Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said a report on the rising number of Hispanics joining the Border Patrol made her sad.
Appearing on CNN's "The Situation Room," Bass, a Democrat, was responding to a segment that profiled people who have joined the Border Patrol since President Donald Trump took office.
The segment interviewed Hispanic Border Patrol agents, who dismissed criticism that they were rounding up their own kind.
"I think it's sad," Bass said to host Wolf Blitzer.
"I think that those Border Patrol agents are going to have a difficult time when they're out in the field and they see what actually happens in real life, separate from their training."
Bass said many people are joining U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement simply for the money.
"I do understand that their primary incentive is financial," Bass said.
"I think it just speaks to the financial situation that millions of Americans find themselves in," Bass added.
More than half of Border Patrol agents are Hispanic, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"They didn't come in the right way. So they aren't my kind," Border Patrol recruit Juan Peralta told CNN in the segment.
Another Border Patrol agent said he was protecting his community.
"I'm protecting both sides of the border," Claudio Herrera said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said applications have risen 70% compared with a year ago, as the Trump administration has offered incentives to attract more Border Patrol agents as part of its initiative to secure the border.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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