| U.S. border patrol agents have been told to ask a series of questions when they capture illegal immigrants, including whether the immigrants have heard of President George W. Bush's proposal. According to a list of talking points distributed nationwide, border agents are "not to talk about amnesty, an increase in apprehensions, or give comparisons of past immigration reform proposals" when talking with the media. The memo, prepared by a public affairs officer at Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Washington, D.C., also gives these instructions: "Do not speculate about the program. Do not provide statistics on apprehension spikes or past amnesty data." An agency spokesman said the note was meant to prevent confusion about how to handle questions on the president's proposal. He said statistical information on apprehension numbers will still be available, but only through headquarters.
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