[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 128 (Monday, August 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3808-S3809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 732--RECOGNIZING THE UNITED STATES BORDER PATROL FOR 
 DEPLOYING TO DEL RIO, TEXAS, ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2021, TO RESPOND TO THE 
                             BORDER CRISIS

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

                              S. Res. 732

       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

[[Page S3809]]

       (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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