Finding more border agents may not be so easy

It easy to say the United States needs more Border Patrol agents to secure the border, but hiring them and training them may be another thing, recent developments indicate.

It can cost up to $180,000 and take 18 months to train each new agent, Congress heard this week.

Thomas J. Walters, in charge of training and development for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, told a House subcommittee Tuesday that finding and training 2,000 new agents could be tough, but agreed it can be done.

Walters also said it costs almost $180,000 to recruit and train each new agent over an 18-month period.

The 2,000 new agents were mandated in funding bills last year and this.

There has been continuing Congressional criticism of the administration's efforts to secure the borders.

The heat comes from both Republicans and Democrats.

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire said this week, "I continue to grow concerned with the approach that the Administration has taken to determine resource levels for the Department of Homeland Security, and specifically the level of resources necessary to properly manage our nation's borders."

Gregg is chairman of the Senate appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security.

In a letter to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff last week Gregg said the department reacts "in a piecemeal fashion to each crisis as it occurs."

He cited the Arizona Border Initiative which was launched March 2004, "to achieve operational control of the Arizona Border."

He said it required a "large influx of resources into that region while contributing to the creation of new crises by drawing down resources needed elsewhere."

He added, "We must address the entire border systematically and not continually pouring resources into stove-piped organizations and narrowly construed strategies."

He said a cohesive policy is needed to "ensure the smooth passage of trade and people with legitimate business across our borders while stopping those who would do us harm."

Democrats on the House Committee on Homeland Security also cited what they said a "lack of border strategy."

The Democrats, headed by Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, said "An incomplete Border Security strategy leads to inadequate staffing levels at our nation's border."

The report said there are only 10,664 Border Patrol agents to guard the country's 8,000-mile border, 9,633 to the south and 1,031 to the north.

The committee Democrats said one expert estimated it would take 16,000 agents to secure the southern border alone.

The committee Democrats criticized the administration's lack of funding needed to attract and train needed agents.

Underfunding also stretches the support staff and there's not enough equipment and it's not properly used.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749