President Joe Biden is set to lose another top official, making it an especially rocky year for the Biden administration on the personnel front.
According to the Daily Caller, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz announced that he will retire at the end of June, marking the end of a 32-year career in the U.S. Border Patrol.
The news of his retirement came via an internal email sent out to staffers.
"After a 32-year Border Patrol career spanning multiple Sectors, HQ tours, and overseas assignments in Afghanistan, I have decided to retire from federal service on June 30th," Ortiz wrote.
He added: "Serving as your Chief has been one of the greatest honors and privileges I have had and please know I will always champion this agency, its mission, and the people who make the Border Patrol everything that it is."
Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz announced his intention to retire from the post as head of the United States Border Patrol effective June 30. https://t.co/hn0T6lzpMd
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 1, 2023
His retirement comes in the wake of overseeing law enforcement activities at the southern U.S. border, which under the Biden administration, has seen record numbers of illegal crossings.
Ortiz was the one official serving under the Biden administration who voiced truth concerning the real situation on the ground at the border, countering Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas' previous reassurance that the situation was under control.
Even so, Mayorkas issued a statement on Ortiz's retirement announcement, singing his praises along the way.
"Chief Ortiz has been a great leader of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol for the past two years, and at every level of the organization throughout his three decades of service. He embodies the core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity, as well as the Border Patrol’s motto: honor first," a statement from Mayorkas said.
Mayorkas added: "His steady leadership and operational expertise have greatly benefited the agency, the Department, and the nation — and will continue to influence the Border Patrol well into the future."
Ortiz's retirement news received mixed reactions across social media, with some expressing concerns regarding who Biden would choose to replace him.
"Adios. The new BP Chief will either make or completely break morale. Any bets which direction this admin goes?" one Twitter user wrote.
One can confidently bet that the next Border Patrol chief will be much more in line with the Biden administration's approach to the illegal immigration crisis.