|
|
 
Agency Budget Summary
Department of Justice
Immigration and Naturalizations
I. Resource Summary
II. Methodology
- The percentage used to develop the drug budget for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) reflects estimated workyears devoted to INS' drug missions. The two largest components of the INS drug program, in terms of total resources, are the Border Patrol program and Detention and Deportation program activities. The INS calculates 15 percent of the Border Patrol program's and 25 percent of the Detention and Deportation program's 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) in support of its border enforcement mission. In addition, beginning with FY 1998, INS began scoring its Breached Bond Detention Fund as being a drug-related account. This reflects the merger ofthe Immigration Detention Account, authorized in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, P.L. 104-208, with the Breached Bond Detention Fund. Funding from the Breached Bond Detention Fund directly supports program activities associated with the Detention and Deportation account.
III. Program Summary
- The INS is responsible for the admission, control, and removal of aliens within the United States. As an ancillary activity, the INS detects and apprehends drug smugglers and illegal aliens used to transport drugs 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' programs are identified below by the Strategy Goal they support:
Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.
- 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.
Goal 4: Shield America's air, land, and sea frontiers from the drug threat.
- The Border Patrol program, representing the principal enforcement component of the INS, is responsible for interdicting drug traffickers along our land borders. The Border Patrol currently has over 7,275 agents 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 U.S. 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 Training program develops and maintains a professional INS workforce through the delivery of quality basic, specialized, managerial, and employee development training.
Goal 5: Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.
- The Investigations program is responsible for investigating and apprehending aliens whocommit 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
1999 Program
- The FY 1999 drug control program level is $416.8 million and 3,088 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 following provides a breakdown of FY 1999 resources by Strategy goal:
Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.
- The FY 1999 resource level of $161.9 million and 758 FTEs for the Detention and Deportation program will allow for the identification and removal of record numbers of illegal aliens in FY 1999, and increased program support in the areas of interior deterrence and border control facilitation, in support of Goal 2 of the Strategy.
Goal 4: Shield America's air, land, and sea frontiers from the drug threat.
- The FY 1999 resource level for Goal 4 is $183.2 million and 1,690 FTEs. Included in this funding are resources for 1,000 new border patrol agents and 140 support positions (both drug and non-drug), primarily to be assigned to the southwest border region. The goal is to continue the expansion of INS' efforts to control the nation's borders and facilitate lawful commerce while deterring and denying the illegal movement of people and drugs. Also included in this amount is $1.5 million, which represents the drug-control related portion of the $10 million provided in supplemental funding to the INS to be used for the acquisition of Integrated Surveillance Information Systems (ISIS) equipment.
Goal 5: Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.
- The FY 1999 drug control resources for Goal 5 is $71.7 million and 640 FTEs. Included in this funding is $69.3 million and 617 FTEs for the Investigations program that will allow the Service to continue the investigation and apprehension of aliens who commit major criminal offenses, as well as interview and identify deportable aliens that are incarcerated in local and county jails. These resources will also allow INS to establish an enforcement presence in select county and city jails that contain deportable criminal aliens.
- In addition, INS expects $10.7 million in reimbursable funding for its OCDETF activities.
2000 Request
- The FY 2000 drug control budget request for the INS totals $450.8 million and 3,269 FTEs, an increase of $13.4 million and 181 FTEs over the FY 1999 level. The drug control resources requested by Strategy goal, include the following:
Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.
- The total funding requested for Goal 2 includes $172.6 million, a net increase of $10.6 million over the FY 1999 level. Included in this increase is a program enhancement of $5.0 million and 23 FTEs. These resources will provide for additional removal of criminal and non-criminal deportable aliens through the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS). This system incorporates air operations of the INS, FBI and U.S. Marshals Service into a safe, secure, and efficient network for the transportation and/or removal of INS deportable aliens, BOP prisoners, and Marshals detainees. Additionally, enhancements are sought for the Detention and Deportation transportation staff, which is responsible for the physical transportation and escort of aliens. Resources are also requested for data entry into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) at the INS field level to address serious backlog of inputting criminal alien records into this nationwide database.
Goal 4: Shield America's air, land, and sea frontiers from the drug threat.
- The total funding requested for Goal 4 includes $200.3 million, an increase of $17.1 million over the FY 1999 level. In addition, to maintaining current operational levels, this increase includes the following enhancements:
- Border Patrol: $50 million ($7.5 million drug-related) to continue deployment of the Border Patrol's remote video surveillance portion of ISIS. This funding will be used to provide 156 ISIS systems, tentatively targeted for location in all three regions, and primarily along the Southwest Border. All of the sites in this enhancement are new requirements and will be in addition to previously identified and scheduled sites in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, which will be provided from current base funding.
- Inspections: The drug-related enhancements for this program is $0.9 million and 6 FTEs. The total enhancement (both drug and non-drug) includes 79 additional Immigration Inspector positions, and 8 support positions. These positions are to staff three new ports-of-entry at Eagle Pass, Los Tomates, and Laredo, Texas.
Goal 5: Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.
- The total funding requested for Goal 5 includes $77.9 million, an increase of $6.2 million over the FY 1999 level. This increase covers projected program cost increases but does not provide for any new program enhancements in FY 2000.
V. Program Accomplishments
- In FY 1998, the Border Patrol seized 871,417 pounds of marijuana and 22,675 pounds of cocaine. The estimated value of all drugs seizures in FY 1998 was more than $1.3 billion.
- Border Patrol linewatch operations along the Southwest land border are vital in stopping the transportation of illegal drugs into the country as evidenced by recent seizures in the McAllen, Texas area. While patrolling the river area in McAllen, agents spotted and approached a van on the river levee. The vehicle occupants stopped the van and fled the area to the south leaving behind 3,002 pounds of marijuana with a value of over $2.4 million.
- Agents patrolling the river in the Havana, Texas area observed two persons crossing the river in rubber rafts. When approached by the agents, the individuals dropped three burlap sacks and absconded into the brush. A search of the sacks revealed 189 pounds of cocaine valued in excess of $6 million.
- Border Patrol operations in the Caribbean are also vital in stopping alien and drug smuggling onto the island of Puerto Rico. Agents recently intercepted a 30 foot fiberglass boat enroute from the Dominican Republic to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. During pursuit of the vessel, 15 bundles of contraband were thrown overboard by the suspects, which were later recovered by the Patrol. A search of the boat found another 17 bundles on board. Over 2,000 pounds of cocaine were seized worth in excess of $70.4 million.
|
