Parroting the Biden White House’s use of “horrific” to describe the images coming out of Del Rio, Texas Monday, ABC and CBS drew viewers’ attention to the crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border. But no, they weren’t talking about the nearly 15,000 Haitian illegals living under the international bridge in squalid conditions. They were spreading misinformation and lies about Border Patrol agents purportedly using “whips” against the people trying to cross the river.
“There are alarming images from the Texas border tonight. The White House pressed on them today, calling the images ‘horrific.’ What were some Border Patrol agents doing,” gawked ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir, repeating his dubious question from his opening tease.
Downplaying how the Biden administration had been ignoring cries for help from Customs and Border Protection for months, ABC correspondent Kenneth Moton ignored statements made by CBP giving context to the images, equipment, and training their agents received:
Tonight, this new video of Haitian migrants at the southern border, the chaos and despair. Images showing Border Patrol agents on horseback as they try to stop them from crossing the river into the U.S. the White House seeking answers.
He followed up with a soundbite of Press Secretary Jen Psaki ignorantly spouting off. “I've also seen the video. I can't imagine what the scenario is where that would be appropriate,” she said.
Perhaps if the administration gave a rip about the border crisis she’d know how horrific the situation they created was.
Our friend and Townhall senior writer Julio Rosas was on the scene near where the agents on horseback were and got this explanation about what tactics horse-mounted agents were trained in:
Agents use their reins for a lot of reasons. Primarily it's used to steer the horse, but agents will also spin them sometimes to deter people from getting too close to the horse. If they get too close, the horse can step on them, breaking bones or causing other injures. Agents also need to maintain control of their reins so they don’t lose control of the horse, which can cause injures to immigrants, the agents, and the horses.
We are not aware of anyone being struck with the reins.
From a Border Patrol source: “Agents use their reins for a lot of reasons. Primarily it's used to steer the horse, but agents will also spin them sometimes to deter people from getting too close to the horse...We are not aware of anyone being struck with the reins.” https://t.co/yxxyoAuklh pic.twitter.com/t3o3h9dJbL
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 20, 2021
But the truth didn’t matter to the CBS Evening News as they too spewed the lies. Correspondent Manuel Bojorquez even accused agents of targeting families and babies.
“A number of agents on horseback can be seen trying to keep migrates from crossing into the country while threatening them with what appears to be horses reins or ropes; including families like this one holding a baby when the agents get dangerously close,” he claimed.
He also whined about “A massive show of force by Texas Troopers crating a barricade along the border to stop the thousands of mainly Haitian migrants from arriving in Del Rio, Texas.”
Only NBC Nightly News gave their viewers a more correct explanation about what the images showed. “Meanwhile, Secretary Mayorkas, here in Del Rio says it appears those were the rider's reins for the horse,” reported correspondent Morgan Chesky. “We’re told that agents are not equipped with whips and ride horseback for their own protection”:
Agent adds: "BP does an excellent job when it comes to use of force training. There is no way a horse patrol unit would be whipping aliens. Whips are not issued or authorized for use."
— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) September 20, 2021
This resembled what Fox News Digital editor Peter Hasson reported (above) via Twitter. “We do not carry whips and the only thing I see in their hands is reins,” a CBP agent told him. “BP does an excellent job when it comes to use of force training. There is no way a horse patrol unit would be whipping aliens. Whips are not issued or authorized for use.”
This use of misinformation and lies to smear Border Patrol agents was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Angi on ABC and SimpliSafe on CBS. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The relevant portions of the transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
September 20, 2021
6:42:54 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: There are alarming images from the Texas border tonight. The White House pressed on them today, calling the images “horrific.” What were some Border Patrol agents doing? And all of this comes as the Biden administration now puts migrants on flights back home to Haiti. Kenneth Moton, from Texas.
[Cuts to video]
KENNETH MOTON: Tonight, this new video of Haitian migrants at the southern border, the chaos and despair. Images showing Border Patrol agents on horseback as they try to stop them from crossing the river into the U.S. the White House seeking answers.
PRESS SEC. JEN PSAKI: I've also seen the video. I can't imagine what the scenario is where that would be appropriate. [Transition] It's obviously horrific, the footage.
(…)
CBS Evening News
September 20, 2021
6:35:55 p.m. Eastern(…)
MANUEL BOJORQUEZ: Tonight, a sea of humanity and desperation along the Texas-Mexico border that has overwhelmed the U.S. Border Patrol. A number of agents on horseback can be seen trying to keep migrates from crossing into the country while threatening them with what appears to be horses reins or ropes; including families like this one holding a baby when the agents get dangerously close. As they tried to pass, they agents said is this to them.
CBP AGENT: Hey, you use your women for this! This is why your country is s[bleep], because you use your women.
BOJORQUEZ: A massive show of force by Texas Troopers crating a barricade along the border to stop the thousands of mainly Haitian migrants from arriving in Del Rio, Texas.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
September 20, 2021
7:08:21 p.m. Eastern(…)
[Cuts back to live]
LESTER HOLT: Morgan, there has been a lot of attention today on some of those images of agents on horseback doing crowd control and there’s questions over what they were holding. What can you tell us?
MORGAN CHESKY: Yeah, Lester. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki called those horrific to watch but said she needed more information before officially making a comment. Meanwhile, Secretary Mayorkas, here in Del Rio says it appears those were the rider's reins for the horse. But did promise to investigate. We’re told that agents are not equipped with whips and ride horseback for their own protection.
