 BORDER NEWS
Even as the government pushes for more Border Patrol agents to defend US borders, union representatives of the agents say as many as 3,000 may be looking for other jobs, including serving in the Federal Air Marshals service. An informal poll of 140 agents in the San Diego area revealed that 77 percent were actively looking for other jobs. Border Patrol agents are in many ways ideal candidates for the Air Marshals service – they are trained in immigration law and interdiction techniques, many are sharpshooters and most are bilingual. If 3,000 agents leave, the agency will be facing catastrophic personnel problems. There are currently about 9,000 agents.
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Angus King, the governor of Maine, has requested President Bush authorize funding for National Guard troops to staff border crossings in the state. He argues that they would serve the same function they do at airports, where they have been working since airports reopened after September 11. They would also help to reduce waits to cross the border. King says he envisions using the Guard as a temporary solution until Congress approves final anti-terrorism legislation that calls for tripling Border Patrol resources in northern border states.
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During the first week of October, apprehensions along the border were down more than 50 percent, from 22,912 last year to 10.622. Observers believe there are two primary reasons for the drop. One is that increased border security has led many to decide to not make the attempt. The other is that news of the slowing US economy has led many to believe that even if they make it to the US, there will be no available jobs.
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Last September 30th, border crossing cards issued to Mexican nationals expired and were replaced with new, more secure cards containing biometric information. About two million people were unable to obtain the new cards, and are now unable to cross the border. A bill was introduced to extend the validity of the cards, but no action has been taken on it since the September 11 terrorist attacks. US businesses along the border are suffering, and many are concerned that the area’s economy could face serious problems if the old cards are not extended. However, even if everyone had a new card, the system would still not be fully in place, because many ports of entry do not have the necessary equipment to read the new cards.
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After a gradual reduction in delays at border crossing points, they are expected to begin increasing again after an order instructing INS inspectors at ports of entry on the US-Mexican border to check for photo identification and run through a criminal database the name of every pedestrian seeking entry. Pedestrians already face waits of up to an hour, and they could grow. Many are concerned that the delays could further damage the border area’s economy and are asking Congress to provide funding for more inspectors to keep cross border traffic moving.
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