Customs and Border Patrol Shortage

Elena Vela

Dr. Muck

PSC212

24 January 2018

Customs Agency Short Staffed

            Customs and Border Patrol are running on a shortage of employees.  We’re not talking necessary staffing is covered and they are looking for extra people.  They are overwhelmingly understaffed.  At face value this may not seem like a foreign policy issue, but it can pose a threat on our national security.

            Let’s talk numbers.  Customs and Border Patrol is understaffed by almost four thousand people.  That means there are four thousand jobs waiting for the American people.  There are potentially four thousand more people who can put food on their table and a roof over their head.  That has a huge impact on the American economy. 

            As a result of the extreme shortage, people who are employed by Customs and Border Patrol are suffering greatly.  Typically, employees will work eight hour days.  However, because of being under staffed, employees are asked to work 16 hour days while still performing to high expectations set for them.  While I am not arguing that is it okay for the agents to perform at a sub-par standard, no one should have to work multiple 16 hour days in a row. 

            Not only are current employees being asked to work double the hours, but workers from other areas are being forced to relocate to accommodate the deficiency.  For example, airport workers from Florida were made to go work at the border in San Diego.  Customs and Border Patrol argues that the experience is good for people who are asked to take up the job for a short time.

            With the lack of employees, or undertrained replacements, come possible threats to our country.  Sleep deprived employees who are examining people and vehicles entering the country may miss things.  People who are undertrained may not know what to look for.  This can result in an increased potential for drugs or weapons to enter the country.  A higher flow of illegal drugs into the country only increases the war on drugs and drug use in America which is already an epidemic.  With more weapons entering unregistered comes more unsolvable crime and violence.  Along with that, food can make its way into the country which could contain bugs or diseases that can harm our agriculture. 

            I believe that it would be more effective to fill the positions permanently.  There are many benefits to this solution.  First, there will be ample people to do the job efficiently and effectively.  With enough people to adequately staff Customs and Border Control, no one will have to work sleep deprived.  In addition, with permanent positions being filled you can ensure that everyone is properly trained.  Furthermore, people won’t need to be relocated to fill positions.

            Another major benefit of filling these Customs and Border Patrol positions permanently is for the American economy and the American people for that matter.  For every person that is able to get a job, that could mean one less person who is homeless or hungry.  To add to that, another person with a job means more revenue in taxes as well as more buying of goods.  With a number like four thousand, that could have a noticeable impact on the economy in positive ways.   

           With positive impacts like these there should be no reservations for Customs and Border Patrol to hire people on.  An easy fix is for them to reach out and find local people who are in need of a job.  They can put in place a preliminary screening followed by a training period after which people can be hired on full time.  It would be beneficial to the economy, national security, and the American people.   A shortage of staffing should never be an issue because there will never be a shortage of people in America looking to build a life.