Border Patrol agent, Chris Cabrera, told FoxNews on Thursday that border patrol agents are only apprehending about 30% of illegal border crossings. He also said nothing has been done to beef up border security since in light of warnings that there could be a mass migration to the United States should the Ebola outbreak reach Central America.
"We're looking at probably a 30 percent apprehension rate, and we need to get in front of this one [Ebola outbreak] where we're unfortunately, we're more reactive than proactive. And until that changes we'll be behind the curve on this one," Cabrera said.
Cabrera blamed the low apprehension rate on upper management's decision to reduce the number of agents in the field and instead task them with administrative duties.
"What needs to be done is we need to have our agents in the field where they belong, we need to stop cutting our manpower and stop cutting our hours and get our guys out there on the front line so that we can secure this border," he said. "At least from what we heard they don't seem too concerned about it. They think, they don't think anything’s going to happen down here, and I hope they're right. However, I don't think they are. I think it's just a matter of time before we see the first one."
Federal law requires that the Department of Homeland Security achieve "operational control", defined as a 100% apprehension rate, across U.S. borders. Past reports have been varied, but for the most part, the apprehension rate has hovered at 50%. A government accountability report from 2011 found that Border Patrol apprehended about 64% of illegal border crossers. But radar surveillance over a 3-1/2 month period between October 2012 and January 2013 found that Border Patrol apprehended just under 50% of all illegal border crossers.
For more on this story, see Breitbart.com.
