[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 10 (Monday, February 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        REGARDING BORDER PATROL

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, last week on Thursday, February 3, 
the Attorney General made a significant announcement regarding the 
border patrol and our Nation's priorities. Ms. Reno and Immigration and 
Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner outlined their plan 
to strengthen enforcement of our immigration laws and to safeguard her 
borders.
  The highlight of this plan, as it was announced, was strengthening 
the border patrol. Specifically, for 1994, San Diego border patrol 
strength will be increased by 40 percent, the equivalent of some 300 
agents and 97 support staff. The El Paso, TX border will receive 50 new 
agents and 44 support staff.
  The Attorney General stated that this action will ``stop the 
revolving door on the border . . . by a strategy of deterrence through 
prevention.''
  Mr. President, this is not a national plan to stop the revolving 
door; it is a plan to curb illegal immigration into California and 
Texas. It is a plan designed to garner 86 electoral votes and keep a 
Senate seat in Democratic hands.
  Mr. President, the money the Senate appropriated for the border 
patrol last year was intended to augment our Nation's efforts to 
control illegal immigration across our Southwest frontier. That 
frontier is more, much more, than just California and Texas.
  After the Senators from Arizona and New Mexico publicly noted this 
unfair, irrational distribution of agents, the Border Patrol appears to 
have slightly changed its original policy.
  According to INS and the Border Patrol, Arizona will now receive 33 
new support staff, but no new agents. New Mexico will receive 5 new 
support staff. My staff has also been told that all new agents are 
being forced to sign mobility clauses in their employment contracts--
clauses that would allow the Border patrol to move agents from one 
region to another.
  The Border Patrol told my staff that Arizona need not worry about 
increased illegal immigration because if it were to occur--and they 
admit it will--that agents could be moved to Arizona. Unfortunately, 
these are simply hollow words.
  Mr. President, when my staff asked Border Patrol officials what 
criteria would be used to determine when agents would be shifted from 
one region to another--for example from California to Arizona--my staff 
was told there was no official criteria and that such moves would be 
made at the policy level when determined to be appropriate. In others 
words, when the politics of the situation merit a shift in agents, the 
Attorney General's office will comply.

  Mr. President, the people of Arizona have a right to know when our 
border patrol problems merit the concern of Border Patrol officials. I 
expect that the Attorney General's office will be forthcoming with 
specifics regarding this issue.
  Under the Attorney General's plan the revolving door at San Diego 
will be closed. Nothing however will be done at this time in Arizona. 
In meetings with my staff, Border Patrol officials admit that this 
action will result in a shift of illegal border crossings from 
California to Arizona. This appears to be a shortsighted, politically 
expedient solution to our immigration problems.
  It is the political aspect of this solution that particularly 
concerns me.
  Not only was Arizona and New Mexico ignored in the distribution of 
agents, it has come to my attention that the two Senators from 
California were briefed in advance on this subject. Yet the staffs and 
Senators from Arizona and New Mexico were not briefed until last Friday 
afternoon.
  Mr. President, for the information of those at the Attorney General's 
office and the Border Patrol, the Southwest border is comprised of four 
States: Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Texas. The Arizona-Mexico 
border is three times the length of the California-Mexico border and 
has more border crossing stations. I would hope that the Attorney 
General and all other officials concerned with that border would 
remember that each State on the border has equal concerns that must be 
addressed.
  The needs of the people and of this country must be put ahead of what 
appears to be a political agenda. It is discouraging and disheartening 
that the Attorney General's office and the Department of Justice is 
acting in such a overtly political fashion. Of all Federal agencies, 
the Department of Justice should be above politics.
  Standing outside of the Supreme Court there is a great statute of 
Justice, with blindfold around her eyes. I hope we will aspire to that 
principal at the Department of Justice and in all areas including 
immigration.

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