Donald Trump is in Laredo, Texas today — at the invitation of Local 2455 of the National Border Patrol Council — to tour a section of the U.S.–Mexico border and see for himself just how bad things have gotten.
Or, at least, he was in Laredo at the invitation of Local 2455. The union has since pulled its support for Trump’s visit:
Full statement form Border Patrol Union @NBCNews @TODAYshow @NBCNightlyNews #trump pic.twitter.com/2JnnGLD1nc
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) July 23, 2015
It looks like the story is more complicated than what that press release suggests, however.
Agent Henry Garza, president of Local 2455, told Breitbart Texas that the AFL-CIO pressured them to “back out” of their agreement to host Trump on his tour:
AFL-CIO Controlled Union Intervenes, Cancels Trump's Border Tour Planned by Local Agents http://t.co/nDxgohiF7J via @BreitbartNews
— Brandon Darby (@brandondarby) July 23, 2015
An excerpt:
Donald Trump’s planned tour of the Laredo Sector of the Texas -Mexico border has been canceled by the national AFL-CIO-controlled union that represents U.S. Border Patrol agents, the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC). Border Patrol agent Hector Garza acted in his role as Local 2455 president to honor Trump by inviting him to see his section of border in Laredo firsthand. Agent Garza confirmed to Breitbart Texas that the national union had stepped in and insisted that the Laredo local back out of honoring Trump with the border tour. Agent Garza said he expected Trump to continue without the participation of the union.
As a reminder, the AFL-CIO and the NBPC have been at odds for years over immigration policy. From CNBC in 2014, for example:
The Border Patrol Council’s immigration position has also union non grata with its parent organization, the AFL-CIO, which has spent the last couple years aggressively lobbying for a comprehensive immigration reform package.
Moran said that many of his members consider the AFL-CIO’s position to be “pro-amnesty.” Moran thinks this is one of the reasons the national trade union center has had virtually nothing to do with the Border Patrol Council, apart from having helped arrange a sit-down a couple years back with then-Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
So the border patrol agents can’t host a presidential candidate, but AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka can trash Scott Walker?
My full statement on Scott Walker's upcoming announcement that he's running for president: "Scott Walker is a national disgrace."
— Richard Trumka (@RichardTrumka) July 13, 2015
Some union you got there.
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