Rodney Scott, who has been nominated by Donald Trump to lead Customs and Border Protection (CBP), has faced allegations of orchestrating a cover-up regarding the death of a man who was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. This claim comes from a former top official within CBP, as outlined in a letter accessed by the Guardian.
Currently, Scott serves as a retired US Border Patrol chief and has expressed support for Trump’s campaign to erect a wall along the Mexico border, as well as criticism for Joe Biden’s immigration policies. As CBP Commissioner, Scott would hold a pivotal position overseeing the enforcement of U.S. borders and ports of entry across the country.
The Senate finance committee is scheduled to review Scott’s nomination on Wednesday. James Wong, a former deputy assistant commissioner for CBP’s office of internal affairs, recently expressed concerns regarding Scott’s handling of the investigation into the 2010 death of Anastasio Hernández Rojas. Hernandez died after being beaten and tasered by CBP agents who were preparing to deport him.
Wong asserts that Scott, in his role as a senior Border Patrol official in San Diego at the time of the incident, would have had oversight of the “critical incident team” (CIT), a unit designed to investigate use-of-force incidents within CBP. Wong claims that the CIT team in question subpoenaed Hernandez’s medical records, likely to distort information for public relations purposes, which he deems as unlawful and a direct cover-up.
Wyden, the committee’s top Democrat, has voiced his concern over the allegations and requested records from the Department of Homeland Security related to Hernandez’s death and its investigation. Wyden believes that such behavior shows a serious abuse of power, which should disqualify Scott from leading such a large law enforcement agency.
Scott has not responded to requests for comment. Despite these allegations, some Republican senators, including John Cornyn from Texas, have signaled their support for Scott’s nomination, calling him “a fantastic pick.”
This controversy comes at a time when President Trump has taken a hardline approach to immigration, including measures to block asylum seekers and deploying the military along the border to Mexico. Scott’s past Border Patrol career ended under the Biden administration after a memo surfaced where he objected to the administration’s directive not to use the term “illegal alien.”
Additionally, a report by a House oversight committee revealed that Scott was part of a private Facebook group for Border Patrol agents known for its derogatory and violent content toward lawmakers and migrants. Scott defended his membership, stating it provided insight into the workforce’s sentiments.
Scott has also downplayed the extent of family separations under the Trump administration, suggesting children were separated from parents who faced prosecution for crossing the border unlawfully.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/29/trump-customs-border-protection-rodney-scott
