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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 10 February 2022
Working conditions for Border Patrol getting more attention

By BEN FOX pushing migrants again at
Associated Press high levels to this country.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — A The administration has
strained Border Patrol is sought to address the
getting increased attention cause of migration, includ-
from the Biden administra- ing by increasing aid to
tion after tense meetings Central America and re-
between senior officials starting a visa program that
and the rank and file while was ended under President
the agency deals with one Donald Trump. It has also
of the largest spikes in mi- sought assistance from
gration along the U.S.-Mexi- other countries, including
co border in decades. Mexico, to do more to stop
Department of Homeland or take in migrants.
Security Secretary Alejan- As the overall numbers
dro Mayorkas, who over- have increased, and the
sees the Border Patrol, laid administration has decid-
out 19 ways to address ed to allow many families
working conditions after to stay and seek asylum
frosty receptions by agents, in a process that can take
said Chris Magnus, the new years, some Border Patrol
commissioner of Customs agents have grown dis-
and Border Protection. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus poses for a photograph during an enchanted as they spend
Mayorkas also pledged in interview in his office with The Associated Press, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in Washington. their shifts processing and
a memo to push for more Associated Press transporting people, not
prosecutions of people ac- Efforts to deal with working peated apprehensions of and the administration, out in the field.
cused of assaulting CBP conditions for agents come people who were turned are just trying to manage a That frustration boiled over
personnel in the course of as President Joe Biden has away, without being given complicated situation. in Laredo as agents met
their duties, an issue raised been criticized across the a chance to seek asylum, “We’re seeing folks that are late last month with Mayor-
at a recent meeting in Lar- political spectrum over im- under a public health or- encountering political con- kas and Border Patrol Chief
edo, Texas, and elsewhere, migration. He has sought der issued at the start of the ditions and violence, un- Raul Ortiz, who acknowl-
Magnus said Tuesday. to reverse many hardcore pandemic. safe conditions to live and edged morale was at an
“That’s something that policies of his predecessor Immigration advocates work, at unprecedented “all-time low,” according
agents in the field want to but has come under fire have condemned the ad- levels,” the former police to a leaked video pub-
hear because assaults are over the situation at the ministration for not repeal- chief of Tucson, Arizona, lished by the Washington
on the uptick,” Magnus told border that could cause ing the public health order, said in an interview, the Examiner.
The Associated Press. “We trouble for Democrats in known as Title 42, while crit- first since he was sworn in One agent complained
are not just seeing folks who the midterm elections. ics, including many Border Friday. “We’ve seen, for about “doing nothing”
are fleeing to the U.S. to CBP encountered migrants Patrol agents, say a Biden example, in places, earth- except releasing people
get away from conditions. from all over the world policy of allowing children quakes or other environ- into the United States, re-
We are seeing smugglers, about 1.7 million times and families to stay in the mental conditions. ferring to the practice of
members of cartels, and along the U.S.-Mexico country and pursue asylum We’re seeing unprece- allowing migrants to re-
drug organizations that are border last year. The to- has encouraged irregular dented levels of poverty. All main free while their cases
actively engaged in doing tal, among the highest in migration. of these are things that are wind through immigration
harm.” decades, is inflated by re- Magnus said the agents, in many ways, you know, court.q

Journalists settle suit over mistreatment

covering protests

Union of Minnesota and tained while covering pro- believed to be a Henne-
the state’s Department of tests. pin County sheriff’s deputy
Public Safety announced After Wright, a 20-year- forced him to his stomach
the settlement Tuesday. old Black man, was shot and knelt on his back.
It prohibits the Minnesota and killed by an officer in Other journalists posted
State Patrol from attack- Brooklyn Center in April, the photos and videos online
ing journalists, arresting or city’s police station was sur- showing police detaining
threatening to arrest them, rounded for several nights them while checking their
ordering them to disperse, by protesters. credentials, and in at least
seizing their equipment Tim Evans, a freelance pho- one case spraying chemi-
and more. tographer, described to cal irritants.
Police line-up at the Oregon State Capitol building where
demonstrators gathered during the day Saturday, Nov 7, 2020, It also calls for an indepen- The Associated Press how The ACLU said other por-
in Salem, Ore. dent review of all com- officers surrounded pro- tions of the settlement re-
Associated Press plaints alleging mistreat- testers after a 10 p.m. cur- quire that the State Patrol
ment of the media cover- few passed, then charged be trained on treatment of
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The said they were hurt or ha- ing those protests, and issu- into the crowd and began the media and First Amend-
state of Minnesota has rassed while covering pro- ing body-worn cameras to pepper-spraying and tack- ment rights.
agreed to pay $825,000 tests over the police kill- all troopers by June. ling people. Litigation continues against
and change several poli- ings of George Floyd and Several journalists reported Evans said he was punched other defendants, includ-
cies to settle a lawsuit Daunte Wright. being struck by less-lethal in the face, his credentials ing the city of Minneapolis
brought by journalists who The American Civil Liberties munitions, herded and de- were torn off and an officer and Hennepin County.q