A Congressional dispute over Homeland Security’s budget means the Secret Service cannot hire new agents or reform the beleaguered agency until the impasse is over, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said, Reuters reports.
Johnson expressed deep concerns about the impasse, saying a lot is at stake – the security of borders, airports and coastal waters.
The agency’s spending authority ends Feb. 27, and Republicans are showing no signs of backing down until they block President Obama’s executive orders that would protect about 5 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.
“This means we cannot invest in the things the independent panel recommended to improve the Secret Service; we cannot hire new Secret Service agents for the coming presidential election cycle,” Johnson said of the budget uncertainty.
Other Stories of Interest
- Suspicious Package Found at FBI Office in Maitland, Fla.
- FBI Source in North Providence Talks about Life After Indictments
- AG Eric Holder Calls for More Aggressive Fight Against Human Trafficking
- Senate Dems Threaten to Block Homeland Security Funding Bill
- FBI Releases Surveillance Photos of Smash-And-Grab Gold Heist
