But it’s not clear if all the highlighted posts
violate Facebook rules. For example, one post
that referred to Ocasio-Cortez and Escobar,
stating that “there should be no photo ops for
these scum buckets,” might be offensive, but
it may not count as hate speech or abuse. Nor
might another post questioning the authenticity
of a photo published in late June by The
Associated Press that showed a migrant father
and his toddler daughter drowned on the banks
of the Rio Grande.
Border Patrol chief Carla Provost called the posts
“completely inappropriate” and said that any
employees found to have violated standards of
conduct would be “held accountable.”
ARE OUTSIDERS TO BLAME?
Some Border Patrol defenders suggested that
border agents themselves might not be to
blame for all of the posts. In a press release
posted to Twitter, the National Border Patrol
Council, a union for agents, condemned the 10-
15 posts, but took pains to note that the group
included “members of the public” as well as
current and former agents.
ProPublica said it linked posts within the group
with “apparently legitimate Facebook profiles
belonging to Border Patrol agents, including a
supervisor based in El Paso, Texas, and an agent
in Eagle Pass, Texas,” although it was unable to
reach those individuals.
It’s not impossible for outsiders to join a secret
group, depending on how thoroughly its
administrators vet their invitees. Facebook is not
involved in that process. It’s not clear how the
10-15 group approved its members.