DHS to Hire 15,000 more agents

[Chaswick]

I have not heard of when the next HSI announcement is. We usually get a heads up before it goes up. HSI has recruiters in each SAC office. I HAVE heard that there are still folks processing from the last two or so announcements and that HSI FLETC is planning on asking for more TDY and PCS instructors.

As far as the ERO side of the house, I have no idea how that works. I imagine they may move quicker due to the huge numbers they might be hiring.

[TheNewbie]

I have not heard of when the next HSI announcement is. We usually get a heads up before it goes up. HSI has recruiters in each SAC office. I HAVE heard that there are still folks processing from the last two or so announcements and that HSI FLETC is planning on asking for more TDY and PCS instructors.

As far as the ERO side of the house, I have no idea how that works. I imagine they may move quicker due to the huge numbers they might be hiring.

So people who applied long ago are still in the hiring process? A Border Patrol recruiter told me the average application process was taking 8 months from date you applied, to date you were accepted to the academy.

[blues]

I wish all of you who are contemplating a change in agencies or embarking upon a new career godspeed. I hope it will prove to be all that you hope for. Above all, be safe.

[NCmtnman]

So people who applied long ago are still in the hiring process? A Border Patrol recruiter told me the average application process was taking 8 months from date you applied, to date you were accepted to the academy.

My experience was slightly over a two year wait to get into the Patrol (there for 5 years), 2 years for where I am at right now, and coming up on 22 months of waiting for an 1811 gig under schedule B. If any of it made sense then it wouldn't be the government.

Hurry up and wait is the name of this game.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Shoresy]

I like the idea of continuing the wall from Arizona up the eastern and northern borders of California. The Hollywood elites should be happy to pay for the Calexit wall.

ETA. Saw something on the news about Mexico having concerns that there will be camps of deportees and refugees on their border.

It would keep all those nasty Nevadans out of their "utopia".

[blues]

Hurry up and wait is the name of this game.

Always has been, at least as far back as when I started. I've taken three voluntary demotions during my career to make moves to other positions, agencies or locations I sought. No biggie as pay retention was available but still had to wait that additional year to be eligible for promotion to what would have been the next grade had I not. To me the sacrifice was worth it.

I learned early on with "Uncle" that you're best off burying your most desired post of duty for second, if not third on your list as they'll find a way to not give you the number one choice. I got what I wanted by playing that game and pretending I was disappointed they didn't give me my first choice (which I actually didn't want).

In the end, do a good job and the agency that you want to sign up with may come calling. That's what happened with me when I was recruited by (now legacy) Customs when I had been with another outfit for four years prior. Back then, Customs was the outfit that everyone wanted to work for...for the management style and the wide variety of disciplines that one could work over a career. Word gets around and agencies will seek to skim off the cream from other agencies. My wife thought we had died and gone to heaven when we got to transfer to South FL. The rivalries got pretty competitive and heated there for a while.

When I read the comments in this and other threads I can remember very clearly what it was like when I was going through a very similar experience. Time, patience and perseverance are your friends. But don't be afraid to take a backward step, (if need be), to go forward.

[LockedBreech]

Yay, small government...

[bravo7]

Re HSI: HSI is a bell curve like everyone else but in some offices there is still very much a legacy Customs culture with managers, agents or both not really interested in immigration related cases. There are still some anti smuggling groups in hub cities and legacy INS SA's here and there doing the work but many of them got discouraged and jumped to ERO or retired. New SA's take the hint from management so I don't blame them, why fight the power ? Kiddie porn, dope and ITAR are all legit work but so are immigration fraud and human smuggling.

Re ERO: Trying to hire 8500 LEO's would be an issue for any agency.

1) Every mass LE hire brings in "bad apples" i.e. criminals with badges. It was true for the New Orleans, Miami and DC Police Departments, the USBP, and it was true for ERO 10 years ago.

2) About 10 years ago ICE ERO pumped up from about 3k to 7-8K in a few years. This resulted in trainees in academy classes without completed background checks getting pulled out of classes due to undisclosed criminal convictions etc.

3) To add those 4 k to 5k required 48 man classes (24 is normal for FLETC) on 6 day per week training schedules. It also required advanced / in-service training for many agencies move out of the main FLETC in Glynco to satellite facilities.

Lets just say "no agent left behind" is not a recipe for success in anyone's book.

USBP Agents are the only ones who can lateral into ERO positions as they have both complete training in Immigration law and the requisite Spanish language proficiency. Immigration law is one of the more complex subjects taught at FLETC. Spanish language proficiency training has a higher attrition rate that the actual ERO LEO academy.

Honestly what we need to do immigration enforcement is not more officers. Without increased post arrest support it is actually counter productive.

As TGS noted in #3 of his OP we need:

1) More detention space to end catch and release.
2) More Immigration Judges and ICE attorneys to speed up deportation proceedings. It should not take 10 years with 2-3 years between hearings to deport someone.
3) More SAUSAs (Special AUSAs) dedicated to immigration prosecutions and more federal magistrates and USMS detention space to prosecute immigration related crimes.

You will never get compliance with immigration laws if you don't have timely and significant consequences for breaking them. It's as simple as that.

There are currently about 339,000 deportation cases pending in the U.S. and only 250 immigration judges. Right now you have about 20,000 US BP Agents, 20,000 CBP Officers and another 17,000 or so ICE Officers and agents adding to this case load every day. The math just does not work.

A thread on the subject: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....-can-t-keep-up

Excellent post.....on point.