[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1916]]
CELEBRATING THE APPOINTMENT OF LYNNE UNDERDOWN AS THE NEW CHIEF PATROL 
    AGENT FOR THE MIAMI BORDER PATROL SECTOR OF THE IMMIGRATION AND 
                         NATURALIZATION SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 21, 1999

  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Lynne 
Underdown on her appointment as the new Chief Patrol Agent for the 
Miami Border Patrol Sector and also to commend INS Commissioner Doris 
Meissner on Ms. Underdown's groundbreaking appointment.
  Ms. Underdown will serve as one of 23 Chief Patrol Agents nationwide 
in the U.S. Border Patrol, the largest uniformed federal law 
enforcement organization. Ms. Underdown will be the first female chief 
in the 75 year history of the Border Patrol, the uniformed enforcement 
arm of the Immigration and Naturalization Service with more than 8,000 
officers charged with protecting our Nation's borders.
  I would like to share with my Colleagues the attached News Release 
from the Immigration and Naturalization Service announcing Ms. 
Underdown's appointment and detailing her wide-ranging professional 
experience.
  Mr. Speaker, the Border Patrol performs a critical mission--to 
facilitate legal immigration and commerce and prevent illegal traffic 
in people and contraband, while ensuring the safety of those living in 
border communities. In Miami, our frequent and unhappy experience with 
immigrant smuggling makes it particularly essential that the Border 
Patrol and all immigration-related agencies discharge their 
responsibilities professionally and with sensitivity for the people 
involved.
  I am sure that Ms. Underdown's wide-ranging background and experience 
with detention and deportation issues will serve her well in her new 
position. Hopefully, her appointment also will promote the development 
of additional professional opportunities for women in all branches of 
law enforcement.

                    News Release, September 21, 1999

           INS Names New Chief Patrol Agent for Miami Sector

       Washington--Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) 
     Commissioner Doris Meissner today named Lynne Underdown, 
     currently the Director of INS in New Orleans, as the new 
     Chief Patrol Agent for the Miami Border Patrol Sector. 
     Underdown will be the first female chief in the 75-year 
     history of the U.S. Border Patrol, the uniformed enforcement 
     arm of INS charged with protecting the nation's borders.
       ``Lynne Underdown brings 19 years of distinguished service 
     to the job. Her appointment underscores my continuing 
     commitment to appoint the best-qualified applicants to key 
     positions throughout the agency. It is a special pleasure 
     that for Miami the result is our first female chief,'' said 
     Meissner.
       The Miami Sector has 55 Border Patrol Agents and 36 support 
     staff stationed in Florida. In addition, the sector has 
     jurisdiction over North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
       ``I have great respect for the hard working and dedicated 
     agents for the Miami Sector. They have accomplished a great 
     deal when faced with extraordinary challenges. It will be my 
     privilege to represent them,'' said Underdown.
       Underdown began her career with INS in 1980 as a Border 
     Patrol agent in San Diego. While in San Diego, she served as 
     a field agent and also worked as Field Training Officer, 
     Sector Training Officer and Recruiting Officer.
       In 1987, Underdown was promoted to Supervisory Border 
     Patrol Agent in Yuma Sector, where she was supervisor of the 
     Criminal Alien (BORCAP) unit. She also supervised Employer 
     Sanctions, the K-9 Tactical Unit and all Sector recruiting 
     activities.
       In 1990, Underdown transferred to the El Paso Sector, where 
     she was stationed in Carlsbad, New Mexico and continued her 
     work with the Criminal Alien unit and employer sanctions. She 
     also handled outreach activities with the community and local 
     employers.
       In 1992, Underdown was promoted to Assistant District 
     Director for Detention and Deportation in the New Orleans 
     District. She was responsible for supervising one of the 
     largest and most complex detention and deportation operations 
     in the country, covering a five-state jurisdiction and the 
     Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution for criminal aliens. 
     She was promoted to District Director in New Orleans in June 
     1998.
       Born and raised in Chicago, Underdown has a brother on the 
     Chicago police force and another brother who works for the 
     Cook County Sheriff's Department. Her father was a 30-year 
     veteran of the Chicago Police Department. ``I come from a law 
     enforcement family and I am proud to carry on that 
     tradition,'' said Underdown. She currently resides in New 
     Orleans with her two children and her husband, who is Chief 
     Patrol Agent of the New Orleans Border Patrol Sector.
       Underdown will serve as one of 23 Chief Patrol Agents 
     nationwide in the largest uniformed federal law enforcement 
     organization. The U.S. Border Patrol was officially 
     established on May 28, 1924 by an act of Congress passed in 
     response to increasing illegal immigration. The initial force 
     of 450 officers was given the responsibility of combating 
     illegal entries and the growing business of alien smuggling. 
     The Border Patrol now numbers more than 8,000 well-trained 
     and well-equipped officers.
       While the Border Patrol has changed dramatically since its 
     inception 75 years ago, its primary mission remains 
     unchanged--to detect and prevent the unlawful entry of aliens 
     into the United States and to apprehend those persons found 
     in the United States in violation of immigration laws. 
     Together with other INS officers, the Border Patrol helps 
     maintain borders that work--facilitating the flow of legal 
     immigration and goods while preventing the illegal traffic of 
     people and contraband and ensuring the safety of all those 
     living in border communities.