I want to be crystal clear - the border is not secure. That is not just my opinion or the position of
the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC). Ask any line Agent in the field and he or she will tell you that at best we apprehend
35-40% of the illegal immigrants attempting to cross. This number is even lower for drug
smugglers who are much more adept at eluding capture.
How can this enormous gap exist between what the DHS tells you here in Washington and what
our Agents know to be the truth in the field? Frankly, it is how you manipulate the statistics and
let me give you one example. A key metric in determining our effectiveness is what is known as
the “got aways”. If we know from footprints or video surveillance that 20 individuals crossed
the border and we ultimately catch 10 of them, then we know that 10 “got away.”
Agents who repeatedly report groups larger than 20 face retribution. Management will either take them out of the field and assign them to processing detainees at the station or assign them to a fixed position in low volume areas as punishment. Needless to say Agents got the message and now stay below this 20 person threshold no matter the actual size of the group.
The above statements are excerpts from the testimony of NBPC by Union Representative Chris Cabrera before the Homeland Security Government Affairs Committee on March 17, 2015.
To read the fully transcript click the link below,
Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing testimony
Agents who repeatedly report groups larger than 20 face retribution. Management will either take them out of the field and assign them to processing detainees at the station or assign them to a fixed position in low volume areas as punishment. Needless to say Agents got the message and now stay below this 20 person threshold no matter the actual size of the group.
The above statements are excerpts from the testimony of NBPC by Union Representative Chris Cabrera before the Homeland Security Government Affairs Committee on March 17, 2015.
To read the fully transcript click the link below,
Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing testimony
