CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — A Border Patrol union leader called forcing agents to get vaccinated a “hypocrisy” after President Joe Biden announced policies Thursday requiring most federal employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations.
“What is frustrating is they’re citing that they want to make sure that the public is healthy,” said Art Del Cueto, the vice president of the Border Patrol Council. “All the while you have hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens coming into the country, getting released all over America, and none of them are being either asked about their COVID vaccination or being forced to get a vaccination.”
Biden previously required that federal employees be vaccinated or get tested. Federal workers now have 75 days to get vaccinated or face termination unless they fall into limited exemption categories.
“My phone’s been nonstop all day,” Del Cueto said. “What’s unfortunate is we’ve talked to several attorneys, and they’re still looking, trying to find what they can find. But realistically, they’re saying that this mandate from the president on federal employees, he is within the law.”
Biden, during remarks from the White House, expressed his frustration with people who have not taken the vaccine.
“We’ve been patient,” Biden said. “But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us.”
New measures he announced Thursday would apply to about two-thirds of all U.S. employees, including those employed by businesses with more than 100 workers.
“I don’t think this administration really cares about the public, especially when they’re allowing so many illegals to come into the country without checking their health status themselves,” Cueto said.
Del Cueto says he’s not sure how many agents might be lost because of the new mandate, but he heard Border Patrol leaders were allegedly looking to downsize the agency anyway.
Reuters contributed to this story.