[Not A Snowbird]

the speaker claimed that border security may have been actually compromised following the enactment of the Homeland Security Act, because the existing INS was merged with the (much larger bureaucracy) Customs Agency, thus potentially undermining the INS's main mission

I would disagree with this. The problem was the INS had two missions, one being "let 'em in" and the other being "keep 'em out". They were in conflict and the left hand wasn't talking to the right. By breaking INS into three separate bureaus, only the border enforcement part merged with customs to create Customs and Border Protection. The immigration and naturalization piece went to a separate bureau, BCIS, and the investigation piece went to ICE.

Therefore, our structure now allows us to be more focused on our enforcement mission, not less.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Therefore, our structure now allows us to be more focused on our enforcement mission, not less.

I've got about 800 Border Patrol agents here in Cochise County, many of them friends, and most of them wish they had never gotten folded in with Customs.