‘Maybe Its Just Me But!’ April Ryan Doubles Down on Claim Border Agents ‘Whipped’ Migrants After Mayorkas Stops Briefing to Correct
April Ryan, White House correspondent for The Grio, claimed U.S. authorities at the southern border “whipped” Haitian migrants back in 2021 during a White House press briefing Thursday before being swiftly rebuked by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“The southern border is not just Mexicans,” said Ryan in a preamble to her question. “It is Haitians, it’s Africans as we’ve seen, particularly with that issue with the Haitians being whipped with the reins with the horses. But what is there-”
“Well let me just correct you right there. Because actually, the investigation concluded that the whipping did not occur,” interjected Mayorkas.
“I’m sorry, I saw it differently” replied Ryan, doubling down on the long-since debunked allegations. “They were whipped with something from the horse, reins from a horse, I, maybe either the video or the picture was fixed but what I saw was totally different.”
Mayorkas stood his ground, telling Ryan, “I’m gonna leave you as corrected.”
Ryan was apparently referring to pictures taken by photographer Paul Ratje, which led many observers — including in the press and government — to argue that Border Patrol agents were whipping migrants.
President Joe Biden promised the agents would “pay” for their alleged misconduct. His press secretary said that Biden thought that the photos were “horrific” and that “he was pleased to see the announcement of an investigation.”
“Human beings should never be treated that way,” offered Vice President Kamala Harris. “This is beyond repulsive. Are these images from 2021 or 1851??” asked MSNBC’s Joy Reid.
But the investigation in question cleared the agents of the charge of whipping migrants. A 511-page Customs and Border Protection report concluded there was “no evidence” that the agents “involved in this incident struck, intentionally or otherwise, any migrant with their reins,” and Ratje himself told the press that he’d “never seen them whip anyone.”
Even in the face of overwhelming evidence and Mayorkas’s rebuke, Ryan stood by her claims on Twitter, sharing the image and writing, “Maybe its just me but!”
Maybe its just me but! pic.twitter.com/mfgkxc5i3f
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) May 11, 2023
“It’s just you. Pushing a completely false, debunked narrative after a lengthy investigation,” replied Fox News’ Bill Melugin. “Debunked even by the photographer who took these photos. Those are split reins used to control the horse. Nobody was whipped.”
