Fox News reporter leaves DHS secretary stumbling over his words when confronted about false Border Patrol story

Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy questioned Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday over why the Biden administration continues to perpetuate the debunked narrative that mounted Border Patrol agents are guilty of abusing Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas.

What happened?

During Friday's press briefing at the White House, Doocy left Mayorkas stumbling over his words when asked why President Joe Biden accused Border Patrol agents on Friday of having "strapped" migrants.

Doocy asked, "You said on Saturday — or rather, on the 20th, 'To ensure control of the horse, long reins are used.' The person who took these photos of the Border Patrol agents says, 'I've never seen them whip anyone.' So, why is the president out there today talking about people being 'strapped?'"

"So let me, um, uh, let me correct, um, uh, the statements in your question, if I may," Mayorkas responded.

"They're direct quotes," Doocy fired back.

"It was on Friday when I was, uh — actually, it was on Monday, I believe, uh, when I was in Del Rio, uh, on the ground, uh, and I made the statements without having seen the images," Mayorkas said. "I saw the images on the flight back, and I made the statement that I did with respect to what those images suggested."

Mayorkas then appeared to repeat talking points about how the photographs "conjured up images of what has occurred in the past," a direct allusion to slavery.

"The horses have long reins, and, uh, the image in the photograph that we all saw that horrified the nation, raised serious questions about what it— about what occurred and of — as I stated quite clearly — it conjured up images of what has occurred in the past," Mayorkas said.

Mayorkas added he will not interfere with an investigation into the incident involving the mounted Border Patrol agents, saying "the results will be driven by the facts that are determined."

Doocy followed up by asking if Biden hurt the integrity of such an investigation by using "inflammatory language" to describe the incident "before the facts are in."

The secretary, however, outright dismissed the possibility.

"Let me just be very clear and repeat what I've said: I am not concerned with respect to the integrity of the investigation," Mayorkas said.