Senate Confirms Trump’s CBP Nominee Amid Controversy

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Senate confirmed Rodney Scott as the new commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday, despite serious accusations surrounding his conduct in a past investigation. The confirmation came through a party-line vote of 51 Republicans in favor and 46 Democrats opposed, with three senators absent.

Scott expressed his gratitude following the vote, stating, “I’m honored that the United States Senate has confirmed me, and I want to thank President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem for their trust and unwavering leadership.” He emphasized his commitment to leading CBP with integrity and a mission to defend U.S. sovereignty.

As commissioner, Scott will oversee CBP, one of the largest federal law enforcement agencies in the U.S., which operates at ports of entry and enforces border security. He previously served as a leader of the U.S. Border Patrol from 2020 to 2021. His nomination by Trump in December sparked controversy due to his critical stance on President Joe Biden‘s immigration policies and support for border wall construction.

Prior to the confirmation hearing, James Wong, a former deputy assistant commissioner at CBP, raised concerns about Scott’s involvement in a questionable investigation into the death of Anastasio Hernández Rojas in 2010. Wong accused Scott of orchestrating a cover-up related to the case, claiming misuse of a CBP subpoena to acquire medical records during the investigation.

In his defense during the hearing, Scott described the subpoena as typical for the circumstances and denied any interference with the investigation. When questioned by Republican committee chair Mike Crapo, Scott stated, “Absolutely not” when asked if he influenced the inquiry.

Additionally, a 2021 House oversight report identified Scott as a member of a private Facebook group for border patrol agents that shared abusive content. Scott defended himself, indicating that inappropriate behavior by a small fraction of the group did not represent all members.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden expressed concerns about Scott’s potential to blindly follow presidential directives, indicating that Scott’s history of covering up incidents raises serious issues about his leadership.

Republican supporters, including Crapo, countered by highlighting Scott’s understanding of effective CBP policies and his commitment to putting them into action as soon as possible.