Mayorkas Says DHS To Investigate Abuse Of Migrants At US Border Swiftly

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2021) The US government will swiftly investigate reports of abuse of the mostly Haitian migrants at the nation's border, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Tuesday.

"We have a directed investigation, this investigation is underway and it will be conducted swiftly," Mayorkas told CNN, adding that any mistreat or abuse of a migrant is unacceptable and contradicts US values and border patrol policy.

Nearly 13,000 migrants, mostly from Haiti, arrived to the Texas border town of Del Rio along the US-Mexico border over the last week. The migrants waited to be processed in a makeshift camp under an overpass bridge.

The situation forced the Federal government to shut down the Del Rio port of entry, which still remains closed.

Many videos from the ground appear to show law enforcement officers on horseback aggressively pushing migrants, prompting Mayorkas to decry the evidence.

"We are very troubled by what we have seen. We are going to let the investigation unfold very quickly, determine the facts, and then we will take the action that is appropriate based on those facts," he said.

The secretary went to say that up to 4,000 migrants have already been moved from under the bridge and the they are being processed at a fast rate to ensure the safety of the local community.