Mainstream Media Outlets Forced to Eat Crow, Issue Embarrassing Corrections After Pouring Gas on Phony Border Patrol Story

By
David Rufful
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OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.

A number of mainstream news outlets have been forced to issue corrections to their recent stories that were published containing false information about the equipment that Border Patrol agents use to deter and detain people attempting to illegally crossing the border, according to Townhall.com.

Images circulated as a surge of as many as 15,000 illegal immigrants flooded the border of Mexico and Del Rio, Tx and were forced to set up living quarters under a bridge as the Biden Administration struggled to respond with resources and aide.

One of the originators of the false story was The El Paso Times, which issued a “clarification” about what their reporter witnessed while reporting on the chaos at the border.

Added to the introduction above the El Paso Times’ article is a statement that reads; “Clarification: Our reporting team witnessed at least one agent on horseback swing his reins like a whip. We have updated the story to clarify that fact since it was not an actual whip.”

Axios chose to delete their version of the story that misrepresented the Border Patrol agents. The online news outlet added the perspective of “journalists on the border who did not see whipping occur” to their article on the topic.

The image that is being widely used to misrepresent the Border Patrol agents as using whips is an action shot of a Border Patrol agent on a horse with his horse rein, although secured to the saddle, flapping in the wind. There are other perspectives of the same photo that show the truth, which were vital in defending the agents, who came under fire from news outlets, all the way up to the White House.

The New York Times also was forced to issue a correction on their article about the treatment of illegal immigrants by the Border Patrol. After stirring the outrage with inaccurate reporting, they issued a statement claiming that their reporters “overstated what is known about the behavior of some Border Patrol agents on horseback.”

The correction also stated; “While the agents waved their reins while pushing migrants back into the Rio Grande, The Times has not seen conclusive evidence that migrants were struck with the reins.”

Without reportedly observing the image for herself, Kamala Harris criticized the law enforcement officers at the border for mistreating the Haitian immigrants, claiming that their behavior “troubled” her.

She said to reporters; “What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback treating human beings the way they were is horrible, and I fully support what is happening right now, which is a thorough investigation.”

Adding; “Human beings should never be treated that way.”

Multiple horse experts have reportedly come forward and offered an education to journalists that report on the border that are unfamiliar with how horse reins are used.