Army Can Augment INS Border Patrol

Re “ ‘Mass Exodus’ of Agents Leaves INS Scrambling,” Aug. 5: It is apparent that the mass defection of Border Patrol agents is leaving our already porous borders largely undefended. With so many people leaving, it would seem that the obvious answer would be to augment the overwhelmed agents with Army personnel. These troops could maintain the fixed positions that are now occupied by Border Patrol agents. The trained agents could then proceed to track incoming illegal crossers and perform arrests, while the troops in fixed positions could simply detain any other crossers until Border Patrol agents could respond.

If Mexican army units are currently operating on the border, why is there any hesitancy for us to place our troops on the border? If they are defending the borders of countries around the world, why not our own, especially in this time of need?

Byron Slater

Border Solution Task Force

San Diego