▶ 0:09:56Subcommittee on Homeland Security will come to order. Welcome, Acting Commissioner Flores. Uh, thank you for being here. Uh, two weeks ago, the Office of Management and Budget released a skinny fiscal year 2026 budget request. While we await the details of the full request, the focus of this hearing will be on US Customs and Border Protections priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. Uh, I will now turn to my colleague, the distinguished gentle lady from Illinois, Miss Underwood, for your opening remarks.
▶ 0:10:26Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, acting commissioner Flores. It's nice to see you again. I would like to note that you've taken this position as a career official. You're not serving in a political capacity. So, we appreciate your service and thank you for being here today. You are currently the head of one of the nation's oldest and most versatile federal agencies responsible for addressing changing and increasingly challenging issues.
▶ 0:10:47The enforcement of complex trade and agricultural laws and policies, securing our borders from illicit activities, including narcotics and human trafficking, facilitating lawful trade and travel through our ports of entry, and representing American values to visitors and around the world. CBP's work is made harder by our broken immigration system and Congress's failure to fix it.
▶ 0:11:09Since January 20th, you've also been at the mercy of fast-paced and chaotic directives from the administration to meet unfeasible goals that are putting enormous strain on CBP's resources and operational abilities. The constant whiplash on tariffs and new policies that are deterring international tourism are already impacting CBP, threatening our economic security and the financial stability of your agency.
▶ 0:11:32On top of that, the secretary is commandeering resources for politicized security theater that has already put DHS investigations and officers at risk. The president is dangerously downgrading our relationship with Canada, one of our most important allies and a critical partner on trade and northern border security. And our vice president is joking about detaining tourists who come here to enjoy the 2026 World Cup.
▶ 0:11:58The Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration reports that international visitors to the United States already fell 12% compared to the same time last year. And airlines are reporting that bookings for the summer are also looking lower. In addition to hurting the American economy, threats to tourism and trade impact CBP's daily operations because as international air passengers decline, so do your fee collections associated with that travel.
▶ 0:12:26The US is now on track to lose over 12 billion in international travel spending this year, which would likely increase CBP's budget needs for fiscal year 2026, putting pressure on this subcommittee to find savings from other parts of DHS. I know your agency is already monitoring this decline in previously projected growth, but I ask you to keep us informed about how this may change in this fiscal year and the next to ensure CBP has the resources it needs.
▶ 0:12:55One of the resources we have invested in over the years has been the deployment of non-intrusive inspection technologies that are vital in the detection of deadly narcotics and crossborder traffic. There is much more to be done to stem the flow of these deadly narcotics across our borders, and continued investment in both personnel and technology at the ports is critical to keeping our community safe. I am committed to improving our security at and between the ports of entry and facilitating trade and travel.
▶ 0:13:24But I'm also committed to doing so in a way that is consistent with our values as Americans, our founding constitutional principles, and our responsibility to those in our care, including the most vulnerable individuals that CBP encounters, as well as the physical and emotional wellness of the CBP workforce.
▶ 0:13:42In 2023, CBP launched a pilot in El Paso, Texas, focused on addressing the concerning rise in deaths by suicide of CBP personnel and providing services to improve the wellness of the CBP workforce. This program is saving lives. Reinvesting in CBP personnel and their families pays off. I was glad to see that the pilot has since expanded and encourage you to grow and expand the program.
▶ 0:14:10This type of investment only improves operational readiness, performance, retention, and recruitment. That's important because hiring at CBP continues to be a challenge, especially for Border Patrol agents. While the secretary touts a surge in recruitment, that does not translate into actual positions on boarding.
▶ 0:14:30CBP is also facing a major issue with its CBP officer workforce due to the anticipated wave of retirements that will leave a major gap in our capacity if we don't continue to plan and invest in hiring them now. I hope to hear more from you about your plans for addressing these issues and how Congress and specifically this committee can help on that front. Thank you again for being here today and I look forward to your testimony and answers to your questions or answers to our questions. I yield back. Thank you, ma'am.
▶ 0:15:01Uh, Mr. Commissioner, when your staff has briefed you, by the way, is there any reason they're all frowning right now and it's kind of early for the Anyhow, if they've briefed you? I traditionally do not do an opening statement. Um, that's because, frankly, nobody's really asked me to do one and so, uh, I'm not going to do one today, which means we're going to go right to you and your opening statement. Uh, without objection, your full written testimony will be entered into the record.
▶ 0:15:28Uh and with that in mind, we would ask you to to summarize to the extent you can your opening statement to five minutes. Mr. Acting Commissioner, the floor is yours. To appear before you today to discuss US Customs and Border Protections operational priorities and share recent accomplishments.
▶ 0:15:55As the nation's unified border agency, CBP has a clear and critical mission. Protect the American people by securing our borders from threats, enforcing our immigration and trade laws, and facilitating lawful trade and travel. As you are aware, CBP's mission is complex, challenging, and all too often dangerous. Tomorrow, at our Valor Memorial, we will honor 11 heroes and all the men and women of CBP and its legacy agencies who died in the line of duty.
▶ 0:16:24Every day, many of our employees endure intense physical and mental pressures. I am grateful this subcommittee continues to fund CBP's critical workforce care programs and support our exceptional people. I could not be more proud to have served to have spent my 37y year law enforcement career serving alongside such dedicated and talent talented employees.
▶ 0:16:49I am also grateful to the members and staff of this subcommittee for their unwavering support of CBP's mission by ensuring we have the vital technology, equipment, infrastructure, and personnel resources to accomplish our broad security and responsibilities. Today, I'd like to share with you just a few just some of CBP's recent accomplishments. First, border security is national security.
▶ 0:17:15Immediately following the president's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border, CB took CBP took a comprehensive action to expand our enforcement efforts, prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling, and safeguard the American people at our ports of entry.
▶ 0:17:34With the termination of CBP1 app scheduling function, CBP's office of field operations began redirecting its critical and limited resources from processing illegal aliens to border security operations. Since January 21st, immigration processing actions at ports of entry decreased by 99% compared to the same time in 2024.
▶ 0:17:56Between the ports of entry, the border patrol expanded its use of expedited removal and increased enforcement against cartels and other criminal organizations. We continue to experience a dramatic and historic decline in illegal crossings. In March, the border patrol encountered just under 72 7200 illegal aliens along the southwest border, a nearly 95% decrease from March of 2024.
▶ 0:18:23Complementing these enforcement efforts, CBP initiated border barrier construction for areas along our border. More than 85 miles of new border barriers are already in various stages of planning and construction, including a recent contract awarded approx award for approximately seven miles in the Rio Grand Valley sector.
▶ 0:18:45CBP is also working with DoD and the Texas National Guard to deploy temporary barriers along our maritime borders. CBP's air and marine operations realigned aircraft increased patrols resulting in a 71% increase in maritime apprehensions in Southern California. We remain vigilant across all our border environments and continuously adjust our operations as cartels seek to shift their activities to alternate routes.
▶ 0:19:14It is clear that during the first four months, the administration's policies, coupled with increased enforcement by CBP, DoD, and our Mexican counterparts, has significantly disrupted criminal activity along the southwest border. CBP's drug seizures have recently decreased. However, the amount of illegal drugs approaching our border remains alarmingly high, and we are intensifying our efforts.
▶ 0:19:37And finally, CBP was ready to immediately enforce the president's new tariffs by updating the automated commercial environment, performing targeted inspections, and using clear guidance to operational personnel. As of May 2nd, CBP has successfully implemented 21 tariff related presidential actions, collecting more than 37.9 billion in tariff related With your support, CBP will will remain resilient and responsive to any new threats or
▶ 0:20:08challenges. We will continue to prioritize investments that strengthen our enforcement of immigration laws, degrade the threat of c of transnational criminal organizations and terrorists, and protect the nation's economic security. I look forward to your questions. Thank you for your opening statement. I'm going to defer my questions until later on in the hearing. So, we'll now go to the gentle lady from Illinois, Miss Underwood, for your questions. Thank you, Mr. Flores. I want to talk about the northern border and Alaska.
▶ 0:20:38I'm concerned this administration is leaving us vulnerable in these regions to focus on their preferred narrative of a crisis at the southern border, despite the facts showing otherwise. Just one of many examples, CBP data showed twice as many terrorism related encounters just at ports of entry on the northern border than the entire southern border. Beyond a joint narcotics operation, your testimony doesn't discuss the northern border.
▶ 0:20:59So, can you please share more specifics about how the skinny budget we've seen can possibly support what CBP needs to face evolving threats at the northern border, especially given the recent diversion and resources to the southern one? Thank you for the question. So, although our current resources and and enforcement posture on the southern border is where we are today in ensuring that we secure that from getting to 100% situational awareness, ultimately operational control.
▶ 0:21:25We know that we we're responsible for all the border in the United States, including land border, our northern border, uh, and our, and our waters, the maritime environment. So, as we continue to outline resources needed and the support with the support of this this committee, uh, resources that we need in regards to technology personnel on the northern border as well as our maritime borders to ensure that we have 100% situational awareness of what's coming across our borders.
▶ 0:21:51We have technology uh that we're that we have implemented on the northern border uh that we're and we continue to look at new technology that will work on the northern border for us in regards to potential for communications, fiber optic cabling, uh northern border cameras that we have there and enhancing our personnel uh that's along our northern border to ensure that we are gaining that additional 100% situational awareness. Okay.
▶ 0:22:17Well, given the known challenges of staffing the northern border, I look forward to working with you on the ways that we in Congress can help staff those hard to fill locations. Moving on, I'm deeply concerned about a memo that you issued on May 5th that revoked four CBP policies protecting vulnerable people in your custody, including seniors, pregnant women, and kids. One of the four policies that you revoked was on the processing of pregnant and postpartum non-citizens and infants. That policy is what keeps moms in custody healthy.
▶ 0:22:46It doesn't require anything fancy. In fact, I'm a nurse and I can tell you it's really barely the basics. Things like a place to sit or lie down or an extra juice or snack for pregnant and breastfeeding moms. The only justification in your memo for revoking this policy was that it was quote either obsolete or misaligned with current agency guidance and immigration immigration enforcement priorities.
▶ 0:23:11Now, of course, CBP is fundamentally not built for detention, but there are many situations where detention occurs, sometimes long-term, and it's critical that CBP have high standards in place to protect detainees and personnel. So, tell me, what specifically about juice and seating for detained, pregnant, and breastfeeding moms is obsolete or misaligned with your current guidance and priorities? Congressman, thank you for the question.
▶ 0:23:38So I would say that when we have 20,000 people in custody every single day, we have 15,000 people sitting underneath a bridge and we have a couple hundred large groups sitting in the desert. Creating additional mechanisms to sort through those masses to ensure that we're taking care of the vulnerable became absolutely necessary as we sort through that population to make sure that we're expediting care uh and processing for those individuals that we have either in a facility or out
▶ 0:24:08uh on on the border some at some location. Today's numbers, we look at our custody numbers today, we have anywhere from 500 to 7 800 individuals in custody. We're seeing less than 300 a day come across our borders. So with those numbers, we can operationalize and ensure that we're not minimizing the care that we're taking care of those individuals in our custody.
▶ 0:24:33In that memo as well, we I emphasize that priority of taking care of individuals uh in our custody remains a priority for us, right? So, our ability to be able to get through, care for, and and meet all the requirements of those in our custody based on 500 or 800 individuals being in our custody, right? We're able to meet those needs and be able to meet. But, Mr. Mr.
▶ 0:24:58Commissioner, you know, if you remove the standards of care that offer baseline basic criteria for how to care for a vulnerable population like a pregnant person and that would direct your agents and officers to offer that individual juice or a snack or place to sit. If we are not issuing that as basic policy, then it might not happen. And so I I appreciate that encounters are down and that is a fantastic thing. That is something that this committee celebrates.
▶ 0:25:27in fact, but you, as you reaffirmed, you do have a baseline standard for caring for people in your custody. And so what I'm going to ask is that you commit to immediately reinstating this policy or a new one or a new one that reflects the current dynamic with lower levels of encounters that would have higher standards for pregnant and postpartum moms. Will you commit to that? So I definitely take that back, Congresswoman, as we look through this.
▶ 0:25:53So what I what I would tell you is that when when we do have 20,000 people in custody, it it was difficult to find space to allow that to occur. So we had to prioritize that in order to allow that to occur, to find a place to sit, to get juice or snacks. And we're still doing the same thing. It's just we do not have the space limitations today in our facilities to find a place to allow someone to sit or to have juice or to have those snacks. Mr.
▶ 0:26:20Chairman, you know, I think that this committee would be willing to find the resources to properly care for pregnant moms, postpartum moms, kids, elders that are in CBP's care, and I'm going to continue to impress upon the agency the urgency of uh reinstating this type of policy. It's not optional. And I yield back. Thank you. Um, we now go to uh the gentle lady from Iowa, which represents the home of the river buoy tender Wakanda.
▶ 0:26:50That is right. For your questions for the acting commissioner. The floor is yours. Yes. And uh thank you for hearing me out during our Coastg Guard hearing yesterday about our need for a new cutter on the Mississippi River. Uh I understand you do a lot of great work with um US Coast Guard and you talked about some of the introductions already.
▶ 0:27:06So, I just want to extend my sincere gratitude to you and the men and women at CBP for all the work you do uh to not only care for those individuals, as was just discussed in the last line of questioning, but to really uh keep our country safe, to stand up to those terrorists, those transnational crime organizations, uh the traffickers who are taking advantage of those very people every single day. So, thank you for what you're doing to help keep um them and all of us safe. Um we know under the Biden administration, every state became a border state, even states like Iowa.
▶ 0:27:33We saw those consequences firsthand um through fentanyl. Um we saw those consequences through illegal drugs flooding into our communities uh putting American lives, Iowa lives at risk. So I'm grateful to the president for taking that action on day one. I mean, you talked about a 95% decrease year-over-year. That is incredible to see those numbers shift in the other way. Um and we know you need the necessary tools, the authorities to be able to execute and do that job. Um we didn't need new policy. We needed a new president.
▶ 0:28:02Um, and we consistently heard from Border Patrol under the previous administration. Um, you felt your hands were tied. Agents were telling me they didn't feel that they could do their jobs effectively. Um, specifically the jobs that they were trained to do. So, I'm excited to see a return to to core mission here. So, thank you for helping to lead that. Um, President Trump's policies reinstating remain in Mexico, changing over the CPP1 app to make it um, the CBP home app. Um, resuming border wall construction as you talked about the the barrier construction as well.
▶ 0:28:32Those are all uh established and proven tools to really help us to deter illegal immigration and again empower our uh frontline agents to be able to do their jobs. So which of the uh bidary Biden era policy reversals would you say have been most effective in having the greatest impact on enforcement um deterrence and um and the safety and morale of your agents and officers?
▶ 0:28:57So I would say the actually enforcing our immigration laws and providing consequences to those that break that law. So, our ability to get out of processing, caretaking, uh, transportation, a lot of those administrative or or non-LEO type enforcements that we had agents and officers doing on a regular and reoccurring basis, they were able we're able now to get them to do law enforcement type work, to patrol the border, uh, to create
▶ 0:29:27deterrence, to make those arrests, uh, have time to interview uh, aliens that we're encounting on and develop further information and intelligence in order to continue uh prosecutions and to continue down the road in regards to closing off aspects of the border that that were open. The the other piece I I think that significantly helped us is the inject of equipment uh personnel from DoD.
▶ 0:29:56uh being able to have more line of sight, being able to have more technology to have more coverage on the border, allowing our agents to be able to respond and and intercept and actually arrest those individuals crossing our border. So, we've seen talking like automated surveillance towers. Absolutely.
▶ 0:30:12So, our automated autonomous surveillance towers uh and those type that type of technology that that we're using across the board today, the increase of what we're doing from aircraft and unmanned aircraft patrols on the border to provide additional v u visibility and reaction time for our agents. So, those have significantly helped and what we're seeing today uh in those numbers.
▶ 0:30:34Uh the other piece is the consistent messaging for us uh not only within what's happening at the border and within the US but to to countries that we had seen uh aliens arrive at our border from. So that that messaging and the messaging uh obviously matches the consequences that are being being provided. Yeah.
▶ 0:30:53Well, it's very clear with that reduction in numbers coming across the border and um to to my colleagues earlier point about um and making sure people are cared for, you're clearly able to do that because you have uh fewer people that you're in having in custody and I I think that that's really important that you can redirect those resources where they need to go. Um and again, I think that probably uh is a good morale booster for the workforce as well. U can you speak to a little bit the uh broader cost savings from the changes that have been made under the Trump administration?
▶ 0:31:21You talk about interdiction, deterrence, um being able to use some of these automated technologies like the CBP home app. Um how are those efforts helping you to carry out your mission more effectively? I mean, I I remember coming down to my colleague uh Tony Tony Gonzalez's district and seeing those softsided facilities that now we don't have to pay for anymore. So, how have you been able to to really um maximize those savings? So, I I think the first thing I'll start with is being able to get our law enforcement officers back to doing law enforcement work.
▶ 0:31:48So, we we've cut manh hours there in regards to non-law enforcement work and being able to patrol the border, which makes us more effective and efficient uh based on using law enforcement hours for law enforcement work. Uh that that'd be the first thing I'd mention. The other thing I I would say on the softsided facility, so softsided facilities were costing us about 83 million a month is what that was costing us.
▶ 0:32:14So with the ability uh with the numbers being significantly lowered uh with our in custody numbers again down from 20,000 people every day that we had individuals in custody down to 5 to 800 today we were able to shut down all those softs facility. So saving the American taxpayers $83 million each month on the cost of that. So being able to take that with the be able to do that internally with the resources was a significant uh savings for the American taxpayer.
▶ 0:32:44Um I would say that in regards to the CBP home app and what we're doing, it's a cost-effective way to allow individuals that are here illegally or undocumented to be able to get back to their home countries on their own. uh it's cheaper than uh providing for custody and providing for transportation flights with with ICE who typically does that transportation. So it it is a cost-savings mechanism that allows for those in the country to depart on their own terms.
▶ 0:33:15Well, thank you for the great work you're doing, acting commissioner, and appreciate you coming to testify today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Uh the floor now for five minutes for questioning belongs to the gentleman from the uh namesake of the Uni Royal Laredo Allterrain Tire. Hey, that is that is very good. It's a little vintage. Don't anybody think I'm giving him an ad, buddy. The floor is yours. Uh thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am impressed by that detail. Uh and ranking member, thank you so much.
▶ 0:33:45Uh I was texting Rodney Scott. He told me to be kind. So for the record, I would be very kind. Uh, Commissioner of Flores. Uh, couple of things. Uh, first of all, thank your men and women, um, blue, green, uh, tan air marine and all the folks that work for y'all. Thank you so much. Uh, I'm going have my questions, uh, are going to be very specified to Loredo, if you don't mind this time.
▶ 0:34:10Uh, number one, uh, we have the largest checkpoint that needs to be upgraded. I think we already added $15 million of working on the uh design, but um I like to make sure that y'all keep that on budget and on time and and and that's one thing we need to work on. Everything else that you all work on on budget and on time and hopefully uh we can follow the law uh on that aspect.
▶ 0:34:37Um uh and I'm worried about that checkpoint because it's uh it it would be the fourth largest port of entry if it would be a port of entry. that checkpoint and it's not only that checkpoint but we got the another one in Frier that's been on holding for a while and we need that one too and then I think uh Congressman Gonzalez has another one in Eagle Pass I believe also so if we going to add money if y'all going to be adding money on reconciliation just look at the basics uh needs for our men and
▶ 0:35:07women uh down there and I'll talk about those uh checkpoints uh the other thing is the efficiencies I know we just established a CT pack in an office there. You know, the more of those trucking lines we can get in, the better it is. Uh because as you know, uh most of the drugs come in through ports of entry, not in between ports. Uh according to the US sent Sentencing Commission, 86% of the people that are caught at checkpoints and ports of entry are US citizens, not illegal.
▶ 0:35:36They're US citizens or residents. So, we got to make sure we get your technology uh working. Um, so we got to get that non-intrusive technology working and and I know sometimes the footprint is not there for some of the older bridges. Uh, but uh there are some new expansions coming in the World Trade Bridge in Larredo which is the largest port uh in the whole country bigger than LA and etc etc.
▶ 0:36:02We only have eight lanes but we got the presidential permit where we go from 8 to 18 lanes. So from 18,000 trailers a day. Uh you can imagine what's going to happen. That gives a lot of opportunities for the bad guys to use those uh trailers. Uh we have the third largest uh crossing uh the Colombia Bridge which we're waiting for a presidential permit. Uh it's uh the second largest in Texas.
▶ 0:36:30So Laredo has basically number one and number three in the whole southern border. Uh so I'm very interested in the men and women in blue and the technology that that y'all uh are looking at. Um and finally the last thing I I uh want to make a comment then you can respond is the cameras. As you know FAA somebody came up with a bright idea to put it all together and the FAA um was handling the maintenance.
▶ 0:36:59It's like asking border patrol to go on uh air traffics and I think hopefully that was changed now. Uh but in my area onethird of the cameras are working twothirds are not working unless if those numbers have changed but to say onethird of the cameras are not working I know we're waiting for upgrades that's not good for border security. Last point uh has to do with contracting.
▶ 0:37:27You mentioned that, you know, the tents and those tents. I know some were coming from Rome, New York and other places, but they a lot of it when the numbers went down, I don't know what the right term is. Y'all had this warm status. Y'all should have gotten rid of that. Rid of that because we're paying millions and millions and millions of taxpayers dollars. Uh and and y'all just got to do a better job at contracting and getting a better deal.
▶ 0:37:55uh and then just letting those whatever it is warm status uh going in uh to that and talking about warm let me go to warm uh farm there's a big detention center in Laredo uh $280 million uh I call it a woke type project uh where for the um sewage you all want to use worm apparently you all use it in California that's fine in California but the city of Loredo is willing to put sewage lines and work with this
▶ 0:38:25I'll call it a woke project. I mean I mean just that that warm thing. The rest is good. Uh the detention center is good but I I would like to have a follow up on all that. Sure. And and and I know we don't have enough time but be happy to sit down with you and and for the record tell Mr. Scott that I was very kind to you. It was very kind. Congress. Thank you for the question. We'll definitely get back to you. We recognize all those projects there.
▶ 0:38:51they are on our priority and as obviously as we get through ability to fund many of that and some have already funded in regards to the Laredo checkpoint. So we're we're on track uh with that going forward. And the detention center, what about that warm so the the warm status that we put them in is because unpredictability that we had during uh the surges that we were seeing from illegal crossing. So wanted to make sure that we were not going to be out of capacity.
▶ 0:39:18Since with with the new with the new administration and the numbers that we saw consistently being down, we went through the process as soon as we could in order to scale down. And every one of those softsided facilities we no longer operate in. Yeah. Well, this is a heart uh facility. They're they they closed the tents and we're talking about heart facility. Your uh congressional affairs person is very familiar with that. I I just I don't have a problem. I support that detention center.
▶ 0:39:46I just have a problem with the warm uh form uh when the city's willing to connect sewage lines to y'all. But anyway, thank you so much. And I appreciate your service and your men and women that work for y'all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. Uh the chair now recognizes the vice chair of the subcommittee, the gentleman uh from Arizona, home of the five C's, copper, cattle, cotton, citrus, and climate. Mr. Mr.
▶ 0:40:16Ciscomani, the floor is yours for five minutes. You're you're really doing a great job today, chairman. The all all the personalized uh I'm exhausted, but go right ahead. It's great. It's great. Thank you, acting commissioner. Thank you for being here with us today and thank you for your leadership in this very important issue to the entire nation. I represent Arizona's sixth congressional district. It's it's in the southern part of southeastern part of the state.
▶ 0:40:39So in in the border with Mexico, I've I've had the opportunity to visit countless times with uh your UFO officers with the CBP agents and the AMO agents as well. And I'm always very impressed with their grit uh even through the hardest times in the last few years just how they were able to show up and keep doing the job uh in spite of of everything else going on. So um I I have a lot of pride in representing them in Congress.
▶ 0:41:06I have a large number of them in my district living in my district. So it's a um I want to ask a question here on on an issue on the um EFRS uh issue that that we're seeing. It's my understanding that federal law enforcement officers face mandatory retirement at age 57, which we know, but can retire earlier if they have 20 years in service and are over 50 or even younger if they have 25 years of service. This applies for law enforcement or CBP. Correct. Correct. Okay.
▶ 0:41:36And uh how many CBP personnel do you have who are eligible for retirement today? Uh and and how many will be eligible in the next couple of years? So just on the retirement issue just start with you're correct in regards to so we have officers agents any other CBP law enforcement personnel. So at the age of 50 with 20 years worth of service can retire at the at any age with 25 years worth of service can can retire in regards if they're if they are a LEO in regards to our numbers of retirement.
▶ 0:42:06So we look at CBP has currently a little over 67,000 employees in CBP right now. If we look at our current number of those eligible to retire, we're somewhere right about 5,900 individuals that are employees that are able to retire. Within that 5,900 that are eligible to retire, we have another 3,300 of those that are LEO or law enforcement that are a that are eligible for retirement. Great. Thank you for for that.
▶ 0:42:34Um, under the under the federal employee retirement system, uh, that I mentioned, there's um, federal law enforcement officers receive a supplemental a supplement to their annuity when they retire to bridge them until they become eligible for social security at age 62. Our colleagues on the House Oversight Committee recently reported out legislation as part of the reconciliation process that would have required a federal law enforcement officer to work until they are 57 to receive this supplement.
▶ 0:43:04I have a huge Border Patrol presence in my district as I mentioned earlier and I personally know agents who because of injuries really struggle to make it to retirement eligibility um let alone the mandatory retirement age of 57.
▶ 0:43:19Specifically, I when I've gone over on the um far remote areas of the border and I realize the terrain that these agents are going up and down and I' I've heard the stories of how their knees give out at, you know, in their in their 40s sometime and even earlier and the injuries that they have. The Arizona border is a very unique border as you know uh in southern part there the because of again the terrain some areas you can't even build a barrier because of that. It's it's very different than some of the other neighboring states.
▶ 0:43:47So, um, anecdotally, I I've heard from these agents and and in their retirement papers right now that they're putting in, uh, because they fear that they will not be able to physically make it to the age of 57, which is is because of what I just described as well. So, is is this something that that you're tracking on that with with the with the men and women working in your department?
▶ 0:44:11How might this provision removing supplemental pay impact uh pay may impact your agency and also your recruitment efforts and retainment efforts? Thank you for the question, Congressman. So, we track retirements on a regular basis on what we're seeing in regards to employees putting in for retirement.
▶ 0:44:30Um, in regards to anything that is added or taken away, obviously Congress will have that input on what happens next on whether or not any of the language or what that language looks like in reconciliation or any anywhere else. I can tell you from my from my personal experience, anytime we have or there is discussion about potential impacts to employees pay or benefits, there there is some impact to that in in regards to at least our current employees, right?
▶ 0:45:00When you start talking about impacts to current employees benefits and pay, uh there is some impact and concern from from our existing employees. Well, I go back to my district every weekend. Spend a lot of time out and about from um uh on the field in football games or at the grocery store and every or church and every time I uh I right now talking to someone in in the federal as a federal law enforcement, this is the number one issue on their mind and what we're working on
▶ 0:45:30here. is something that we're addressing and wanted to make sure what your thoughts were on that in terms again of the recruitment part but also in the retention right now given the numbers that you have and and the ones that are eligible for retirement. This is the time that we need our workforce and our experienced workforce to be uh on this and and that's why I think it's it's important to to fix that and we we will. So thank you sir for for being here and thank you for your testimony today.
▶ 0:45:54Thank you chairman that you're The chair now recognizes the uh gentleman from Aloha country. The uh since we're talking about new states these days, not that it's exactly new, but the 50th state, at least some people believe that. The floor is yours for five minutes. I don't know how to respond to that. Actually, I've I've got some witty comments having to do with the 51st state, but I think I'll just pass.
▶ 0:46:24Figured you would, which is why I tried to defer to you. Thanks for beating me. Uh, Mr. Flores, first of all, thanks for your service. I think I counted 37 years or so. Uh, so you've been on the front line for a long time. Appreciate your stepping into this role. Um, what I want to do is follow up on a line of questioning that I had with the secretary when she testified um about the cost benefit of a border wall. Um, and let me let me give you some context. First of all, I've been to the border three times myself.
▶ 0:46:54I've talked with many many of your officers on the ground. Um, I believe and I believe it may be the consensus of some of the officers on the ground that we definitely need um to rehabilitate, expand, and extend the border wall in some parts, but not all 1,954 miles. I'm not going to speak for them, but that's my conclusion.
▶ 0:47:16So, what I'm what I'm interested in is is is understanding the administration's where the administration is trying to go and what are the consequences of doing that. So my understanding is that um in FY2024 continued to 2025 uh Customs and Border Protection was funded at about 19 19.6 billion. Um the skinny budget doesn't specifically call out CBP, but it's a it's a level funded budget.
▶ 0:47:43Um and I don't think that there is an assumption of an increase for CBP in the skinny budget. Um but reconciliation clearly uh frontloads CBP to the tune of of um about 64.9 billion which is three times more than the annual funding uh of which 46.5 billion um is to build the border wall.
▶ 0:48:08So that means that of the entire reconciliation budget 71.6% 6% is allocated to to a to a border wall in the CBP which is twice the annual budget of all of CB.8 billion to border surveillance which I think we would all agree um is is is also an important part of actually securing our border. Um, so, um, my question to Secretary Gnome was this. Um, that's a heck of a lot of money to put into a border wall.
▶ 0:48:35And if we've seen such a drastic decrease, um, in entries into this country, uh, which is good news, by the way, uh, congratulations to everybody that pulled that off. Um, but if we've got this under control from a non 1954 mile border wall, then why are we investing that much in a border wall?
▶ 0:48:57Um, and so, so the subsidiary part of the question is does that 46.5 billion assume what's the assumption under that? How much wall does that buy? 46.5 billion. So, Congressman, thank you for the question. So within CBP in our evaluation, we've recognized needs in regards to expanding uh border walls and not just the border wall, the border wall system. So infrastructure is one thing.
▶ 0:49:24When you talk about infrastructure, an actual physical in infrastructure wall, you could talk about border rows and access rows which become equally as important. But the border wall system also includes technology. So that means we're talking about fiber optic cable, we're talking about sensors, we're talking about cameras, autonomous cameras, and that all combining together to com to systemize just a border wall system in what we're doing.
▶ 0:49:47So what we have planned for in regards to needs that we have so based on uh support from the committee operationalizing what some of those needs are in regards to border wall border barrier both primary wall and secondary wall but includes the technology as All right, cool. And I'm fine with all your technology and I'm fine with all of that, you know, border roads and I'm fine with everything else in terms of, you know, taking care of our our agents.
▶ 0:50:13But I guess my specific question is what's the assumption as to a physical barrier, an extension of that barrier because $46.5 billion is a lot of money to spend um when um you know, the administration says that it has solved the problem already. So my question is uh from a costbenefit perspective, what assumption are we making with the border wall and that 46.5 the wall itself? So the wall itself we we recognize the operational need and the funding in order to build the we don't have the funding for that.
▶ 0:50:43We've used our current funding in order to build the current wall that we that we have either in some type of planning or construction. I don't mean to I I I I'm really trying to get to how much wall did you did you put in your to your projections of 46.5 billion? What is the assumption there? Is that the entire border? Is it half the border? So it it will not include the entirety of the border. So we have a little less than 2,000 miles along the border. So we recognize that there are areas geographic areas and terrain out there where a border wall does not make sense for us.
▶ 0:51:12Do you know how much how many of those miles you are assuming in that 46.5 billion number? So in regards to primary border barrier, I can tell you that our operational need of what we've identified from a primary border barrier, we're about 700 miles of of primary border. Okay. So that's the assumption in the 46.5. So that's what we have in our planning so far, operational need. And just quickly, um what time frame does that assume?
▶ 0:51:36Because what you're doing is you're committing this appropriations committee uh to funding of that over time, which takes out of the other goals, which is why reconciliation and budgeting is a bad idea. What's the time frame 10 years? So what we have right now is just a planning stage of what our operational needs are based on whether or not funding is provided when we get the funding. Um we will determine what the time frame is there but we are we are working to shorten that time frame as as much as possible. Okay. Thank you.
▶ 0:52:08Gentleman le y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y yields back. Uh I now recognize the gentleman from uh the state whose name I guess means friendly in uh in in one of the native languages and obviously the Lonear State, Mr. Gonzalez, the floor is yours for five minutes. Uh thank you chairman and uh Pete, great to see you here. You've done a great job as commissioner. Uh thank you and and the men and women that work underneath you uh alongside you for everything that you're doing.
▶ 0:52:36Uh I I want to start with, you know, my district. I've got four sectors in it. I've got a small piece of Laredo, Del Rio sector, Big Ben sector, and El Paso sector. And each one is completely different than the next. Let's start with the El Paso sector. Um I want to bring your I'm not too I want to bring to your attention that um at Fort Hancock, the port of entry at Fort Hancock, the hours have been reduced due to CO 19 and they never got returned.
▶ 0:53:03I mean, COVID was 5 years ago and the hours are still limited because of that. Um, so my question is are there are there any plans and I understand staffing and you're trying to navigate it all, but it is a it is seriously a safety issue for the residents in Hudsmith County that rely on that port of entry to to make their way to to Mexico back and forth.
▶ 0:53:24Do do you have any plans to re-evaluate our land port of entries that currently operate operate under reduced hours specifically pre-COVID hours? Well, Congress, thank you for the question. Good to see you again. Um absolutely. So we do a continuous evaluation of what our operational tempo is and what our hours are um at all all our locations that we do every three the 328 ports of entry that we have.
▶ 0:53:49So we want to make sure from an operational tempo that we're meeting the demand of what's happening at the at our ports of entry. So we we do that evaluation and we consistently re-evaluate whether or not the hours meet the demand and needs on what we have.
▶ 0:54:02What we do recognize is that based on limited staffing and resources that that we have to put our staffing to uh where the need is and then scale down operations as best as possible um in order to ensure that we're taking care of needs across the board but ensuring that staff is dedicated to primary locations where we're seeing the need for increased staffing. But we do re-evaluate consistently on what port hours should be. Sure.
▶ 0:54:28I I' I'd ask you take a look at the the Port Hank uh the Fort Hancock port of entry. Um Hudsmith County often gets forgotten for a lot of different reasons and uh and that is uh that is an important issue for me. Uh I want to um I want to talk about Stone Garden. Um Stone Garden, I think, is a program that has been very successful. You know, for those of us who voted for the CR last year, we were able to get a variety of different amounts in.
▶ 0:54:54I know El Paso County was able to get 3.7 million, but there's a disparity in in some of the the grant awardees, right? Other parts of my district, Freo County got 165K, Lasel County got 186K. All grateful, all good stuff. But, um, a as you're as you're going through this on the u as we're working through the reconciliation process on the homeland authorization side, we put 450.
▶ 0:55:21Let's hopefully it stays, but we put 450 million in there over a 5-year period. Um I I would just ask that you kind of evaluate make sure that it's going to some of these areas because in in many cases it's these smaller counties that are still getting hit and and that leads me uh actually before I go into that part uh I'd also like to hear your thoughts on a lot of times that's used for overtime but equipment is is one of the basic necessities.
▶ 0:55:50uh communicating and in many parts of my district you just cannot communicate with with others. What are your thoughts on on trying to expand the the the stone garden program to maybe just radios or having some things like that? Just love to get your thoughts on the communication piece to uh to just the problem set along the border. Congress, thank you for the question. agree from a stone guard.
▶ 0:56:13I'll start with stone garden perspective there that it's an important aspect of what we do with being able to work law enforcement issues with our state and locals uh in the county as we know uh me like some of you born and raised in a small border town um in Klexico California.
▶ 0:56:31So understand the need of how small some of the law enforcement is uh and the support needed and the ability to communicate becomes uh essential like in most situations regular routine and emergency situations. So what we can do in regards to the request um in regards to stone guard and we will look into what that looks like in regards to equipment and communication and what that is. A lot of those requests that that they come in are based on the agency themselves, right?
▶ 0:56:59the state and local agencies themselves uh putting in their operational order on the needs and kind of what what the what the cooperation will be on that on how we meet those needs under Stone Garden. Well, I'd love to continue to work together with you on modernizing the program. You we just can't write blank checks and think it's going to solve itself. Like what do we how do we uh make sure that those funds are are these our taxpayer dollars are going down to meet the need and sometimes it's not personnel. Sometimes it is equipment like uh communications.
▶ 0:57:28My my last question is is on the Big Ben sector. I mean, we talk about these other sectors get a lot of attention, but the Big Ben sector in my eyes is an area that hasn't slowed down that continues to have a lot of foot traffic on a daily basis. You know, a lot of people are traveling through the desert on that area in in that area in particular. Once again, it's not an easy place to get to and and I understand the population is low, but from a Big Ben sector, uh, is there anything that we can do to help, you know, some of the local communities?
▶ 0:57:58What I'm hearing from my ranchers is just they have like for everyone else, they've gotten relief, that area continues to be a hot bed just with in the Big Ben sector in particular. Is there anything that we can do to maybe alleviate some of their high foot Thank you for the question, Congressman. Uh we continue to look at our hightraic areas and re-evaluate that.
▶ 0:58:22Um with with the support that we're getting, uh being able to put agents back to do law enforcement work, the ingestion of technology that we have and refocusing some of that technology with the help of DoD and the technology, uh the help of DoD personnel on the border to help close off some of those areas are all areas that we're focusing on.
▶ 0:58:43So, we're we continue to plan for where we see problem spots or hot areas along the border and we continue to re-evaluate how we're deploying our agents, how we're working with DoD, deploy their personnel, and then what our coverage is in the air in regards to bring visibility to those problem areas.
▶ 0:59:02We'll continue to work towards 100% situational awareness and that's our plan right now to get to that 100% situational awareness so we can ensure that we know what's coming across the border and then ultimately in ensuring that we know what's coming across the border being able to affect an enforcement action on that. The enforcement and deterrence piece on the consequences seems to have good deterrence and alleviating some of those hot spots. Right. Well, thank you commissioner for your testimony today. Look forward to continuing to work together and uh chairman I yield back. Thank you.
▶ 0:59:32The gentle lady from high altitude, Texas, which we may be the two highest altitude residents of districts in Congress. I don't know about Mr. New House, but he's not here, so he doesn't count today. The floor is yours for five minutes. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman and Madame Ranking Member. Uh, Commissioner Flores, thank you for being here and thank you for your service to our country. I am blessed to represent the beautiful community of El Paso, Texas.
▶ 1:00:02And uh I'm a native, born and raised there, raised my children there. And my constituents recognize the importance of our land ports of entry. I think frequently Congress does not. You know, we get a lot of visitors uh from across the country who parachute in, they visit the border, take their selfies, leave. Um, when I have folks visit the border, I always include our land ports of entry because they are key to our commerce, to our national economy.
▶ 1:00:32But what I have heard long before I was in Congress from my neighbors, friends, etc. who work for CBP is how underststaffed our OFO personnel are. And it's been a chronic issue.
▶ 1:00:49It precedes uh my time in Congress as I mentioned and the staffing model I think needs to be reconfigured and we need to think about different things in a new staffing model including for example uh the El Paso sector where land one land port of entry is probably about 45 minutes away from another land port of entry and when you're shifting personnel we've got to take that timing into consideration.
▶ 1:01:19I was so proud uh to have supported the bipartisan infrastructure law which has funding for a port modernization uh the bridge of the Americas in the central part of my community and as we increase uh POV traffic there I again come back to thinking about staffing uh and again Congress frequently focuses on border patrol and the border when it comes to CBP. I would like to hear from you.
▶ 1:01:48How do we address our chronic understaffing with OFO? Congresswoman, thank you for the question. So, our workload staffing model is something we've de developed now over several years and and and it's been validated. I think to your point in regards to taking into consideration the time and distance of some of our locations is an important aspect and something that we're trying to ensure that in it is incorporated into the workload staffing model.
▶ 1:02:14current workload staffing model for OFO at least the last numbers I saw I believe had them 5,000 people short based on current workload that the last time we did the assessment so it's a it's a validation tool for us on what the workload is so agreed that operationally uh like the bord office of field operations is also short of the men and women performing the job uh at the ports of entry and as you're well aware in regards to the economics of what happens at a ports of entry
▶ 1:02:44in regards to daily travel, commuter travel, commercial trucks coming across the border, right? There's high value in in what that is coming across the border. We continue to make process improvements as we with your support and the committee support in regards to what additional staffing looks like. We we continue to make operational improvements to help alleviate some of the stress of uh ports of entry in regards to technologies and way forward. Simplified entry was a great example of what we did in regards to being able to expedite traffic.
▶ 1:03:13As we look at trusted trial and trusted trader programs, we have fast and we have uh global entry, right? We have sentry and those type of programs that account today account for about 16 million people uh registered into those type of programs.
▶ 1:03:28So trying to expedite uh crossings across the border as we wait for additional staffing uh hopefully and funding for that to be able to fulfill some fill some of those spots that we have both in the passenger environment and in the cargo environment along all our ports of entry uh in the US. Commissioner, would you commit to working with me on um assuring that we have enough OFO personnel at our land ports of entry? We'll do. Yes. Okay, perfect.
▶ 1:03:56I I'd also like to work with you on trusted traveler because I that is a high um source of complaints from members of my community including h very wellrespected members of the business community uh to you know all sorts of folks from all walks of life that program when when when that privilege is revoked it's like a black box people can't get answers um so I'd like to work with you on that as well I'm running out of
▶ 1:04:26time. I have one final question that is really important to me. We've seen the administration use uh members of our active duty military on the US Mexico border. How much training and how long is the training for border patrol just very quickly before they engage in border operations? So the academy itself I believe it's about six months. um and and they get all sorts of really in-depth training.
▶ 1:04:56How much training do our active duty military get before they're put on border enforcement? Do you know? So, I' I'd have to uh leave that up to DoD, but I know based on my experience and over my career, we've had DoD at the border ever since I can remember. Well, aside from from the joint task force, I'm talking about the recent operations that where we're literally putting military personnel on the border to act as enforcement personnel.
▶ 1:05:25Do you know how much training they get? So, we do some cross trainining with uh DoD personnel when they come on board in regards to relationship of what we're doing and then they obviously DoD does their their own training before. But I don't I don't know how much training DoD is doing. It's literally only hours, a few hours.
▶ 1:05:41And so that I I need to publicly express again my profound concern and alarm uh at the administration's decision to use military assets, military installations, and now active duty military for border enforcement. Um so thank you so much again. Look forward to working with you on trusted traveler and on ensuring that we have an adequate number of OFO personnel at our landports. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
▶ 1:06:11the gentleman from the Great River State uh which I guess is translated out of the Algangquin language for Mississippi and also known as the Magnolia State. The floor is yours for five minutes. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh Commissioner, thank you for joining us. Uh thank you for your hard work. Uh thank you for your leadership.
▶ 1:06:34uh please uh tell the men and women who serve under you uh how much uh we as uh Congress appreciate what they do for us each and every day. Uh I want to tell you that the uh work uh that uh CBP has been able to do in the last uh few months has been amazing. Uh we have seen a dramatic change along the border.
▶ 1:06:57uh we have seen numbers drop to historic lows uh decreases of 90 plus percent along the southwest border and I think that goes to show the hard work uh of the men and women uh that serve under you uh and the change uh that we've seen in the administration of actually allowing them to to do their job and uh to to enforce the laws that exist. There was a question uh by one of my colleagues earlier about walls and borders and and why do we need walls?
▶ 1:07:27Why do we need borders if if the the uh uh physical borders along uh along our southwest border? If in fact uh we've reached the point that we have today where things are are fairly secure. Uh but I want to ask you in your experience uh do walls work? Uh are they a necessary part of uh the border component?
▶ 1:07:51uh that Congress uh should be investing in uh and in those areas that where we have walls or borders uh do we see that we are able to redirect manpower to other areas of the border that uh have not been uh secured by those structures? Congressman, thank you for the question. So I started my career about 37 years ago in a small border town of Klexico, California.
▶ 1:08:17So for 30 plus years, we've been using some type of border barrier uh along the border. And so in my experience, infrastructure, border barriers, walls, technology, it works. Uh it provides us a couple things.
▶ 1:08:33one, it provides us situational awareness in regards when you talk about barriers and technology, it provides us for greater situational awareness which creates uh the ability for our agents and officers to respond to any event or event that may be occurring.
▶ 1:08:51The the wall also provides provides us gets more hours back in regards to provides agents the capability to patrol and enforce more mileage along the border uh in regards to access roads and the wall doing to prevent and denial uh of individuals crossing at various locations along the southwest border. Other thing, it provides us space.
▶ 1:09:15It provides us some time in regards to our agents to be able to respond to an area before somebody who crossed illegal disappears into an urban area, into a vehicle or other locations before we're able to get them. So, it provides that ability. So, it's a cost-saving measure not only for us, it increases our enforcement and our ability to respond and react and actually encounter individuals that are illegal crossing.
▶ 1:09:36The other thing I have personally seen uh again most of my career being on the southwest border when you create a safer environment based on infrastructure and technology that allows for border communities to grow and infrastructure to go business and developments uh housing developments and all those things seem to flourish in those areas where you have a more secure border.
▶ 1:09:58And let me ask you a little bit about the air and marine operations, the um I know that uh in some instances our ANO pilots are operating um light enforcement platforms, helicopters that in some cases are are decades old. Uh they are wellmaintained, but they're ending or they're coming to the end of that life cycle.
▶ 1:10:21Uh, and so I want to ask you uh how important it is for um Congress to begin planning uh and to begin funding the replacement for these aging airframes. Thank you for the question. That that is a critical component of our strategy on how we in fact get 100% situational awareness along the border. Having light enforcement aircraft uh in in that strategy is an important aspect.
▶ 1:10:49Uh we appreciate the funding provided to CBP so far in in regards to being able to maintain our current fleet. FY25 budget had the inclusion of two additional of the light enforcement aircraft. So we appreciate that and we look forward to the additional funding to be able to grow and recapitalize uh some of the aging fleet there.
▶ 1:11:09And just very briefly um as it relates to um the non-intrusive inspection the systems that we've installed along uh the border there particularly at the ports of entry um we've seen that the the roll out of this technology I think has been let's just say less than ideal uh the screening percentage particularly of passenger vehicles remains disappointing um and I know Congress will continue to invest in that technology uh but just want to implore you uh as you're serving in this uh acting position
▶ 1:11:40um to do everything that we can to see that these systems are installed, that they're brought online, that the men and women who are operating the systems are trained uh so that we can continue to screen more traffic that's coming across the border. Uh we know that that uh uh technology serves as a force multiplier and will help us be able to better secure the border and particularly stop the flow of narcotics from coming into the country. And so with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you, sir. Uh, Mr.
▶ 1:12:09Acting Director, I've I've got a few questions before we wrap up. Um, how's the uh home application to leave state department gives somebody a thousand bucks. Do we have any preliminary data on how that's working? People signing up for that. What? So, we do have some preliminary data that we do have individuals signing up for that in order to take that. Um, that is that that very specific piece. Although we built that application, it's being run by ICE in regards to getting that through and the department in regards to applicants in that process.
▶ 1:12:40Okay. So, if if you could have your folks just kind of get back to us and it's it's not a trick question, so I'm just kind of curious how's that working. Um, so, uh, some of the members have talked to you about funding for the for the the wall, and I know that people tended, well, it's the wall. It's like, well, there's more than that.
▶ 1:12:58But um you got any ideas on uh so so are we kicked off on that all aspects fiber optic the actual wall itself roads blah blah blah is that all kicked off as we speak and if it's not when do we expect to be fully underway on multiple assets of what people colloquially refer to as the wall. Yeah. So the wall system in regards to not only infrastructure but the technology that applies to that. So based on our current funding, yes.
▶ 1:13:28So we are making sure that as we implement new wall uh it it is a wall system in regards to fiber optic and sensors. So that's in our current planning that we have. Um in regards to uh additional funding that we may received, we we are planning to ensure that it is a wall system. um in regards to not only infrastructure but technology that goes along with that along with border roads, access points uh where where we where we may have the opportunity to build more wall based on appropriations.
▶ 1:13:58Are we building as we speak? We are building as we speak generally. What are we building the whole nine yards? No. Cameras, wiring, roads, actual wall. So wall, cameras, roads. Yes, we're incorporating the technology into the 85 plus miles that that we have. Um, as we get into physical border barrier type B ballard construction that will be incorporated into into every piece of Ballard fencing that we that we build. How about buoys in for instance the Rio Grand?
▶ 1:14:29Are we deploying those or is that in the planning stage or where are we at with buoys? So, we have that in the planning stage right now. We have I think our our latest contract is 17 miles of border bearer buoy uh that we have contracted for. Okay. Um the cameras in the FAA thing we're not doing that again. Right. Right. So we are moving.
▶ 1:14:52So we talk about maintenance of older technology at based on the technology that we have in up it is older type technology. a lot of times becomes very difficult to maintain parts that get parts uh into in order to make the that type of technology operational. So we are we do plan to completely update that technology and use new technology to ensure that our cameras are operational and integrated with everything that we're planning for. Well, some of the questioning here today has gone on that.
▶ 1:15:22And I'll just tell you it's like I haven't had anybody approach me. If somebody else has been approached and said, "Hey, what we're doing now with those cameras and having somebody else maintain them is okie dokie." Um, and so I I guess my question is we've learned the lessons we need to from that. Not that anybody was a bad person, whatever, but that dog ain't hunting, right? So, as we go forward with with new uh uh recapitalization of that particular part of your mission, we're going a different direction. Right.
▶ 1:15:53Okay. Um, the last thing I've got is is I've got a concern and I know there's some moving parts to it, but when you keep getting reprogramming requests to move money out of hiring people and moving it into other areas, at some point in time, I hope that one of the things we're working on is we got to change the way we assess and and bring people on board that hiring process. So, I know that, and I'm not saying it's yours, but it is other federal ones, so maybe it's yours.
▶ 1:16:23By the time we get done advertising, identifying somebody, putting them through the test, going through all the drill or whatever, it's not unusual to have people say, "Hey, thanks, but I went someplace where I can start working six months ago." Um, and so my question is, where are we at in in basically rethinking how we assess Border Patrol agents, employees, what, whatever.
▶ 1:16:51Um, that we we quit getting reprogramming requests, which basically cannibalize money that we're like, "Hey, I know you need more people. Here's the money." And it's like, "Well, we can't get them on board fast enough." At some point in time there's a uh you know it's it's a uh um credibility thing where you're like well we keep putting this money in but it hasn't been used for that. So it's like when we give you the money we want you to bring new people on.
▶ 1:17:21Anybody working on a plan for this is how we revamp our whole hiring process. And by the way I know somebody is well you know we got to go through uh OM and their program or whatever. It's like, well, let's triage that and and if and if we can help you, then then good. Um, are we doing any of that hopefully on, you know, new cameras, new new technology, and oh, by the way, new program to actually bring these folks on? Thank you for the question.
▶ 1:17:51And we are so we have taken a hard look at what our hiring process is. Uh we've taken a look at where the where the longest poles in the tents are during that hiring process. And we have taken steps to increase what that is um in regards to from a human resource side on what we're doing and how we're doing things and when we're doing certain things such as physicals and testing and those type of things on how we combine different things in order to shorten up that time frame.
▶ 1:18:19We're also in regards to recognize that when we have applicants and they start through the process that assigning somebody a recruiter or somebody through them to help them through the process, we have a higher percentage of yielding on board rates and and shortening that time frame from application to on board. So, we're increasing what our ability is for recruitment as we continue to look at what the funding looks like, ensuring that we're having a recruiter attached to applicants that are getting through the process.
▶ 1:18:46uh we're looking at what the background investigators, the need for background investigators, the need for polygraphs and the need what that number looks like and what our bandwidth there. So we continue to look at the entirety of that process down to locations and hard to fill locations and what we can do about getting applicants into hard to fill locations. So So the the message is clear from the question.
▶ 1:19:10like I think you guys have plenty of credibility where you say we need 20,000 more people to operate and retirements and we expect a surge and all that stuff. I get all that. Now that everybody recognizes that, it's whatever needs to be done to do that in real time because with each reprogramming request that cannibalizes those funds, it it it just it doesn't look uh good in terms of yeah, we heard you and we're trying to help you, but the money never ends up getting there because
▶ 1:19:41of fundamental flaws in that process. So, thank you for your input and we'll look forward to working on that. CBP has historically been an excellent partner as we work through the annual appropriations process and I ask that that that continue for fiscal year 2026. We won't surprise you. Don't surprise us. That simple. For the get back questions that members of the subcommittee had today, we ask that you respond in 15 business days. I know you're busy, but this process is moving quickly.
▶ 1:20:11And so what I don't want to do is have the train leave the s the station and us make assumptions which are not based on factual information. There may be additional questions members provide in writing and we ask you to respond to those in a timely manner. I'd like to thank you again for coming. Been an excellent witness. Uh uh and the subcommittee stands adjourned. Thank you.