Despite Budget Increase, Staffing Pressures at CBP Highlight Agent Vulnerability

Backed by the Trump administration, the House Homeland Security Committee has proposed an increase in homeland security spending for the 2025 budget reconciliation package, which includes a $6.2 billion increase in spending for hiring at Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). This increase in hiring funds would allow for CBP to hire and train as many as 8,500 new border patrol agents, field operations officers, air and marine agents, and support staff. In this budget, there is also an allowance for signing and retention bonuses, allowing the agency to give incentives to current employees to remain at the agency. The goal is to increase CBP hiring over the next five years.

While CBP hopes to make a bulk of the hirings in the next five years, in a recent analysis the  Congressional Budget Office (CBO) states the pace of the project hiring is uncertain, particularly for Border Patrol agents and officers. CBP has been facing major challenges with recruiting and hiring, many of which may not be solved with additional funding. While the agency continues to try to fill open positions, CBP agents have been dealing with increased workloads due to understaffing. Increased workloads can lead to agent burnout and mistakes, which can spur investigations. As a federal law enforcement officer, it is important that you have the tools to protect yourself and your career if there is an allegation or investigation against you – a professional liability insurance (PLI) policy from FEDS Protection can help.

Hiring Hurdles

One of the biggest hurdles within the hiring process for CBP employees seems to be the polygraph examination. In recent years, in an effort to streamline the process, CBP has modified the polygraph examination to separate questions about illegal drug use from questions about serious crime, as well as waive polygraph requirements for some individuals who already had been granted a top-secret security clearance or had previously passed a separate polygraph examination. This is in response to a staggering two-thirds of applicants not passing the polygraph examination during the application process.

Additionally, starting in 2027, CBP anticipates a steep increase in attrition rates across all positions, because a significant number of law enforcement personnel will become eligible to retire. Due to background checks, training requirements, and other pre-employment processes, the CBP hiring process can take anywhere between 300 to 600 days in recent years, making it increasingly difficult to fill the incoming wave of open positions.

Media Microscope

Due to the slow pace of the hiring process and an expected high retirement rate over the next few years, there are not enough agents to fill open positions. This leaves current employees overworked, which can lead to mistakes being made.

Along with the increased job responsibilities due to being understaffed, agents within CBP have recently been in the spotlight due to the increased emphasis on immigration enforcement. This spotlight puts agents under a microscope, leaving them more susceptible to allegations of wrongdoing. If an allegation is made against you, it is a necessity, not luxury, to have knowledgeable and effective counsel advocating on your behalf.

FEDS PLI for Federal Agents

As the professional liability insurance (PLI) provider endorsed by the leading federal law enforcement employee associations, FEDS Protection offers federal employee PLI policies with $1 million, $2 million, or $3 million in civil liability protection for attorney’s fees and indemnity costs in the event you are sued in your civil capacity.  The FEDS policy also includes $200,000 of legal representation coverage per incident for administrative actions and $100,000 of coverage for criminal defense costs. 

Annual premiums for FEDS Protection PLI start at $290.  Additionally, federal law enforcement officers, supervisors, and managers are eligible for a reimbursement of up to 50% the cost of their PLI policy through their agency. To learn more about how a FEDS PLI policy can protect you and your career, visit www.fedsprotection.com or call (866) 955-FEDS, M-F 8:30am-6pm to speak directly to a representative.

*This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.