Border Patrol Agents: Obama Seeks “To vilify Agents For Short-Term Political Gains”

Data released on October 13, shows that the application of use of force by U.S. Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and air interdiction agents, has decreased by 26 percent while assaults against agents and officers have essentially remained steady. The National Border Patrol Council says those numbers demonstrates “exactly what the National Border Patrol Council has been stating for years. Our agents are highly trained professional officers who reluctantly use force when no other alternative in available.”

In his statement issued on Tuesday, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Kerlikowske applauded the agents, but concluded that “there is always more that can be done.”

The Council took exception to the Commissioner’s statement and said that despite the fact that the “American people have been demanding a secure border for decades, “this administration and Commissioner Kerlikowske continue to give credibility to the pro-illegal immigration groups seeking to vilify agents for short-term political gains.”

“Our agents and all law enforcement officers operate in a world of political agendas and armchair quarterbacking,” said NBPC vice president and spokesman Shawn Moran. “But our jobs are dangerous and we are forced to make split-second decisions every day. We stand strongly behind our agents when they have to make the life or death decision to use lethal use of force.”

“There has not been one policy enacted by CBP that would have caused a reduction in the use of force,” Moran added. “What has been consistent is the professionalism and restraint demonstrated by our agents. However, instead of recognizing this, the commissioner wants to claim his call for more transparency is responsible for the reduction. The NBPC has been calling for greater transparency for years, but transparency is just a word. At the end of the day it is our agents who are putting their lives on the line, enforcing our laws and hoping nothing goes wrong because they know if it does, they will get little support from the agency or the administration.

“We need to stop the vilification of our agents and all law enforcement officers,” Moran said. “As the union that represents the men and women of the Border Patrol, we will vigorously defend our agents’ right to use force when necessary. We believe that today’s ‘blame the officer first’ environment makes the job more dangerous. When agents must worry about being prosecuted for rightly using force, that situation puts them and their community at risk.”

Moran challenged Commissioner Kerlikowske to stand with Border Patrol agents. “He can start by giving Agent Javier Vega the honor he and his family deserve. Vega was gunned down while protecting his family and his community from two illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley. We believe that his actions were heroic, must be categorized as specific law enforcement actions and must be recognized as a line-of-duty fatality. CBP owes Agent Vega’s family this honor. It is time for Commissioner Kerlikowske to make this happen

USE OF FORCE BY FISCAL YEAR
Fiscal Years 2011 – 2015

USE OF FORCE BREAKDOWN BY FISCAL YEAR
Fiscal Years 2011 – 2015

ASSAULTS ON OFFICERS AND AGENTS
Fiscal Years 2011 – 2015