Paul Perez, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, has attributed the intense rhetoric and forceful actions of Border Patrol agents and ICE officers during arrests to the presence of “antagonists” protesting against these federal agencies.

During a recent appearance on “CUOMO,” Perez was joined by Juan Proano, CEO of The League of United Latin American Citizens, a civil rights organization. They discussed the recent arrests of migrants and protesters by ICE and Border Patrol.

“People often react with anger and frustration because of the scenes they are witnessing,” Perez explained. “However, what isn’t being highlighted is that these agitators and antagonists are not the targets of our arrests.”

He further clarified, “These individuals are obstructing and interfering with our lawful duty to enforce existing laws, which is why it might appear that we are constantly dealing with riot-like situations.”