In The News
The Brownsville Herald: CBP looking for 2,000 new officers
Washington,
May 1, 2014
CBP looking for 2,000 new officersPosted: Thursday, May 1, 2014 10:40 pm Mark Reagan | The Brownsville Herald BROWNSVILLE — Approximately 25 percent of the 2,000 new positions U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it is hiring will be stationed in Texas, officials said. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said that Texas would do well in receiving some 500 CBP officers once they are trained. U.S. Customs and Border Protection made the hiring announcement Thursday and began to accept applications that same day. Cuellar, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said $225.7 million was set aside to fund new positions at 44 ports of entry in 18 states in an effort to enhance security, reduce wait times and facilitate growing volumes of legitimate goods and travelers. “This is one of the best uses of funds from that committee in a long time,” Cuellar said. “Usually there is an emphasis on the men and women in green, Border Patrol, and no emphasis on the men and women in blue.” According to a CBP press release, the newly hired CBP officers will deploy will be to Laredo, Hidalgo, Pharr, Anzulduas, Brownsville, Progreso and Eagle Pass ports of entry in Texas. Other locations include New York; Los Angeles; Detroit; Buffalo, New York; Houston; Dallas; Chicago; Las Vegas; Nogales, Arizona; and New Orleans. Typically, it takes 18 months to train a CBP officer so the officers won’t arrive right away, Cuellar said. “One thing about this is with the new people coming down to Brownsville and other border areas is those folks get paid well and they come in with salaries and they buy homes and spend money,” Cuellar said. “There will be new monies that will be put in the area. This is, again, very good news.” A CBP officer’s primary responsibility is to detect and prevent terrorists, their weapons and other threats from entering the country while facilitating legitimate trade and travel, according to CBP. There are more than 400 laws relating to trade, contraband, agricultural pests and diseases, and admissibility of individuals for CBP officers to enforce. But from Cuellar’s viewpoint, the big winner will be economics — not preventing crime. “CBP understands the importance of trade. And Texas is number one in trade with Mexico in the country,” Cuellar said, adding that 45 percent of trade with Mexico passes through Laredo and with the rest of the ports, Texas accounts for more than 50 percent of trade with Mexico. “They still have to look out for people sneaking in and the drugs, too.” Cuellar said aside from the new CBP positions, the appropriations committee also did well because it helped facilitate public-private partnerships for CBP and money to add more technology for the Department of Homeland Security. |