Border Patrol agents are considering leaving their positions en masse if Vice President Kamala Harris wins in November, highlighting low morale and discontent with the current administration's approach to border security.
The New York Post reported that many Border Patrol agents have shared that they feel disheartened and believe they have been left to cope with inefficiencies in handling border security under the Biden-Harris administration.
The agents' dissatisfaction has swelled enough that they are now openly voicing these concerns as the election approaches.
The sentiment among many of them, as they have conveyed, is that enduring another term under similar leadership would be untenable.
Numerous agents have expressed that they feel overwhelmed and undervalued, often describing their work as frustrating due to perceptions of being undermined.
There is an anxiety that a potential Harris presidency could render their work environment more intolerable, leading to staffing issues within the agency.
The National Border Patrol Council, which is the union representing these agents, formally endorsed former President Donald Trump earlier this week. Their endorsement reflects a pivot towards leadership they believe will more strongly support border security personnel.
Despite efforts to incentivize new recruits with bonuses that have increased significantly, the agency continues to struggle with staffing shortfalls.
Recruitment incentives were raised from $10,000 to $30,000, yet these changes have not sufficiently addressed the shortages.
Both Vice President Harris and former President Trump have emphasized the need to bolster the Border Patrol's numbers if they take office.
Trump proposes an ambitious plan to expand the force by adding 10,000 agents, which amounts to a one-third increase. Harris has also pledged to enhance support for the agency, though skepticism remains high among agents.
Among those within the force, there is a palpable fear of a staffing crisis should Harris win the presidency. Many eligible for retirement are contemplating leaving the agency, whereas those with less tenure may look for alternative employment opportunities. "Lots of guys who can retire will go. If Trump wins, they'll stay," one agent remarked.
Morale among Border Patrol personnel has indeed experienced a significant decline. A troubling symptom of this has been the increase in suicides, prompting the agency to hire a suicidologist for the first time. In 2022 alone, a record 15 agents took their own lives.
Some agents have articulated a sense of futility in their roles, expressing that bureaucratic directives have hindered their ability to perform effectively. "They've done everything they could to make our job as inefficient as possible," said one agent about the administration's policies.
Chris Clem, a former Yuma Border Patrol Chief, pointed out the damaging effect these circumstances have had not just on morale, but on the personnel's overall well-being. Clem stated, "Kamala Harris has been bad for morale," reflecting the widespread sentiment among many in the force.
Meanwhile, the agency continues to grapple with fluctuating patterns of migrant crossings at the US-Mexico border. After peaking at 250,000 crossings in December 2023, the numbers have seen a decline, with July, August, and September recording significantly lower figures.
Encounters with migrants have surpassed 10 million under the Biden-Harris administration, a point of significant contention. Some agents claim this has rendered their roles more burdensome and less efficient, aligning with part of the broader dissatisfaction expressed.
Despite promises to shore up forces, agents remain doubtful about seeing meaningful improvement in their working conditions under a Harris-led administration. The promises articulated in campaign ads, according to some, contrast sharply with their lived experiences over the current term.
