[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 732 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 732

 Recognizing the United States Border Patrol for deploying to Del Rio, 
     Texas, on September 19, 2021, to respond to the border crisis.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 1, 2022

Mr. Cruz submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the United States Border Patrol for deploying to Del Rio, 
     Texas, on September 19, 2021, to respond to the border crisis.

Whereas the Border Patrol operates within the Department of Homeland Security, 
        and the mission of the Border Patrol is to protect the people of the 
        United States, safeguard the borders of the United States, and enhance 
        the economic prosperity of the United States;
Whereas the primary missions of Border Patrol agents are--

    (1) to detect and prevent illegal entry and smuggling of aliens into 
the United States by land, sea, or air;

    (2) to seek out and apprehend alien smugglers; and

    (3) to enforce the criminal provisions of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.);

Whereas, on his first day in office, President Biden reversed many policies put 
        in place by the previous administration, including by halting 
        construction of the border wall, which has--

    (1) left the borders of the United States open and unsecured; and

    (2) led to a self-inflicted border crisis that has left the Border 
Patrol unable to adequately respond to the surge of illegal immigrants 
crossing the southern border of the United States;

Whereas the crisis at the southern border of the United States has led to--

    (1) since the date on which President Biden took office, a 
recordbreaking 3,271,585 encounters by Border Patrol agents of individuals 
attempting to cross such border illegally; and

    (2) in May 2022, 239,416 encounters by Border Patrol agents of illegal 
immigrants attempting to cross such border, which is the highest number of 
recorded encounters in a single month;

Whereas, on September 19, 2021, an incident occurred in Del Rio, Texas, 
        involving approximately 15,000 aliens from Haiti who were attempting to 
        enter the United States illegally;
Whereas Border Patrol severely lacked resources and adequate personnel to handle 
        the Haitian migrant crisis, and additional Border Patrol agents were 
        deployed to the Del Rio Sector only 1 day before the Haitian migrant 
        incident occurred;
Whereas, operating with almost no guidance, communication, or knowledge of 
        operational goals, several Border Patrol agents were instructed by their 
        superiors to assist the Texas Department of Public Safety to disperse a 
        large crowd of Haitian aliens who were attempting to enter the United 
        States without authorization or inspection;
Whereas photographs were taken of Border Patrol agents on horseback as they 
        attempted to interdict individuals making illegal border crossings and 
        engage numerous Haitian aliens;
Whereas President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary of Homeland Security 
        Mayorkas, and other Democrat politicians rushed to judgment and, without 
        any investigation or corroborating evidence--

    (1) accused the Border Patrol agents of using their horse tack to whip 
Haitian aliens; and

    (2) denounced the agents;

Whereas 4 Border Patrol agents were placed on administrative leave as a result 
        of the politicization of the incident and the rush to judgment by Biden 
        administration officials;
Whereas, despite the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General and the 
        United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas declining to 
        further pursue the matter, the Border Patrol has proposed disciplinary 
        action against the 4 Border Patrol agents; and
Whereas the decision to discipline such Border Patrol agents appears to be 
        politically motivated to provide cover for the rush to judgment and 
        blatant mischaracterization by the Biden administration of the actions 
        of the Border Patrol agents on September 19, 2021: Now, therefore be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes that there is an ongoing and growing crisis 
        on the southern border of the United States;
            (2) commends the Border Patrol agents who were deployed to 
        the southern border to respond to the Haitian migrant crisis in 
        Del Rio, Texas, on September 19, 2021, for their use of 
        restraint in response to the crisis, despite a lack of clear 
        rules of engagement; and
            (3) concludes that the Department of Homeland Security 
        should commend, rather than punish, the Border Patrol agents 
        who answered the call of the United States to respond to such 
        crisis.
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