Customs Agents Join Air Marshals' Program

[newyawker99]

The Bush administration is shuffling its homeland security operation to make available more armed agents for airliner protection.

According to a plan being unveiled Tuesday, the reorganization will combine the federal air marshal's program with the customs and immigration security programs so agents in both can be cross-trained and used for aviation security, officials said.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge planned to outline the reorganization in a speech to the American Enterprise Institute. He was to describe the changes as a way to better mobilize the resources of his department.

Earlier this year, the administration came under criticism from lawmakers when it was learned the Transportation Security Administration wanted to cut 20 percent of its funding for the air marshal's program to plug other budget holes.


Customs agents

[htuttle]

1. Aren't Customs agents the ones who'd inspect shipping containers?

Not that I'd suggest that they'd have anything more important to do...

[section321]

Actually no. Customs Inspectors inspect cargo...

Agents conduct investigations if something is found. They're higher up the food chain.

So, if an inspector finds something, he passes it to the investgators to make a case against the offending party. (LIke figureing out whose suitcase dope it is...)

However, I'm just splitting hairs. This amounts to shuffling deck chairs. They aren't adding anything, except more work and hassle for the Customs people that are trying to do the job they were hired to do.

[Name removed]

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