Morale among Border Patrol agents is “through the roof” after President-elect Donald Trump's victory on Tuesday, and some employees scheduled to retire have already reversed their decisions, union leaders say. He told FOX News Digital.
“Morale is off the charts,” Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said in an interview. “We've received hundreds of calls, texts and emails just saying how happy our agents are.”
“There are a lot of agents who originally said they would retire if President Trump didn't win, and now those same agents are saying they're putting their retirement on hold because they want to serve under this administration again. “I know exactly what the administration was like, and I know this administration will be even better,” he said.
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Former President Donald Trump speaks about immigration and border security near Coronado National Monument in Montezuma Pass, Arizona, on August 22, 2024. (Photo by OLIVIER TOURON/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump won the support of labor unions to run for president, and many government officials strongly supported border security efforts. The agents frequently opposed the Biden administration's policy changes, and tensions between them and officials often spilled over.
Officials were outraged in 2021 when the administration promoted false claims that agents whipped immigrants on horseback in Del Rio, Texas.
Now that President Trump is back in the White House, Perez said he believes his election will help recruiting efforts.
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“We've always had a recruiting problem, and now that President Trump is in office, I think a lot of people are going to want to take this job. “I was hesitant to apply to work for the previous government,'' he said. “So under the Trump administration, you're going to have quite a few recruits to choose from.”
An aerial view of Texas National Guard soldiers watching over 1,000 migrants cross the Rio Grande from Mexico overnight in Eagle Pass, Texas, on December 18, 2023. (John Moore/Getty Images)
He said agents are more satisfied with their jobs under the Trump administration because they know the people they capture will be removed “instead of allowing them to abuse the asylum system.” .
Perez said agents are enthusiastic about a number of policies, including the possibility of Remain, which would keep migrants in Mexico while they await adjudication of their asylum cases.
“Staying in Mexico and ending catch-release is obviously a big thing as well. But staying in Mexico probably removes the magnet. We're going to be able to make our border a lot more secure,” he said. spoke.
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Perez also said the union supported the Biden administration's bipartisan border security bill last year, but is now hoping for a stronger bill similar to the House Republican border bill, known as HR2. said.
“I'm not looking at the past. I'm not looking at a bipartisan border security bill. This is probably what our staff was looking for at the time, and I'm not looking at a bipartisan border security bill. But what I'm looking for, what I personally would like to see, is HR2, a strong security bill like HR2.. ”
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But ultimately, Perez said he believes Trump's return will send a message to the cartels and give a voice to victims of illegal immigration crimes.
“He's going to give them a voice and he's going to protect their families from the horrible crimes that have been committed against them by people who shouldn't be in this country in the first place. So we're very excited. “I hope President Trump takes over and makes this country safe again.”
