Speech #920258852

Madam Chairman. this bill makes a simple addition to the existing law for civil service employees and reads. according to the report of the committee: "Duties of whose position are primarily the investigation. apprehension. or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States"-And CXVIII1608---Part 20 these are the words added by this bill. and only these words-"or are primarily to perform work as an inspector in the Immigration and Naturalization Service or in the Bureau of Customs"- and that is all it adds. Why include Immigration and Naturalization Service. and the Bureau of Customs inspectors? Because every day that they are on duty 8 hours or more a day they expose themselves to hazards more than most law enforcement officers in this country. As a Congressman from the border area of Texas. I have had the opportunity all my life to observe their work and the requirements of their jobs on the border. and more so since I have been a Member of the Congress. At El Paso at times it has been estimated that there are over 30 million crossings a year. and of course that includes many people who live in Mexico and who come back and forth each day. but there are many. many others who cross who are tourists and others. and these customs inspectors and Immigration and Naturalization Service inspectors day after day are committed to exposing themselves to the hazards of narcotics peddlers and users. alcoholics. renegades. desperadoes. and fugitives from justice. which are no small part of what happens along the border. and most of whom are very desperate. especially when they are about to be apprehended. Many immigration and customs men have been injured and some have been killed in such attempted passages across the border of Texas. and in other areas of this country. They all subject themselves to heavy stress on nerves each day. Every person who comes up to them. second after second and minute by minute. are potential hazards to them. Immigration men are charged with illegal attempts to break our borders. Customs inspectors are our first line of defense against smuggling of all kinds into this country. Both immigration and custom men are maintaining surveillance on our borders against narcotic users and pushers and undesirables who would enter our country. including subversives. They have to be on constant alert to deal with the dangers that they encounter all day long and every second. Let me quote some figures with reference to another area on the Texas borderLaredo--to give you some illustration of the hazards which to a small degree they must face. considering that Laredo is a smaller community than El Paso County. but it also has a great deal of traffic.