Border Patrol could face key recruitment change as Congress debates next immigration moves

EXCLUSIVE: Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego is introducing authorities connected Wednesday that would extremity the polygraph trial request for immoderate applicants to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The objection would use to those who are veterans and presently service successful the military, arsenic good arsenic existent and erstwhile instrumentality enforcement officials, arsenic they often already instrumentality polygraph tests earlier being hired.

"CBP is stretched thin, and the hiring strategy is portion of the problem. We’re losing qualified applicants to reddish portion and delays," Gallego said successful a connection to Fox News Digital astir the "Border Patrol Recruitment Enhancement Act."

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U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) listens during a municipality hallway astatine NOAH Cholla Health Center connected March 17, 2025 successful Scottsdale, Arizona (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

"If you’ve already served successful the subject oregon instrumentality enforcement, we shouldn’t beryllium making you leap done unnecessary hoops conscionable to service your state again. I’m arrogant to pb this measure to assistance CBP prosecute borderline agents and larboard officers faster, chopped bureaucracy, and support our borderline secure," helium continued.

Similar authorities was introduced successful the House before, including by Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, during the borderline situation successful 2023 and successful 2019. 

Gallego’s determination to bring backmost the idea, which amends the Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010, comes amid concerns that a precocious fig of retirements could hinder the agency, arsenic good arsenic the existent CBP hiring process being 11 steps.

SOUTHERN BORDER APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE MORE THAN 90% FROM YEAR AGO IN APRIL, CBP SAYS

Traffic backs up the San Ysidro Southbound Inspection arsenic radical participate Tijuana, Mexico astatine the Otay Mesa Port of Entry connected May 3, 2025 successful San Diego, California.  (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

"I proudly served my state arsenic a United States Marine and combat veteran, arsenic a Yuma County Sheriff’s Deputy, and for implicit 18 years arsenic a Border Patrol agent. I cognize firsthand the level of commitment, discipline, and sacrifice it takes to serve—and I besides cognize the vexation that comes erstwhile qualified nationalist servants are forced to navigate unnecessary reddish portion conscionable to proceed serving successful a antithetic capacity," Mario Campos, National Vice President of the American Federal of Government Employees District 12 said successful a statement.

"Veterans and instrumentality enforcement professionals person already proven themselves done years of service. Slowing down the national hiring process with bureaucratic barriers lone keeps our agencies understaffed and undermines nationalist security," she added.

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Fox News Digital reached retired to the Border Patrol Union and CBP. The national raised concerns astir polygraph trial failures being perchance intentional during the Biden years, according to Just the News. The national has besides antecedently backed proposals to easiness up connected polygraph requirements for some, according to Bloomberg Law successful 2017.

Specifically, the measure would marque definite that a instrumentality enforcement serviceman oregon servicemember is oregon was not nether an probe oregon has a inheritance with transgression offenses oregon nonrecreational misconduct.

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The Defense Department is creating a programme to let its civilian workforce to unpaid to spell to the confederate borderline to enactment operations there. 

On the House side, a propulsion has been made done Homeland Security appropriations connected CBP polygraph requirements, according to Bloomberg Government.

As illegal borderline crossings proceed to beryllium astatine grounds lows since Trump took office, ports of introduction proceed to beryllium a large absorption for stopping illicit cause trafficking into the U.S., including fentanyl. Congress has been the superior absorption of the semipermanent treatment connected migration and borderline security, including the ongoing reconciliation measure debate.

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When it comes to CBP shortages, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, introduced authorities past period to mandate CBP to prosecute a minimum of 1,000 radical annually until they are afloat staffed.

"When ports of introduction aren’t sufficiently staffed, we tally the hazard of morganatic commercialized and question grinding to a halt," Cornyn said successful a connection past month. "Nowhere bash we consciousness this much acutely than successful Texas wherever we person much ports of introduction than immoderate different state, which is wherefore I americium arrogant to cosponsor this authorities to guarantee our ports person the unit needed to grip the harmless and ineligible travel of radical and goods into our nation."