Border Chief to Retire at End of June

U.S. Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz will retire at the end of June, according to multiple sources. His replacement wasn't immediately clear.

Key Quotes: "After a 32-year Border Patrol career spanning multiple Sectors, HQ tours, and overseas assignments in Afghanistan, I have decided to retire from federal service on June 30th," Ortiz wrote in a letter to employees. "His commitment to the wellbeing of the workforce and to championing their priorities are among the clearest examples of his unsurpassed devotion to duty; he is the model of a law enforcement leader," Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas said. 

For Context: Ortiz took over in 2021, and in his two years oversaw record-setting influxes of migrants, controversial policies on releasing unauthorized migrants without court dates, an investigation of possible Border Patrol misconduct after a viral photo of an agent on horseback chasing migrants, and COVID-19 era Title 42 restrictions eventually making way for Title 8 restrictions last month.

How the Media Covered It: In any coverage of immigration and the southern border, right-rated sources tend to frame the current administration's policies in a negative light. New York Post (Lean Right bias) said Ortiz's announcement comes "as tensions continue to simmer over the influx of migrants after the expiration of Title 42." CNN (Lean Left) highlighted how his retirement comes "after more than three decades with the agency."