Border Patrol agents in the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) have been relentless in their efforts to honor and help the family of slain Border Patrol Agent Javier Vega, Jr. Agent Vega was murdered by two illegal immigrants while defending his family on a fishing trip. Senator John McCain joined the NBPC’s Green Line podcast and declared his support for the agents’ fight against Customs and Border Protection (CBP) refusing to declare Agent Vega’s death a line of duty death and thereby honor the slain agent and help his widow and children to have more financially secure futures.
Border Patrol Agent Shawn Moran hosts the Green Line podcast and told McCain, “[In] August of 2014, Border Patrol Agent Javier Vega, Jr. was killed by two previously deported illegal aliens while vacationing with his family. The union believes this was a line of duty fatality, as he took law enforcement actions to protect his family and to prevent an assault and a robbery, but CBP has yet to classify it as such. What are your thoughts on this and can you commit to helping us get justice for Agent Vega’s family and recognition as a line of duty death?”
McCain responded in the affirmative. He told Agent Moran, “Yes. And could I say that it’s a tragedy and obviously our prayers, sympathy are with the family. Like the military, our Border Patrol agents are on duty 24 hours a day. Is there anyone who disagrees with that? I haven’t met. So it seems to me, like the military, that it’s clear Agent Vega was killed in the line of duty.”
The Senator continued, “We understand that those that killed him had been arrested and crossed the border illegally and had previously been deported multiple times. The local sheriff believes the suspects were connected to cartels or other criminal gangs.”
McCain then promised again to pursue the issue.
Breitbart Texas spoke to Agent Moran and he said, “The biggest thing that it would mean is that it would open up his family to the availability of the public safety officers benefit from the Department of Justice and other grants. Agent Vega would also be honored at Police Week and have his name engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial.”
Agent Moran said the NBPC didn’t know that McCain was going to support the issue and they were excited to hear his pledge. “It was clear from the interview that he get’s the situation and realizes the pain and anguish, along with the financial fears that slain Agent Vega’s family are surely facing.”
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Breitbart Texas provides the entire interview below.
(Disclosure: Breitbart Texas sponsored the NBPC’s first six months of The Green Line podcast in an effort to promote transparency in federal law enforcement agencies and encourage federal agents to more openly share issues they face. Breitbart Texas also donated to the family of slain Border Patrol Agent Javier Vega, Jr. to cover funeral costs.)