II. METHODOLOGY

• The percentages used to develop the drug budget for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) reflect estimated workyears devoted to INS' drug missions.



• The two largest components of the INS drug program are Border Patrol and Detention and Deportation. INS counts 15 percent of Border Patrol and 25 percent of Detention and Deportation resources as drug-related. In addition, INS includes resources for Investigations (24 percent), Inspections (15 percent), Intelligence (26 percent), Training (15 percent), Data and Communications (2 percent), and Research and Development (73 percent) as drug-related costs in support of its border enforcement mission.

III. PROGRAM SUMMARY

• The INS is responsible for the admission, control, and removal of aliens within the United States. INS detects and apprehends drug smugglers and illegal aliens at or near the border between ports of entry. The INS also cooperates with other Federal agencies in locating, apprehending, and removing alien drug traffickers at ports of entry and within the interior of the United States, and in escorting alien witnesses in the United States to testify in drug trials.



• INS's programs are identified below by the National Drug Control Strategy Goal they support:

• The Detention and Deportation program is a critical element in the structure of INS and an important component of its drug program. Its functions are to detain, exclude, remove, parole and deport aliens. This includes the detention and deportation of aliens caught smuggling drugs into the United States or convicted of drug-related criminal activity.

• The Border Patrol, the principal enforcement component of the INS, is responsible for interdicting drug traffickers along our borders. The Border Patrol currently has over 4,000 agents authorized that have been cross-designated with Title 21 drug authority by the Drug Enforcement Administration for the purpose of conducting drug search and seizures along the border.



• The Inspections program enforces and administers the immigration and nationality laws with respect to the inspection of all persons seeking admission into the United States. The program is coordinated with the Department of State, the U.S. Customs Service, the Department of Agriculture and local port authorities.



• The INS' research and development efforts are geared toward improving its capability to detect and apprehend illegal entrants. This includes efforts to improve detection using ground sensors, low-light-level television cameras, and other similar devices.

• The Investigations program is responsible for investigating and apprehending aliens who commit major criminal offenses -- with emphasis on international criminal alien organizations involved in narcotics trafficking, subversion, terrorism, alien smuggling, and other serious or violent criminal activities; prosecuting aliens who illegally apply for and collect benefits from government entitlement programs; and, preventing the filing of fraudulent claims.



• The Intelligence program provides strategic and tactical intelligence support to INS offices enforcing the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and assists other Federal agencies in addressing national security issues.

IV. BUDGET SUMMARY

1997 Base Program

• The FY 1997 drug program level is $318.2 million and 2,576 FTEs. This level will enable INS to increase its interdiction and its detention program activities, as well as maintain its baseline activities in most other program areas.



• The FY 1997 drug resource level of $120 million and 635 FTE for the Detention and Deportation program will allow the Service to identify, detain and remove record numbers of illegal aliens in FY 1997, which supports Goal 2 of the Strategy. Included in these resources are staffing for 675 additional detention beds and $625 thousand in funding to identify and remove criminal aliens in local and county jails.



• The FY 1997 drug resource level of $109 million and 1,091 FTEs for the Border Patrol program will allow it to expand a strategy of "prevention through deterrence" along the Southwest border, with increased agents and resource-multiplying technology, which supports Goal 4 of the Strategy. The funding provides for 150 additional Border Patrol Agents in FY 1997 - 131 new Border Patrol Agent positions and resources for 19 previously authorized but unfunded Border Patrol Agent positions.



• The FY 1997 drug resource level of $22.7 million and 267 FTEs for the Inspections program will provide for 23 additional Immigration Inspectors to sustain facilitation and control of admissions at land ports-of-entry along the Southwest border, which supports Goal 4 of the Strategy.



• The FY 1997 drug resource level of $56.7 million and 544 FTE for the Investigations program will allow the Service to continue the investigation and apprehension of aliens who commit major criminal offenses, with emphasis on international criminal alien organizations involved in narcotics trafficking in support of Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy.



• In addition, INS anticipates receiving $10 million in reimbursable funding for its ICDE drug task force activities.

• The FY 1998 drug-related request for the INS totals $366.7 million and 2,867 FTEs, an increase of $48.4 million and 291 FTEs over the 1997 enacted level. The drug control-related enhancements requested, by Strategy Goal, include the following:

• Detention & Deportation: The drug-related enhancement for this program is $20.9 million and 54 FTEs. This enhancement will provide additional removal of criminal and non-criminal deportable aliens; increase interior deterrence; and, strengthen border control and facilitation.

• Border Patrol: The drug-related enhancement for this program is $9.3 million and 33 FTEs. The total enhancement (both drug and non-drug) includes 500 additional Border Patrol agent positions, and 50 support positions. These additional resources expand the border control efforts which began in Phase I and II of the Border Patrol's National Border Control Strategy.



• Data & Communications: The drug-related enhancement request for this program is $1.0 million and 1 FTE. These resources will support several activities, as follows: innovative technological approaches to streamline the inspections process and deter unlawful migration; continued deployment of biometrics system enhancements that will enable the INS to rapidly and accurately identify persons of interest; and, innovative solutions to achieve efficiencies in the workforce and continue productivity gains by capitalizing on emerging technologies.

• Investigations: The drug-related enhancement for this program is $3.3 million and 19 FTEs. Drug-related activities these resources will support include efforts to identify and interview deportable aliens that are incarcerated in local and county jails and increasing surveillance activities and task force operations.



• In addition, INS is requesting $10.4 million in reimbursable funding for its ICDE task force activities.

V. PROGRAM STATISTICS

	1996 Actual	1997 Estimate	1998 Projected
Drug Smugglers Apprehended	6,558	7,000	7,000
Number of Seizures	6,204	6,300	6,300

VI. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• During FY 1996, the Border Patrol seized 652,858 pounds of marijuana and 19,976 pounds of cocaine. The estimated value of all drugs seized in FY 1996 was more than $1.2 billion.



• In the last 3 years, the Service has launched Operation Hold the Line in El Paso, Texas; Operation Gatekeeper in San Diego, California; and Operation Safeguard in Arizona. These operations are strategies to regain control of areas of the border that have historically been the major corridors for illegal immigration. As part of these efforts, the overall size of the Border Patrol has been increased by about 40 percent, and agents have been provided with force-multiplying technological tools to track and apprehend illegal crossers, and thwart alien smuggling.