Customs and Border Patrol officials launched an investigation Monday into a private Facebook group consisting of current and former agents where users reportedly mocked the deaths of migrants and posted sexist and racist jokes about some Latino members of Congress, ABC News reports.
"Today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection was made aware of disturbing social media activity hosted on a private Facebook group that may include a number of CBP employees," CBP's Matthew Klein, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Professional Responsibility noted in a statement. "CBP immediately informed DHS Office of the Inspector General and initiated an investigation."
ProPublica first reported on the group, called "I'm 10-15," which refers to the Border Patrol code for "aliens in custody."
The page has about 9,500 members and was created about three years ago.
One member posted a GIF of Elmo with the quote, "Oh well," in response to the post of a news story about a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant who died in May while in custody at a Border Patrol station in Texas. Another responded with an image and the words "If he dies, he dies," under the same post.
CBP chief Carla Provost called the posts "completely inappropriate."
"Any employees found to have violated our standards of conduct will be held accountable," she said in a statement per The Hill.