ber trained and deployed, and where those deployments took place, region by region? Ms. RENO. Yes; I will, sir. [The information follows:] IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE BORDER PATROL DEPLOYMENT PLAN The following information provides a breakdown of the number of Border Patrol agents funded, trained and deployed in fiscal year 1996, as well as deployments by region/state. 4 Graduated (405 In training). As of May 10, 1996. This includes trainees who started their classes toward the end of fiscal year 1995 as well as those who started in fiscal year 1996. 1 These figures represent the planned deployment of fiscal year 1996 new agent positions, but do not reflect the deployment 100 Border Patrol agents to be trained in fiscal year 1997 and the redeployment of 200 interior Border Patrol agents. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR INS INCREASES Senator DOMENICI. Now, we have had a conversation during past hearings, and I want to reiterate my request, that the Department of Justice and especially the INS not focus these significant resources only on the big States of Texas and California. There are continuing increases in illegal traffic across the borders of Arizona and New Mexico, and I believe as we push on the two big States, we are getting more and more traffic. We are finding some very serious problems on the border with reference to narcotics right now. So, I would just ask if you have had a chance to review the border implementation plan, and has it received your approval? Ms. RENO. Yes; what we have tried to do, Senator, working with you because at times we got precipitous is consult with your staff up front, and we will be doing that both with respect to the immediate issue of the interior relocation, and what I do is say I would like to understand what the Congress says before I make the final cut on it. Because you have a sense of where the pressures are; you hear from your constituents. You understand, and I think it is important that we carefully consider it. As you know, I have taken a trip down that entire border. Senator DOMENICI. Yes. Ms. RENO. One of the things and I almost wish that I could get INS to create a separate New Mexico station so that I would not constantly have to be saying OK, now here is El Paso, which covers New Mexico, because I think it sometimes masks what is coming to New Mexico. But new personnel are being assigned to New Mexico. For example, of the next two Border Patrol classes designated for the El Paso sector, 39 of the 100 new agents are destined for assignment in New Mexico. So, we want to keep in close touch with you on that. You are absolutely right: as we are successful on one part of the border, we see a pressure, and that is the reason that it is so important that in our 5-year plan that we develop, we have the capacity to be mobile and that we do not leave unused agents in one site but that we have the capacity to move them. We are also concerned-we are trying to make sure that we look at the Southwest border as a whole, both with respect to drug enforcement as well and alien smuggling. We have a really comprehensive effort, one organized unit for the whole border, of FBI, DEA. The five U.S. attorneys are all part of the single, organized effort. And so, both with respect to immigration, alien smuggling, drug corruption, and drug trafficking, I think we have a comprehensive effort. No one is left out. Mr. Kelly, the U.S. attorney, is very much involved in the undertaking, and I am very sensitive to it, because when I went to El Paso, I said I want to get a map of New Mexico so I can understand it. Senator DOMENICI. I think you have expressed the magic words, and does not the INS work for her? [Laughter.] So why do we not just solve all that and just go ahead and do what you said and make New Mexico have its own station? Then, we will not have all of these problems. Ms. RENO. Well, that might not enable us to do as much as you would like with what we have. We want to make sure that we use it the right way. But there are New Mexico tags, Mr. Chairman, on everything that I am looking at on the border. Senator DOMENICI. I am very interested-you decide that it needs to be reorganized. Whatever that extra cost is-it is just going to be a little bit-then, I will use every persuasion I have with the chairman to see that we fund it. Senator GREGG. That means it gets funded. [Laughter.] Ms. RENO. And if I said nice things about Doris, she is not going to be [Laughter.] Senator DOMENICI. Tell her that I concurred with Senator Hollings: she is doing a fine job, and I really am sorry about the problems in her family; I hope she is doing well. REDEPLOYMENT OF BORDER PATROL AGENTS We have two situations which point up a growing problem with reference to the redeployment of Border Patrol agents. As you probably know, in reassigning agents to get more emphasis on the bar ber trained and deployed, and where those deployments took p region by region? Ms. RENO. Yes; I will, sir. [The information follows:] IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE BORDER PATROL Deploymen The following information provides a breakdown of the number of Bor agents funded, trained and deployed in fiscal year 1996, as well as depl region/state. 4 Graduated (405 In training). As of May 10, 1996. This includes trainees who started their classes fiscal year 1995 as well as those who started in fiscal year 1996. DEPLOYMENT OF NEW AGENT POSITIONS BY (REGION)/STATE Arizona (Western) California (Western) Florida (Eastern) New Mexico (Central) Texas (Central) Total Petrol iw Sank ff 1 These figures represent the planned deployment of fiscal year 1996 new agent positions, but do not reployment of 100 Border Patrol agents to be trained in fiscal year 1997 and the redeployment of 200 interior B. agents. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR INS INCREASES Senator DOMENICI. Now, we have had a conversation during hearings, and I want to reiterate my request, that the Departm of Justice and especially the INS not focus these significant r sources only on the big States of Texas and California. There ar continuing increases in illegal traffic across the borders of Arizona and New Mexico, and I believe as we push on the two big States, we are getting more and more traffic. We are finding some very serious problems on the border with reference to narcotics right now. So, I would just ask if you have had a chance to review the border implementation plan, and has it received your approval? Ms. RENO. Yes; what we have tried to do, Senator, working wit you because at times we got precipitous is consult with your sta up front, and we will be doing that both with respect to the imme diate issue of the interior relocation, and what I do is say I woul like to understand what the Congress says before I make the fina cut on it. Because you have a sense of where the pressures are; yo1 to create i tantly have Mexico, a ew Mexic For example he El Paso gnment in Ne on that. You are absolute der, we see a pr nant that in our to be mobile and that we have med-we are trying rder as a whole, t d alien smuggling ganized unit for the meys are all part of th respect to immigra ug trafficking, I think left out. Mr. Kelly, the e undertaking, and I ent to El Paso, I said an understand it. Senator DOMENICI. I thi and does not the INS worl So why do we not just what you said and make we will not have all of the Ms. RENO. Well, that n Would like with what we it the right way. But the ERSTAT on everything that I am lo Senator DOMENICI. I needs to be reorganized. We w going to be a little bit-t Mr Ch with the chairman to see t Senator GREGG. That me decide to be [Laughter.] Senator DOMENICI. Tell ughter. lings: she is doing a fine job lems in her family; I hope sl REDEPLOYMENT We have two situations w reference to the redeploym ably know, in reassigning n gangs in my State. mittee that the toxic e methamphetamines al chemicals for every d down on these laboraelsewhere, what is hap w this, but my staff, with e people, found that some oratories are illegal in the ne ingredients. That is how Now, it turns out that the cetera, are legal in Mexico. to, as our law enforcement e of those ingredients illegal ratories there too. Are you Mexico Monday, and this is g on. As I watched methe country, I asked the DEA Criminal Division and the ce with methamphetamine to t has just been released, and sulted with State and local front lines in areas such as have done a wonderful job s to do with the precursor be working on that, and I der, the concept is coming about that if there are Border Patrol agents that are off the border, so-called inland Border Patrol agents, that they are going to be moved to the border. Now, frankly, we have two situations that just cry out for you and your experts to look at, because in the cities of Carlsbad, NM, and Albuquerque, the inland border agents are part of a rather profound and effective attack on illegal drugs. Now, they did not get them at the border, but they are getting them in huge, huge quantities just inland in a city like Carlsbad with a big effort with the sheriff and everyone else. In Albuquerque, even though it is more inland, the same thing exists. Now, I did ask, and so did Texas, that our chairman in the appropriations bills that the President just signed to make sure that this plan of moving those agents to the border did not get carried out until you had a chance to look at it carefully. I am not going to burden you with the information from the sheriffs and the police departments, but I am going to put in the record what these groups were able to accomplish, much of it with the muscle of the Border Patrol agents. If you put people in there who cannot make arrests and the like, which is part of this idea, then it is not going to be very helpful to us. So, I put that in the record and ask that you take a serious look at it. Ms. RENO. We are looking at that very carefully, Mr. Chairman, because I get the letters from the sheriffs and the police chiefs, and I understand full well how important it is, and we are working with everybody. Senator DOMENICI. Well, they carbon copy me when they write you. [Laughter.] Senator HOLLINGS. If the Senator would yield- Senator HOLLINGS. The Senator from New Mexico, then chairman of our little subcommittee here, was the one who really got this initiative going on the Border Patrol. And then, in the first year, they spread agents all around except in New Mexico. That is what happened. [Laughter.] Now, we are trying to play catchup ball. Senator GREGG. I understand that they are not putting any in New Hampshire either. Senator HOLLINGS. Yes. [Laughter.] Senator DOMENICI. Well, look, I think there was one other thing that the Attorney General understands very, very well. Not only did they not put any in New Mexico, but they spread all the credit for getting the agents to some other Senators instead of this one. I mean, they went off and had some press conferences that were really neat, except the people who got the money were not there. I forgive you. I've already told you. Ms. RENO. And when you do not forgive me, your wonderful assistant always makes me feel so welcome when I come by. [Laughter.] METHAMPHETAMINE STRATEGY Senator DOMENICI. Let me just make a couple of points on Mexico and the United States, just a few that really bother me, and I think you can do something about them. The methamphetamine |