
At the end of her tour, Tlaib shared a statement: “It is my duty as a Congresswoman, and an American, to raise hell until immigrants seeking safety and a better life are treated with dignity, respect, and see their human rights protected.”
Read my full statement on the trauma and abuse I witnessed on my #DemsAtTheBorder trip here: https://t.co/JrHDwykOqz. pic.twitter.com/eqDoeXZepV
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) July 2, 2019
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ)
Stanton acknowledged that the situation at the border is “challenging and overwhelming.” Yet he said that American values cannot be compromised and called for a system that is not “morally bankrupt.”
Fixing this can’t be solved with funding alone. This Administration’s border and immigration policy is broken, and clearly designed to inflict as much pain on migrants as possible. Policies such as family separation and using these camps are morally bankrupt. We must do better.
— Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) July 2, 2019