U.S. Border Patrol will put in place new policies to restrict the use of force by agents. The new rules come amid the revelation that illegal immigrants are entering the U.S. at record rates and overwhelming federal resources.
Under the new restrictions, Border Patrol agents will be required to avoid situations where deadly force may be used. “Examples include refraining from blocking moving vehicles’ paths or firing at rock-throwers unless in imminent danger, the Huffington Post reported. “Additionally, agents will be trained on how to carry and use lighter weapons, while also facing restrictions on taser use.”
Placing tight restrictions on Border Patrol agents could hinder their ability to protect the border or their own lives. Shawn Moran, Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) told Breitbart Texas that Border Patrol agents put their lives at risk every day. Leaving them few options to defend themselves could put their lives in further jeopardy. “The lives of Border Patrol agents should not be pawns in the political games of Washington, D.C. and this administration is literally risking our lives,” Moran said.
Despite this, liberal media outlets and activists wasted no time praising the new restrictive policies.
“This is a monumental victory for border communities advocating for transparency and policy reform,” Andrea Guerrero of the Southern Border Communities Coalition told the Arizona Republic.
Complaints that Border Patrol agents “abuse their power” seem to have prompted the tightened restrictions. Perhaps most influential in prompting the policies was the so-called “scathing report” obtained by the Los Angeles Times in February, which supposedly found that Border Patrol agents had “fired in frustration” at illegal immigrants throwing rocks on the Mexican side of the border.