The aggressive treatment stemmed in part from Border Patrol agents fulfilling a Texas State Police request “that directly conflicted with the operational objectives of the Border Patrol,” Chris Magnus, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, said in a press conference on Friday. While a Border Patrol supervisor approved the order, Mr. Magnus said, more senior agency officials were not immediately aware of the directive. The findings came after a nearly 10-month investigation and were detailed in a 500-page report describing the episode, which crystallized President Biden’s struggle to rebuild an orderly system at the Mexican border. “The lack of command, control and communication” led to the “unnecessary use of violence against migrants,” the report said. In addition to conflicting orders, Mr. Magnus said, the mounted patrol units that were deployed lacked training and oversight. While there was no evidence to support allegations that migrants were hit with the reins of one of the horses, Mr Magnus said the investigation found some of the agents acted unprofessionally and made “abusive” comments. The four agents have moved into management positions. Mr. Magnus declined to describe the recommended disciplinary action because the review and appeal process was ongoing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
