Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano yesterday attended the funeral of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry who was fatally shot while pursuing a gang last week in Arizona. In a phone call where Napolitano offered condolences to the family, the father of the murdered agent, angry that the border is still not secure, told her “you gotta wake your man up in the White House” and she allegedly responded “he’s done more in the last two years than any other president.” However, to the Terry family such sentiment represented “empty words.”

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When enterprising local reporter Joel Waldman waited by the back door for Napolitano to exit the funeral, Napolitano could have quickly left without talking to him, but to her credit and potential regret, agreed to be interviewed. Waldman then grilled her about her unsuccessful efforts to secure the border and informed her that the Terry family is still upset that more steps are not being taken. Napolitano quickly grew impatient with the tone of his questioning, saying:

Listen, we are here today, the commissioner is

here today, the chief of the Border Patrol is here today and we are here and his comrades are here with the family, who said other things to me by the way, so I really don’t think it appropriate for the media to try to pick this as a fight. This is a moment to remember a fallen agent.

Watch the video from Tucson, Arizona station KGUN below:
Tags: Border Security, Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, local news