Border security remains a priority

Although President Barack Obama’s proposed 2013 budget calls for a cut in funds to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the reduction is not expected to affect the number of federal agents patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border.

Janet Napolitano, DHS secretary, outlined the highlights of the president’s proposed budget Wednesday at a hearing in Washington Wednesday before the House Committee on Homeland Security.

The DHS budget request is for $39.5 billion in net discretionary funds, which is a decrease of about $191 million from the 2012 budget, officials said.

“It (2013 budget) still pretty much provides strong investment in core Homeland functions such as the prevention of terrorist attacks, border security, aviation security and disaster preparedness,” said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, a ranking member of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee in the House Homeland Security Committee.

Cuellar said 21,186 officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 21,370 agents from U.S. Border Patrol will continue to be supported under the proposed 2013 budget.

He said the budget still provides surveillance along the Southwest border and includes several drones used for spotting smuggling.

Cuellar said he is pushing for the DHS to release about $600 million that had been set aside in connection with NAFTA, money which could possibly be used for infrastructure at the international bridges and to pay for the hiring of additional CBP officers.

“We’ve done a good job in the last few years of hiring the men and women in green, the Border Patrol, but not a good a job in hiring the men and women in blue which is Customs,” Cuellar said.

He said if the government has no funding for building additional lanes at the international bridges, it should consider partnering with the private companies that have offered their services.

He cited the Anzalduas International Bridge, which received $7 million in state funding for lane expansions but the project was rejected by CBP. During peak hours, drivers may wait as long as three hours to cross to the United States.

Cuellar said that when someone offers private-sector money for lane expansion, the government should find a way to work in partnership to get the job done.

Lmartinez@brownsvilleherald.com