Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says 'border guards treat migrants like animals' after Texas detention centre visits

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaking after touring a Texas facility
Getty Images
David Gardner2 July 2019

US border guards have been accused by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of treating migrant detainees like animals and forcing them to drink from toilets.

The Democrat lawmaker said she was horrified at the guards’ behaviour during a tour of border detention centres yesterday.

“Now I’ve seen the inside of these facilities, it’s not just the kids. It’s everyone. People drinking out of toilets, officers laughing in front of members Congress,” she tweeted. “I brought it up to their superiors. They said ‘officers are under stress & act out sometimes.’ No accountability.”

“This has been horrifying so far. It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We’re talking systemic cruelty w/ a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals,” she added.

Visit: the congresswoman attended a number of detention centres on Monday (Luke MONTAVON / AFP)
AFP/Getty Images

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, 29, was part of a Democrat congressional group investigating claims of sexual assaults and abuse at the centres along America’s southern border.

The border visit was met with outrage from local Trump supporters, who were caught on video heckling the Democratic lawmakers.

One told Ms Ocasio-Cortez to “go back to New York City”.

“Did you bring your onion?” another asked, accusing her of shedding “fake tears.”

A US Customs and Immigration official denied that detainees were forced to drink toilet water.

“No one is drinking toilet water. They’re drinking potable water from the sink attached to the toilet. It’s what you would find in every municipal jail in the United States,” said the official.

Meanwhile disturbing details emerged about a secret Facebook where border agents allegedly posted racist and sexist jokes about migrants. It also reportedly included offensive posts about the New York congresswoman.

One post was said to have encouraged officers to “hurl a burrito” at Ms Ocasio-Cortez and a female colleague.

The Border Patrol called the posts “completely inappropriate” and said it was investigating.

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