U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched an investigation into two CBP officials who reportedly partied in Mexico with a tequila mogul.
NBC News said Border patrol chief Jason Owens and Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol sector chief Gloria Chavez allegedly were hosted by distiller Francisco Javier González, who had hoped to make a Border Patrol-branded tequila.
González is the grandson of the founder of Don Julio tequila.
The network news attributed the information to three sources familiar with the probe, which is being handled by the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility..
The relationship between the distiller and the border officials has raised questions about whether the officials revealed their contact with a foreign national. Such a disclosure is a requirement for those who get top security clearances.
Photos posted on socials media in February reportedly show Owens and Chavez in Jalisco, Mexico, with González at Tequila Casa de los González, his family’s distillery complex.
The New York Post said Owens can be seen in one photo drinking a glass of wine and smoking a cigar next to Chavez.
And two Homeland Security officials told NBC News the relationship dates back to at least July 2023 when González hosted a party for CBP leadership in Laredo, Texas.
At some point, the three discussed the possibility of making a Border Patrol-branded tequila for the 100th anniversary of the Border Patrol, according to NBC News. But the project has been scrapped in light of the probe.
A spokesperson for CBP did not say whether Owens and Chavez disclosed their contact with González or how they paid for their travel to Mexico.
Jalisco is a two-hour flight from San Antonio, Texas.
A spokesperson for CBP said, "CBP has confidence in our senior leaders and holds them to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Consistent with our commitment to accountability, we thoroughly investigate all allegations and take appropriate action to address any issues identified throughout the course of investigations. CBP will continue to reinforce our commitment to the agency’s standards at all levels."
González did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
"CBP officials frequently maintain ties with local businesses. But at the same time, CBP officials also are aware of the potential for things to go wrong in that kind of a relationship," said Tom Warrick, a former DHS counterterrorism official who now directs the Future of DHS Project at the Atlantic Council think tank. "
"CBP has very high standards for integrity and security. And this is why I think even pictures like this are taken very seriously by CBP."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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