Top Republicans demanded solutions Friday over what they mentioned was an effort to punish a senior Border Patrol official who has been important of the Biden administration’s immigration insurance policies.
Hours after he delivered testimony to Congress final month, Gregory Bovino, chief of the El Centro sector in southeastern California, was pulled off his common duties and given a desk job at Customs and Border Protection’s headquarters in Washington, in line with the chairs of the House Oversight and Accountability and Homeland Security committees.
The lawmakers mentioned that was “suspicious timing” they usually demanded that CBP present paperwork to justify the transfer.
They even warned that the personnel resolution might be thought of unlawful obstruction of Congress.
“Any retaliation against witnesses who cooperate with congressional inquiries will not be tolerated, especially when that retaliation may have been committed by government officials,” Reps. James Comer of Kentucky and Mark Green of Tennessee mentioned.
CBP vehemently denied the allegation, calling it categorically false.
“This temporary personnel assignment is entirely unrelated to any Congressional testimony or appearance, and was in process prior to the Chief’s transcribed interview,” the company mentioned in a press release.
Chief Bovino was first referred to as to testify at a public listening to of the House Oversight Committee early this 12 months, alongside different sector chiefs. The chairmen mentioned CBP blocked that, and in line with a whistleblower, the rationale was that the chief’s ready testimony irked higher-ups, “so much so that he was verbally reprimanded by headquarters officials.”
Mr. Comer, Kentucky Republican, then requested the chief sit for a transcribed interview along with his committee.
That befell on June 12.
The whistleblower advised the chairmen that “within hours” of that interview, Chief Bovino “was relieved of command” within the El Centro sector and ordered to Washington.
“The whistleblower describes that temporary assignment as one of no certain mission, no articulable purpose, and without any timeline of completion. The whistleblower further alleges that this practice is consistent with how CBP officials have dealt with employees who wish to leave the agency, by placing maximum pressure on them to relocate, retire or resign,” the chairmen mentioned in a letter demanding solutions.
In its response Friday, CBP mentioned Chief Bovino was reassigned to headquarters earlier than, in 2021, and his subordinates “did an excellent job” dealing with the sector in his absence.
CBP additionally mentioned the Border Patrol is seeing an enormous upheaval, with the departure of the general nationwide chief and installment of a brand new one, which led to shuffling in numerous sector jobs.
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