Updated Feb 15, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Acting deputy chief of Border Patrol suspended over misconduct allegations

Rebecca Falconer

Immigrants, most from Asia and Africa wait to be transported by U.S. Border Patrol agents from the U.S.-Mexico border on December 06, 2023 in Lukeville, Arizona. — Immigrants waiting to be transported by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border in December. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images

U.S. Border Patrol acting Deputy Chief Joel Martinez was suspended after he was accused of misconduct, the Washington Post first reported on Thursday.

The big picture: Agency officials cited privacy laws in declining to comment on the details of the misconduct allegations leveled against Martinez, a 31-year agency veteran and native of San Benito, Texas, who previously served as chief of the Laredo Sector, on the Rio Grande, according to his biography.

However, he has not been placed under arrest, the Washington Post reports.

What they're saying: "We do not tolerate misconduct within our ranks," U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Erin Waters said in an emailed statement on Thursday night.

"When we discover any alleged or potential misconduct, we immediately refer it for investigation and cooperate fully with any criminal or administrative investigations," she added.
"This is the case whether the alleged misconduct occurs on or off duty. Federal privacy laws prohibit discussion of individual cases."

Zoom out: The incident comes as U.S. border officials grapple with record numbers of migrants, driven by a wider global humanitarian crisis.

Go deeper: Why the past 3 presidents have all faced border crises

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

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Acting deputy chief of Border Patrol suspended over misconduct allegations

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