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Agents' uniforms raise concerns
By DAVE MONTGOMERY
Star-Telegram Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- T.J. Bonner isn't quite comfortable in his
olive-green Border Patrol uniform, but his misgivings have
nothing to do with the fit or appearance. He's mad about the
label: "Made in Mexico."
"It's embarrassing to be protecting the U.S.-Mexico border
and be wearing a uniform made in Mexico," says Bonner, a San
Diego-based agent and president of the 6,500-member agents
union, the National Border Patrol Council.
For more than a year, the men and women responsible for
combating illegal immigration have been wearing uniforms
manufactured south of the border. In addition to the
symbolism, they say, the outsourcing to Mexico poses national
security risks if some of the uniforms fall into the hands of
criminals or potential terrorists.
Consequently, some members of Congress insist that it's
time to change labels.
With House members preparing to consider tough new
immigration and border security measures after the
Thanksgiving congressional break, Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz.,
says he plans to push for a measure requiring that the
uniforms be made in the United States. "Made in America,
baby," Renzi adds for emphasis.
Rep. John Carter of Texas, who plans to join Renzi in
pushing for the restriction, said he shares the Arizona
lawmaker's concerns that smugglers or Mexican gang members
could steal a batch of uniforms and penetrate the already
porous 1,951-mile-long border between Mexico and four states
in the Southwest.
"If we're manufacturing uniforms in Mexico, what's to stop
someone from walking across the border in a Border Patrol
uniform?" Carter, a Republican from Round Rock in Central
Texas, said in a telephone interview last week from his
district office. "How do you know who are our guys and who are
their guys?"
The uniforms are supplied through VF Solutions of
Nashville, Tenn., under a contract that allows the apparel
company to subcontract its work to plants in the United
States, Mexico, Canada and the Dominican Republican. The
contract authorizes the company to provide shirts and pants
for agents and inspectors with U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, a branch of the Homeland Security Department.
"The principle of it seems almost like an oxymoron," said
James Stack of Alamogordo, N.M., the National Border Patrol
Council's vice president for a region that includes Texas and
New Mexico. "Most agents don't like it."
Company officials did not return phone calls last week to
discuss the contract. But customs officials have said they
maintain rigid security procedures, including on-site
inspections at the Mexican plant, and have detected no
security breaches or misuse of uniforms.
U.S. officials conducted a "security and quality assurance
review" at the plant in August, according to a statement on
Wednesday from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's
Washington headquarters.
"Based on this review, a report will be submitted to the
CBP commissioner for determination on the made-in-Mexico
issue, and no decisions have been made at this point," the
statement said.
Security concerns raised by the foreign-made uniforms will
likely amplify an already heated debate as President Bush and
Congress work toward toughening border security and seek ways
to reverse the flow of illegal immigrants, primarily from
Mexico.
An estimated 11 million illegal immigrants are living in
the United States, including 1.4 million in Texas, according
to the Pew Hispanic Center.
While most of the immigrants are job-seekers looking for
much higher incomes in the U.S. economy, experts say the
illegal flow also includes gang members and fugitives from
Mexican justice who might welcome a chance to get their hands
on a Border Patrol uniform. Lawmakers also worry that
unscrupulous gang members might help sneak terrorists into the
country if the price is right.
"Who's going to miss a few dozen uniforms?" said Bonner,
the union president. "That could be very dangerous to the
agents. You see a uniform, and you assume that's one of the
good guys."
Renzi said he hopes to persuade Republican House leaders to
include the made-in-America requirement as part of an
immigration enforcement measure expected to be introduced by
House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., in early
December. The measure could come up for debate on the House
floor next week.
Approximately 11,200 Border Patrol agents are deployed
along the 6,000 miles of border separating the United States
from Mexico and Canada. Although 1,000 agents will be added
under a measure signed last month by the president, lawmakers
are calling for thousands of additional agents, as well as
other steps, to further secure the borders.
Carter said the Mexican-made uniforms constitute not only a
security risk but also represent another example of work
leaving the United States to go to cheaper labor markets
elsewhere.
"It's a security issue as well as an economic issue," he
said.
Bonner, an agent for more than 27 years, said members of
his union have complained repeatedly after uniforms began
arriving with made-in-Mexico labels.
"They're not happy about this, but what are they supposed
to do?" he said. "You can't boycott and not wear a uniform."
Source:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/13268764.htm |
are made in Mexico.
