Border Patrol agents said the federal government is making it impossible to make drug busts, a move that has contributed to a “morale crisis,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
“We lack the political will to enforce the law and allow our agency to be effective,” said National Border Patrol Council spokesman Shawn Moran in a conference call with reporters Wednesday.
Shane Gallagher, an agent in the San Diego sector, said the agency has been very successful at nabbing border crossers with drugs.
“Now the port of entry has to explain who was in the primary lane, what actions were taken, if the vehicle was inspected, so you can see there’s a whole host of implications,” he said.
Gallagher said fewer agents are responsible for drug busts.
“There was a lot of pressure for us to get out of the [drug] interdiction game,” Gallagher said.
