US border guards on horseback acted in an unprofessional manner toward Haitians trying to enter the country, but did not strike migrants with their reins, an official investigative released Friday found.
Photos of guards seeking to tackle migrants near Del Rio, Texas last year sparked a firestorm of criticism.
In one shot, an agent on horseback grabbed a man by his shirt, while another shows him holding a group at bay by twirling his reins.
“A careful review and analysis of videos photos and eyewitness accounts” found “no evidence Border Patrol agents involved in this incident struck any person with their reins, intentionally or otherwise,” Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Chris Magnus told a news conference, presenting the findings of the probe.
But “several agents engaged in unprofessional or dangerous behavior, including one instance in which an agent used denigrating and offensive language,” he said in a statement.
“Failures to maintain command and control over Horse Patrol Units, lack of appropriate policies and training, and the overall chaotic nature of the situation at Del Rio at the time contributed to the incident,” he said.
Customs and Border Protection said that “discipline has been proposed in the cases of four agents.”
In the immediate aftermath of the September 2021 confrontation, President Joe Biden described the agents’ conduct as “outrageous” and said: “I promise you: those people will pay.”
