Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) report which found overcrowded, squalid conditions at migrant detention facilities along the southern border. Disturbing information has also come to light regarding a Facebook group comprised of current and former Border Patrol agents where derogatory, racist, and anti-immigrant remarks were directed at migrants held in custody and with respect to the recent deaths of migrant families attempting to cross the border.

“The IG’s report on the inhumane conditions children and families seeking asylum are enduring at the hands of our own government is abhorrent. Overcrowded conditions, children being forced to sleep on concrete floors with no access to showers or a change of clothes, adults held in standing room only conditions for over a week, it’s reprehensible.

“Also deeply concerning are media reports detailing hate speech being used on social media by a group of roughly 9,500 current and former border patrol agents. It speaks to a sickness within the culture of the agency entrusted with responsibly carrying out our nation’s immigration laws.

“Congress must hold aggressive oversight hearings to further expose these conditions and this behavior, bringing DHS officials and this administration before the American people to answer for their actions and failures. This behavior is shameful, un-American and must be stopped.”