By David Martin Davies, Texas Public Radio News for Fronteras
SAN ANTONIO – If Congress isn’t able to avoid the automatic budget cuts of Sequestration, then border protection and legitimate border traffic could suffer.
In the $2.4 trillion-dollar deficit reduction required by the budget sequestration are cuts that will slash into federal operations along the Southern Border. At a congressional hearing on border security Tuesday, Border Patrol Chief Michael Fisher testified.
MICHAEL FISHER: “Certainly without question if on March 1st if Sequestration does happen the Border Patrol will have reduced capability.”
Fisher said the Border Patrol will move resources around to counter the cuts but it will still have an impact. And for those crossing at border bridges the Sequestration translates into even longer waits. Kevin McAleenan is the Acting Assistant Commissioner for U.S. Customs.
KEVIN MCALEENAN: “It would be about 2,750 officer cut, it’s about 12.5% of our staff. The ports of entry would have significant impact on wait times and our ability to move people and things through the border.”
According to U.S. Customs, without a deal to override Sequestration it could take up to 5 hours to cross at a border bridge.
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