Leaked Footage Captures Heated Exchange Between Border Agents and Chief

In a video leaked to The Washington Examiner, border agents openly aired their frustrations over the Biden administration’s policies in a heated exchange with Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz in Laredo, Texas on Jan. 29.

Ortiz was seen discussing the low morale among agents and the high number of recent retirements.

“We don’t give up. We stay focused. We continue to do the job and the mission we all signed up for. We all raised our hand,” Ortiz said.

WATCH: 

“It’s kind of hard to say that,” one of the agents in attendance could be heard saying.

“It’s not hard to say that,” Ortiz responded, appearing to grow frustrated. “It may be hard for you to say it, but I’ve been doing this for 31 years. It’s not hard for me to say it. Every day, I wake up, and I’m committed to this organization, and I’m committed to each one of y’all.”

“You’re getting bogged down in the policies and the politics,” Ortiz then said, to which an agent replied: “We can’t even say illegal alien.”

Ortiz criticized the group for getting “caught up in semantics” over the statement. 

“There’s a mission out there to be had guys,” Ortiz said with his voice raised. “We can sit here and argue until we’re blue in the face. I’ve been doing this job as long as y’all.”

Another agent responded: “That’s a problem.”

“For evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. That’s exactly what’s happening here,” the agent added. “Good men are doing nothing. You’re allowing illegal aliens to be dropped off in our communities.”

Ortiz attempted to reassure the agents that they’re making a difference, but the agents weren’t convinced. One agent responded, saying under “this administration” there’s been the “highest number of fentanyl deaths in the history of our country.”