CNN: Trump Told CPB Head He’d Pardon Him If He Was Sent To Jail For Turning Back Migrants

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 06: Kevin K. McAleenan, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee March 6, 2019 in Washington, DC. McAleenan told reporters yesterday that the latest statistics show migrant crossings at the Mexican border are on pace to break record numbers set last year. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

At a border visit last week, President Trump reportedly talked of a pardon for the director of Customs and Border Protection, Kevin McAleenan, even though he’s committed no crime. Trump visited Calexico, California last week and met with McAleenan along with other members of law enforcement from the area. From CNN:

“Two officials briefed on the exchange say the President told McAleenan, since named the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, that he “would pardon him if he ever went to jail for denying US entry to migrants,” as one of the officials paraphrased.”

Trump told the head of CPB he would PARDON HIM if he broke the law and blocked asylum-seekers from entering the country and ended up in jail as a result, @jaketapper reports https://t.co/ELm1tPyw1E
— Sarah Boxer (@Sarah_Boxer) April 12, 2019

A spokesperson for DHS said: “At no time has the President indicated, asked, directed or pressured the Acting Secretary to do anything illegal. Nor would the Acting Secretary take actions that are not in accordance with our responsibility to enforce the law.”