I say their hands are tied because when political winds change so do the rules, it is all political and not about shutting down the border to illegal activities. There are also issues of morale of officers when decisions are made after they detain drug smugglers or illegals as to which ones they will prosecute and which will be deported or given a court date which is often the same as turning them loose since most do not show up for a court date.
My brother in law retired from CBP, I knew many of the officers then and know many currently working very well. Last week one was very angry because a person he detained a while back from South America was not held because holding facility for deportations by airplane was overcrowded. The person was put on the street to appear in court later but didn’t. People are not always charged for using false ID/documents, which should be a serious offense on the border or away from it...there are many things going on in the system that are not right. If we were serious about this as a country these things would not happen but they do over and over.
I don’t know how long your son has been working, but I can tell you there is a time in most CBP careers when they feel they are used because there is no firm commitment from the country/politicians for what they are asked to do. The administration now and most previously as well do not really have their back as they should. Securing our borders should be a top priority and it is clearly not. Politics should not guide our decisions and actions in securing our borders, but clearly they do.
CBP works very hard and most are straight up great guys. Up the chain from the guys on the ground, not so good, politics is in play instead of securing our border.
Thanks.
I am sure you know CBP officers are not Border Patrol Agents. They work totally different places.
I will now provide a short review so others may understand.
CBP officers work the POE while Border Patrol Agents work between the POEs, out in the boonies.
The work environment is totally different, as are the leadership and mission, work challenges and uniform (Blue for CBP and green for Border Patrol Agents).
The rules change, meaning the direction from the white hut, that is true, but the Border Patrol Agents that are out there in the middle of the desert (primarily) have a mission to perform and they execute the mission with zeal. No hand tying of the Agents in the field.
The AUSA in the various districts have an unwritten policy. . .less that 500lbs and no prosecution, and if the Border Patrol Agent can’t say specifically this 50lb backpack belongs to that specific illegal alien, then there is no prosecution. So, imagine a group gets busted and the illegals drop their loads and run. Let’s say all illegals in the group are captured and all the bundles of dope are found. . .can the Border Patrol Agent say this specific bundle belongs to that specific illegal? No, he can’t and it is absurd to expect that, but that is what the AUSA wants, otherwise, no prosecution. Outrage.
Given that situation, the illegals the Border Patrol capture in the field, a vast majority of them are deported within hours.
This is way different from ICE and CBP cases because when they catch someone, they are able to easily say the driver was this guy and he had dope in his car. The criminal was found in possession of the dope.
And yes, my son has been in for a long time.
Like you, I have no love for the DHS/CBP/BP leadership in Wash DC.