Sequestration could mean severe cuts to Border Patrol

'Sequestration would force CBP to immediately begin furloughs of its employees,' Napolitano says.

Reuters
By DAVID ROGERS | 2/14/13 10:00 AM EST

Automatic spending cuts due March 1 could pose a real setback for immigration reform by forcing the Border Patrol to reduce its workforce hours by the equivalent of 5,000 agents beginning in April — a nearly one quarter reduction.

That’s the upshot of testimony by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano submitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday.

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The 5,000 number is the most detailed public assessment yet by her department and comes just days after President Barack Obama underscored the importance of border security in his State of the Union address.

“Real reform means strong border security,” Obama said Tuesday. “And we can build on the progress my Administration has already made – putting more boots on the southern border than at any time in our history, and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years.”

By contrast, Napolitano said the cuts would be so severe that the Customs and Border Protection would not be able to maintain the level of agents mandated by Congress — and the number of detention beds maintained by immigration services would also drop below the target level.

“Sequestration would force CBP to immediately begin furloughs of its employees, reduce overtime for frontline operations, and decrease its hiring to backfill positions,” Napolitano’s testimony says. “Specifically, beginning April 1, CBP would have to reduce its work hours by the equivalent of over 5,000 Border Patrol agents and the equivalent of over 2,750 CBP Officers.”

Napolitano was one of three Cabinet secretaries called before the Senate panel by Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) who has pressed the administration to be more open about the impact of the cuts on its domestic priorities. Deputy Defense Secy. Ashton Carter was part of the same panel but the day was expected to belong more to the likes of Napolitano, Education Secy. Arne Duncan, and Housing and Urban Development Secy. Shaun Donovan.

The 5,000 Border Patrol agents estimate — which compares with a 21,370 personnel level — illustrates how numbers have bubbled up over time. CBP officials were hinting at such figures weeks ago, but in a letter to Mikulski, Jan 31, Napolitano steered clear of anything so specific. This was the pattern too with a White House fact sheet Feb. 8 that tread lightly on the border security implications.

“We’ve heard a lot about defense,” Mikulski said in opening the hearing. “But there are others who wear the uniform,” she added, addressing Napolitano. “And we need to hear about the impact on them.’”

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/janet-napolitano-sequestration-could-mean-severe-cuts-to-border-patrol-87658.html