U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Friday that it would begin doubling the amount of cash it will pay new agents in an effort to overcome recruitment challenges.
The new recruitment incentive for Border Patrol agents will be up to $20,000 for a service agreement of at least two years, according to a statement from CBP.
“Securing the nation’s border to keep Americans safe, and supporting our workforce are top priorities for CBP,” Andrea Bright, the assistant commissioner of Human Resources Management in CBP, said.
“To address the unprecedented hiring and recruiting challenges for law enforcement agencies, we are offering a $10,000 recruitment incentive for all newly appointed Border Patrol Agents who successfully complete the academy and another $10,000 if the Agent completes two years at a designated remote location,” Bright added.
The remote locations in Texas include Sierra Blanca, Sanderson, Comstock, Freer and Hebbronville. Lordsburg, New Mexico and Ajo, Arizona are included as well.
In August, CBP announced that it would give out a $10,000 sign-on bonus to new Border Patrol agents who sign on for at least one year, according to the Washington Examiner.
The sign-on bonuses come as reports have indicated that morale and recruitment within Border Patrol is at an all-time low.
Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) tweeted on Sunday that three Border Patrol agents have committed suicide in less than two weeks time. This comes as the U.S. has seen an unprecedented amount of border crossings since President Joe Biden assumed office.
In less than 2 weeks time we have had 3 Border Patrol Agents commit suicide. Just today we had one in El Paso, Texas.
— Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores2022) November 21, 2022
Something is seriously wrong with our men and women protecting our borders.
Where is Alejandro Mayorkas and the Border Czar?
The Examiner reported in September that CBP had called in help from a “suicidologist” named Dr. Kent Corso. Over the past 15 years, the agency has lost nearly 150 workers to suicide.
Corso told the Examiner that it’s a “top-to-bottom, uniform push” to change the culture within the agency to prevent suicide.
This month, a Border Patrol agent in Yuma, Arizona, sent an email to DHS Secretary Alejandra Mayorkas to call out his handling of the border crisis, including the “whip hoax” that occurred last year with BP agents on horseback. The email was obtained by Townhall.
“Under our current leadership the USBP has been changed from Border Enforcement to Border Enrollment. Instead of making it more difficult for those who disrespect our laws to enter and stay in our country, our asylum system has been watered down effectively turning it into a come one come all open border policy,” the agent, whose name Townhall redacted, said in the email.
"It is my opinion that those who are in positions of power and leadership who turn their backs on their duties, proclaim the border is secure, villianized the Horse Patrol Agents in Texas, and seem to actively work to undermine border security while being charged with enforcing it are those that are unprofessional.”
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