SOUTHERN BORDER, August 11, 2022 — The Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) sent a letter to Congress today to share new and alarming facts that could directly impact their investigation of unlawful Border Patrol’s Critical Incident Teams (BPCITs), that have operated as cover-up teams for more than three decades.

SBCC first alerted Congress to the existence of BPCITs in October 2021, and called for an investigation of BPCITs, which are the largest and longest-standing shadow police units operating in the federal government today. Although CBP has since announced it will eliminate BPCITs, this is not enough.

The follow-up letter today heightens the stakes in the investigation, revealing the following: 

• The stakes were already high, now 24 more people have been killed.

• The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is now hiring the very people that Congress is investigating, BPCITs.

• OPR is not able or willing to prevent BPCIT interference in recent investigations.

• New records show BPCITs undermined CBP’s entire system of accountability.

• Congress must act to hasten and deepen its investigation before it’s too late.

SBCC is gravely concerned that at no time, even now, has CBP ever been transparent about the activities of BPCITs. In light of their history of coverups, we are particularly concerned about the destruction, concealment, and alteration of records related to BPCITs. These records are vital to Congress in their investigation and to prosecutors that may need to consider obstruction of justice and other criminal charges. 

We are also concerned that the network of current and former BPCITs have permeated CBP and other parts of government. In view of all of the above, we believe the threat that BPCITs pose is ongoing, pervasive, and may be increasing.

View the SBCC letter here:

https://www.southernborder.org/sbcc_letter-to-congress_re-bpcit_aug2022

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BORDER COMMUNITIES COALITION

The Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) brings together organizations from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas, to ensure that border enforcement policies and practices are accountable and fair, respect human dignity and human rights, and prevent the loss of life in the region.

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