Staff Reports
In a surprising twist, a significant portion of border agents have been reassigned from monitoring the U.S.-Mexico border to managing the influx of illegal immigrants. This shift comes as a consequence of President Joe Biden's policies, resulting in a staggering 12% to 38% of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents being redirected from frontline duties to the processing, care, and feeding of undocumented individuals.
Up to 38% of Border Patrol shifted from ‘enforcement’ to ‘processing’ https://t.co/qkySoArEbt https://t.co/qkySoArEbt
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 19, 2023
This diversion has raised serious concerns about its impact on both the morale of the staff and the overall security at the border. Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Dustin Caudle from Arizona's Yuma Sector warned that operational effectiveness would decrease due to this shift in focus towards a humanitarian mission. Similarly, Chief Tucson Sector Patrol Agent John Modlin disclosed that nearly 38% of Border Patrol staff in Tucson are now engaged in processing and detention rather than their primary enforcement duties.
House Homeland Security Committee interviews with border officials shed light on the adverse effects of this redirection. Some sectors have had to deploy agents to areas experiencing higher migrant influxes, exacerbating an already strained situation. Compounding the issue, the surge in illegal immigrants has reached historic levels, prompting CBP to offer $20,000 hiring bonuses to attract new recruits.
The consequences of this agent reallocation are extensive. Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino from California's El Centro Sector stressed that attending to the needs of individuals takes agents away from their critical job of preventing illicit activities and individuals from crossing the border.
Republican Rep. Mark Green, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, strongly criticized this redirection, seeing it as a signal of disregarding U.S. laws regarding unlawful entry. He voiced concerns about the immediate and future impact on border agents' morale and highlighted a leadership void within the Department of Homeland Security.
Echoing these sentiments, Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin from Texas' Big Bend Sector revealed that approximately 16% of his team were diverted to processing during surges, impacting enforcement. Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez from Texas' Rio Grande Valley Sector also expressed the challenge in maintaining a high percentage of agents for enforcement during migrant surges, citing a significant hit on agents' morale.
These testimonies paint a grim picture of the border crisis exacerbated by the Biden administration's policies, putting dedicated Border Patrol agents in a bind between law enforcement duties and administrative tasks. Urgent calls for restoring order and upholding border laws have emerged from Republican lawmakers seeking accountability for the decisions leading to this crisis.
