US Border Patrol Chief Resigns After US-Mexico Wall Construction Order - Reports

The chief of the US Border Patrol, Mark Morgan, has left the agency that will be in charge of building a wall on US-Mexico border after President Donald Trump’s order, US media reported on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — NBC Nightly News said, citing officials familiar with the matter, that Morgan has unexpectedly decided to step down this afternoon.

Mark Morgan is leaving the agency, CBP Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan announced in a press release on Thursday.

"I want to thank Mark Morgan for his unwavering dedication to our border security mission, and recognize his life-long career in service to the nation," McAleenan stated in the release.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to build a wall on the border with Mexico. During the 2016 election campaign, Trump said he would construct the wall on the border with Mexico to prevent undocumented immigrants from entering the United States.

At the same time, Mexican authorities have repeatedly said that the country will not pay for the wall and vowed to stop negotiations with Trump unless he gives up his plans on the wall's construction.

Morgan spent more than 31 years of his career in the US military. He also served as a local deputy sheriff and police officer, and as Assistant Commissioner of CBP’s Office of Internal Affairs, the release noted.

According to media reports, CBP agents were told that Morgan was no longer on the job. However, the reports did not specify whether Morgan has decided to resign or has been asked to leave.