Latino Border Patrol Agents Deny They’re Arresting Their ‘Own Kind’ in CNN Segment

Latino Border Patrol agents hit back at accusations they are arresting and deporting their “own kind” in a CNN segment on rising interest in Border Patrol recruitment under President Donald Trump.

CNN senior national correspondent David Culver was granted rare access to the Border Patrol Academy in New Mexico for a Friday segment that ran on The Situation Room. According to CBP, applications are up 70% from a year ago and more than half of the agents serving on the southern border are Hispanic.

Juan Peralta, a 20-year-old Border Patrol recruit, told Culver he’s received backlash for his decision to join CBP, especially as they have taken part in ongoing ICE deportation operations.

“They’re kind of like, wow, you’re starting pretty young or how do you feel about arresting your own kind,” Peralta said about reactions to him joining.

“How do you answer that when you hear that?” Culver asked.

“They didn’t come in the right way so they aren’t my kind,” Peralta, whose father was an immigrant, said.

Later in the segment (after Culver filmed ICE and CBP detaining a mother and son), Border Patrol Agent Claudio Herrera echoed some of what Peralta expressed. Herrera was born in Mexico and came to the United States as a student 11 years ago. He has been with CBP for six years.

“I’m not going after my own kind because my own kind will do it legally,” Herrera said.

He added that he’s been asked if he’s “ashamed” to be “arresting your own blood.”

“What do you say to that? How do you answer that?” Culver asked.

“I say, of course not because I’m protecting my community,” Herrera said. “My deepest advice to anybody that is coming from Mexico, we know that you want a better future for you and your family, but if you decide to do it illegally you will only find jail or you will only find death.”

Watch above via CNN.