Congress Probing Whether U.S. Border Agents Targeted Journalists For Questioning

Congress is investigating whether or not U.S. border agents have been targeting specific journalists for questioning, NBC News reports. The Department of Homeland Security and the House Homeland Security Committee disclosed the probe following a report that CBP officials in San Diego made a list of 59 reporters, lawyers, and activists who were to be targeted for questioning when crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Ten of them are journalists—including seven U.S. citizens. The committee has demanded that CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan provide it with a copy of the list, as well as any dossiers on the individuals and an explanation of why each person was included on the list. It also wants to know who had been stopped for screening and if their cellphones were seized. The investigation is being carried out “to ensure that all appropriate policies and practices were followed,” according to CBP spokesman Andrew Meehan, who added: “CBP does not target journalists for inspection based on their occupation or their reporting.”