The Department of Homeland Security will soon clear the Del Rio Sector Horse Patrol Unit agents of any wrongdoing, after an incident last year prompted unfounded accusations of the horse-mounted border agents whipping migrants, according to a sourced report from Breitbart News.
In the Breitbart story, which was published Thursday, the border agents were first accused of improper conduct on Sept. 19, 2021, while operating near a makeshift outdoor encampment "holding roughly 15,000 mostly Haitian migrants" at the time.
Freelance journalist Paul Ratje shot video and took photographs of what occurred, with one particular photo giving the appearance of a horse-mounted border agent whipping migrants.
Once the photos were disseminated to the public, a number of media personnel and Democratic politicians accused the agents of mistreating migrants — minus intimate knowledge of the event, outside of Ratje's still photos.
Conversely, experienced horse riders quickly took to Twitter last September, saying the agents were using horse reins — typically used to steer a horse's movement — and not whips designed to injure or intimidate migrants.
The images show the Border Patrol agents using long reins to control the horses. And Ratje, the photographer, denied seeing any agents using whips.
But that didn't stop the public outrage in the fall, which included biting criticism from President Joe Biden.
When asked about the agents' alleged mistreatment of migrants crossing the Rio Grande into Texas, Biden said the agents would "pay" for their actions.
"It was horrible to see what you saw, to see people treated like they did — horses barely running them over people being strapped," said Biden last September. "It's outrageous. I promise you those people will pay."
Biden then added: "There will be consequences. It's an embarrassment ... it's dangerous, it's wrong."
Last November, the DHS inspector general declined to investigate the September incident involving the horse-mounted agents.
Instead, the IG office reportedly referred the case back to the DHS Office of Professional Responsibility, which "immediately commenced investigative work, including its review of videos and photographs and the interview of witnesses, employees, and [Customs and Border Protection] leadership," a DHS statement said.
According to Breitbart, the accused agents have not been allowed to perform their regular administrative duties or have contact with migrants while the DHS investigation was pending.
Breitbart also reports that the above work restrictions shall remain intact until the DHS formally clears the Border Patrol agents of any wrongdoing.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.