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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBorder Patrol agents complain about national backlash
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are suffering from a crisis in morale after facing severe national backlash as the once obscure law enforcement job moves into the spotlight of the immigration debate, according to the New York Times.
Why it matters: Despite support from the White House and members of Congress and a decent middle-class wage, many agents have grown disillusioned with their jobs and the agency remains about 1,800 agents short of its hiring targets.
What they're saying: Chris Harris, who was an agent for 21 years and a Border Patrol union official until he retired, told the Times that agents are struggling with national criticism.
"To have gone from where people didnt know much about us to where people actively hate us, its difficult," he said. "Theres no doubt morale has been poor in the past, and its abysmal now. I know a lot of guys just want to leave."
The intense criticism that is being directed at the Border Patrol is necessary and important because I do think that theres a culture of cruelty or callousness, said Francisco Cantú, a former agent. Theres a lack of oversight. There is a lot of impunity.
Context: The 20,000 agents of the Border Patrol have faced criticism for being the arm of the Trump administration's immigration policies, the revelation of a private Facebook group for agents filed with racist posts and the deaths of 10 immigrants in the custody of the Border Patrol and its parent agency.
https://www.axios.com/border-patrol-agents-suffering-morale-crisis-73b68806-620c-48fb-bd80-48255c0a8bc4.html
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)elleng
(130,865 posts)enables us all to 'take it up with your fn fascist boss.'
elleng
(130,865 posts)leftieNanner
(15,082 posts)"My heart - she bleeds."
If you don't want people to think you are a cruel asshole - then don't be one!
And if you don't want to be associated with cruel assholes because you're not one - then get another job.
tblue37
(65,325 posts)RockRaven
(14,958 posts)CBP is seriously fucked up, and has been seriously fucked up ever since it's been CBP (CBP was crafted into it's current incarnation during the DHS creation/shuffle). Let's not pretend that CBP was blameless until Trump came along -- it's worse, yes, but also now everyone sees them for what they are (and have been).
dweller
(23,628 posts)and now that it's in the spotlight that they were cruel fascist racist assholes
they feel maligned?
cry me a f'n river 😡 bunch of snowflakes one and all...
here's a clue... reap what you sow assholes
✌🏼