Press Release

Rep. Cuellar Works to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines to Federal Law Enforcement

Less than half of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed in Texas

Washington | Charlotte Laracy, DC Press Secretary (202-226-1583); Alexis Torres, District Press Secretary (956-286-6007), January 8, 2021

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) works hard to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees and other federal law enforcement officers in South Texas. Only 44% of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed in the State of Texas.

The Center for Disease Control recommends that frontline essential workers, including law enforcement, are included in Phase 1b. Currently, law enforcement officials are not included in Texas’ Phase 1b for vaccine distribution.

“It is critical that federal law enforcement officers, who are essential to securing our southern border, are in Phase 1B of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I have spoken with CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan, Director of Field Operations for Laredo Field Office Randy Howe, Chief Patrol Agent of Laredo Sector Matthew J. Hudak, President of National Border Patrol Council Hector Garza, and Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd to coordinate efforts in securing COVID-19 vaccines for CBP officers and Border Patrol agents so they can safely continue their critical mission of advancing our national security and economic prosperity. I am committed to supporting our federal law enforcement officers who have been risking their lives during this pandemic to safeguard our southern border.”

Congressman Cuellar joined a congressional letter to the Director of the Center for Disease Control, Dr. Robert R. Redfield, urging the CDC to provide guidance to COVID-19 vaccine providers on how to avoid wasting precious doses, including by expanding eligibility for vaccination when available doses are about to expire. 

In 2019, Customs and Border Protection employed 61,506 men and women including:

  • 24,511 CBP officers
  • 2,465 CBP Agriculture specialists
  • 19,648 Border Patrol agents
  • 597 Air Interdiction agents (pilots)
  • 339 Marine Interdiction agents
  • 296 Aviation Enforcement agents
  • 979 Trade personnel

DHS and CBP are working through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to distribute vaccines to their employees. DHS and CBP employees are also able to obtain the vaccine on their own, outside of the arrangement with the VA, such as through a local health provider. In Laredo, the local healthcare systems are working with local CBP to provide vaccines to frontline CBP employees. 

Visit the Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Locations map to see if and where you might be able to get a vaccine today.