John Sanders, the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border, is out over a firestorm at the border. He is effectively out July 5th, but don’t be surprised if he leaves early.
Customs and Border Protection has come under increased scrutiny in the last few days over some horrible treatment of some 300 migrant children.
They were being held in a remote Border Patrol station in West Texas where they did not have adequate food, water, and sanitation according to media reports.
From Fox News: Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner John Sanders has resigned amid ongoing controversy over federal detention conditions along the Mexican border.
The news comes shortly after it was reported that more than 100 children were returned to a Border Patrol station in Clint, Texas, which was reported to have had poor sanitation, food, and water, with children caring for each other.
Sanders told CBP employees that he tendered his resignation on Monday and that it will be effective July 5.
“I will leave it to you to determine whether I was successful,” he said in a statement, according to reports.
The resignation came as House lawmakers were scrambling to pass a troubled $4.5 billion funding bill to combat the escalating humanitarian crisis at the border — with Republicans accusing Democrats of “playing games” with the crisis, and Democrats urging their GOP counterparts to “show some decency.”
The Senate already has a bill that would provide additional funding to improve border conditions, but the House is still working on its version of the legislation — which would impose various funding restrictions including not allowing funding of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention beds.
On Monday night, the White House issued a statement saying it would veto the House bill in its current state, citing the restrictions.
The administration’s immigration agencies are currently at the center of numerous controversies, and gripped with turmoil.
Fox News reported Monday that Sanders’ predecessor, current acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, was accused of leaking plans last week for scheduled Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, after expressing fierce opposition and allegedly ordering top officials to “stand down” on the operation.
