Homeland Security chief decries ‘vile’ Facebook posts

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin Mcaleenan fired a warning shot at Border Patrol agents Wednesday, saying they “will be held accountable” if they’re found to have used a secret Facebook forum where racist and sexist vitriol has been shared about migrants and members of Congress.

In his first comments on the matter since the “I’m 10-15” Facebook group was exposed this week, Mcaleenan said in a tweet that an internal investigation is underway into the “disturbing and inexcusable social media activity that allegedly includes active Border Patrol personnel.”

“These statements are completely unacceptable, especially if made by those sworn to uphold the DHS mission, our values and standards of conduct,” Mcaleenan posted from his official account. “Any employee found to have compromised the public’s trust in our law enforcement mission will be held accountable. They do not represent the men and women of the Border Patrol or DHS.”

Mcaleenan stopped short of saying that mass firings will follow the investigation — as some congressional Democrats have demanded.

The Facebook forum — whose name is agency code for “aliens in custody”

— is populated by roughly 9,500 current and former U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees.

Leaked posts show members have used the confidential group to make fun of migrants who have died while trying to make it to the U.S.

Some members even suggested launching a legal defense fund for Border Patrol agents to attack Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-cortez, D-N.Y., and Veronica Escobar, D-texas, when they toured a migrant detention center in El Paso this week. Members have also posted photo-shopped images of Ocasio-cortez engaged in sexual acts.

Before social media, Border Patrol agents would gather in parking lots at the end of their shifts for what was known as “choir practice” — a chance to share what they saw that day and anything else on their minds, said T.J. Bonner, who led the National Border Patrol Council during much of his 32-year career as an agent.

“That outlet faded away and was replaced by social media, where people thought they had a safe place they could vent and process,” said Bonner, whose career ended in 2010 and who does not belong to the group. “That would explain some of the callous comments. The vile stuff? There’s no excuse. I’m certainly not going to try to defend it.”