MacCALLUM STARTS RIGHT NOW.
>> Martha: WHO IS TELLING THE
TRUTH?
WE KNOW THAT CUSTOM AND BORDER
PATROL IS DEALING WITH A CRISIS?
A SURGE OF 100,000 BORDER
CROSSERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO
CUSTODY AND HELD IN FACILITIES
NEVER DESIGNED TO HOUSE THEM.
TODAY THEY ARE ON DEFENSE AFTER
SOME OF THEIR PEOPLE ARE POSTING
HEINOUS STATEMENTS ON A SECRET
FACEBOOK PAGE ABOUT THE PEOPLE
IN THEIR CUSTODY AND ABOUT
LAWMAKERS LIKE ALEXANDRIA
OCASIO-CORTEZ.
THEY SHARE SEXUAL JOKES ABOUT
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND LAUGH
ABOUT THE DEATH OF MIGRANTS.
THE PRESIDENT WAS ASKED ABOUT
THIS A SHORT TIME AGO.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE
SAYING ABOUT THE MEMBERS OF THE
CONGRESS.
I KNOW THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT
HAPPY ABOUT THE BORDER PATROL.
>> Martha: A MOMENT TO TELL HIS
SIDE OF THE STORY.
THE CHIEF OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
OPERATIONS FOR THE U.S. BORDER
PATROL.
WE BEGIN WITH DAVID IN
WASHINGTON.
>> THIS STORY IS TROUBLEING TO
SAY THE LEAST.
WE ARE LEARNING THIS GROUP IS
NOT NEW.
IT'S 3 YEARS OLD.
IT HAS JUST UNDER 10,000
MEMBERS.
IT'S A SECRET FACEBOOK GROUP AND
JOURNALISTS ALERTED THE DOUBLE
TO THE DISGUSTING POSTS.
IT'S MADE UP OF CURRENT AND
FORMER MEMBERS OF THE U.S.
BORDER PATROL.
MEMBERS MAKE FUN OF MIGRANT
DEATHS INCLUDING THE FATHER AND
DAUGHTER WHO WERE FOUND DEAD
SAYING THEY WERE TOO CLEAN AND
THE PHOT WAS EDITED.
SEVERAL OF THE IMAGES ARE OF A
SEXUAL NATURE AND SO ARE MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS.
ONE MEMBER ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO
THROW A BURRITO ABOUT HER.
HOW EARTH CAN THIS CULTURE BE
TRUSTED TO CARE FOR REFUGEES
HUMANELY?
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ LIVED
UP TO THAT PROMISE AND SPENT THE
DAY NEAR THE EL PASO FACILITY.
IT GRABBED HEADLINES FOR
INHUMANE CONDITIONS.
SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE
DISTURBING GROUP TODAY IN TEXAS.
LISTEN.
>> IT'S THE VIOLENT CULTURE.
>> THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
INVESTIGATING THIS GROUP.
BORDER OFFICIALS HOPE TO FIND
EVERY MEMBER OF THE GROUP AND
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
A VERY DISTURBING STORY.
>> Martha: I SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY
WITH THE CHIEF OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE
U.S. BORDER PATROL.
BRIAN HASTINGS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT DAY FOR YOU
AND THE FOLKS IN LEADERSHIP
THERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE HEINOUS
ALLEGATIONS.
>> IT IS.
THESE ACTIONS ARE NOT
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
PROFESSIONALISM AND THE
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT THAT WE
BORDER PATROL AGENTS HOLD
OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO.
>> Martha: THERE ARE JOKES ABOUT
A 16-YEAR-OLD MIGRANT WHO DIED
IN CUSTODY.
IT SAID ONE MEMBER POSTED A GIF
OF ELMO WITH THE QUOTE OH WELL.
ANOTHER SAID IF HE DIES, HE
DIES.
IT'S ONE THING TO SAY THESE ARE
JUSTIESALATED INCIDENT.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE POSTING
THINGS LIKE THIS WHO DON'T
BELONG IN YOUR LEADERSHIP GROUP?
>> EACH OF THESE INCIDENT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE
WAS OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND
OUR OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
ALL OF THESE WILL BE THOROUGHLY
INVESTIGATED AND THE APPROPRIATE
ACTIONS WILL BE TAKEN.
>> Martha: WHAT IS THE
APPROPRIATE ACTION?
>> WE HAVE TO LET THE
INVESTIGATION TAKE PLACE TO KNOW
WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE.
THERE WILL BE A FULL
INVESTIGATION.
THE INVESTIGATION HAS ALREADY
STARTED AS SOON AS WE WERE
NOTIFIED OF THESE POSTS.
>> Martha: THIS IS AN AP REPORT
ABOUT A 12-YEAR-OLD MIGRANT
GIRL.
SHE SAID SHE AND HER
SIX-YEAR-OLD SISTER SLEPT ON THE
FLOOR AND THEY WERE HELD IN
SQUALID CONDITIONS NOT ALLOWED
TO PLAY OR BATHE.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT
AND THE CONDITION IN THESE
OFFICIALS?
>> WE HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT FOR
MONTHS IN OUR CURRENT CAPACITY
ISSUES.
OUR FACILITIES WERE NOT BUILT
FOR LONG-TERM DETENTION.
THEY WERE FOR SHORT TERM
DETENTION.
WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
PROVIDING THE ESSENTIAL MEALS
AND HYGIENE AND BATHING
SCHEDULES FOR THESE FOCUS.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WE ARE NOT
LONG-TERM.
NOT MEANT TO HOUSE LONG-TERM.
WE NEED THE HELP OF OUR PARTNERS
TO GET THESE INDIVIDUALS OUT OF
OUR CUSTODY AND GET THEM INTO
THE PROPER AREAS WHERE THEY CAN
BE CARED FOR IN A LONG-TERM
MANNER.
>> Martha: THE HEART OF YOUR
REACTION AND THE RESPONSE.
IS THERE A NO TOLERANCE POLICY
FOR THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOR?
IT DOESN'T HELP YOUR CAUSE IN
GETTING WORD OUT THAT YOU ARE
DOING THE BEST YOU CAN AND YOU
IS SO MANY PROFESSIONALS AS PART
OF YOUR RANKS WHICH WE HAVE
INTERVIEWED AS WELL?
>> AS I SAID BEFORE, THERE WILL
BE AN INVESTIGATION.
THE PROPER ACTIONS WILL BE
TAKEN.
A CASE IN POINT.
WE HAVE HAD OVER 3400 RESCUES
THIS YEAR.
A LOT HAVE BEEN AGENTS JUMPING
INTO THE WATER SAVING MIGRANTS
AND REVIVING MIGRANTS.
LAST WEEKEND, WE HAD A YOUNG
CHILD THAT AN AGENT JUMPED IN
THE WATER AND SAVED AND BROUGHT
THE CHILD BACK TO LIFE.
SO WE HEAR THOSE STORIES EVERY
DAY.
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BORDER
PATROL ARE DOING THINGS THINGS,
SAVING ALIENS ON A DAILY BASIS.
UNFORTUNATELY THOSE ARE NOT THE
STORIES WE ARE HEARING ABOUT.
>> Martha: I AM GLAD ARE
MENTIONING THOSE STORIES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF VERY HARD
WORKING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART
OF YOUR FORCE DOING THE BEST
THEY CAN WITHIN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT EXIST OUT
THERE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A
REFLECTION OF THE VAST MAJORITY
OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ SHE'S
BEEN VISITING THESE FACILITIES
TODAY.
SHE SAID WOMEN WERE DRINKING OUT
OF A TOILET.
LET'S LISTEN TO THAT.
>> THEY PUT THEM IN ROOMS WITH
NO RUNNING WATER.
THESE WOMEN WERE BEING TOLD BY
THE OFFICERS TO DRINK OUT OF THE
TOILET.
THEY WERE DRINKING WATER OUT OF
THE TOILET.
THAT WAS THEM KNOWING A
CONGRESSIONAL VISIT WAS COMING.
THIS IS THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR
TELLING PEOPLE TO DRINK OUT OF
THE TOILET.
>> WE DON'T TREAT PEOPLE THAT
WAY.
WE PROVIDE FRESH WATER AND FOOD
AND SANITARY ITEMS AS WELL AS
ITEMS FOR BATHING AND PERSONAL
HYGIENE.
>> Martha: YOU HAVE SAYING SHE'S
LYING?
>> I AM TELLING YOU WHAT WE DO.
WE HAVE BEEN OPEN AND HONEST.
WE HAVE TOURS FREQUENTLY.
WE HAVE FRESH WATER AVAILABLE AT
ALL TIMES IN OUR FACILITIES.
>> Martha: CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE
LAW OR ONE CHANGE THAT WOULD
MAKE THIS SITUATION BETTER IN
YOUR MIND?
>> WE NEED AN AMENDMENT TO THE
REGULATION TO SUPPLY A
CONSEQUENCE TO STOP THIS FLOW?
>> Martha: HOW?
>> TO HOLD LONGER THAN 20 DAYS
TO WORK THEM THROUGH THE PROPER
SYSTEMS.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL JUDGES AND
CIS INDIVIDUALS HELPING WORK
THROUGH THE CYCLE.
IF YOU DON'T APPLY A
CONSEQUENCE, THE FLOW WILL NEVER
STOP.
>> Martha: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE AT
THIS POINT BUT TO SEPARATE
PARENTS AND CHILDREN?
>> WE ARE NOT SEPARATING.
I AM SAYING WE NEED A FIX.
>> Martha: YOU ARE NOT
SEPARATING PARENTS AND CHILDREN?
THERE ARE REPORTS OF LITTLE
GIRLS LED IN A LINE AND INTO A
TENT.
THOSE FAMILIES ARE TOGETHER?
>> IF THEY ARE NOT TRUE FAMILY
MEMBERS, MOTHER, FATHER OR LEGAL
GUARDIAN, OR IN THE PARENT IS
CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL OR HAS A
WARRANT OUT, WE ARE SEPARATING.
>> Martha: UNDERSTOOD.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO HEAR
THIS ABOUT APPROXIMATE MEMBERS