Hourly Update

Homeland Security backs off idea of civilian border patrol

LOS ANGELES - The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday it has no plans to enlist citizen volunteers to patrol U.S. borders on the day after its top border enforcement official said he was exploring how to involve civilians in his agency's work. That refutation sought to calm reaction to a controversial idea that seemed to catch Homeland Security higher ups by surprise. On Wednesday, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner told The Associated Press that his agency was considering the training of volunteers to create "something akin to a Border Patrol auxiliary." A Homeland Security spokesman issued a statement Thursday backing off Bonner's suggestion. "There are currently no plans by the Department of Homeland Security to use civilian volunteers to patrol the border," spokesman Brian J. Roehrkasse said. "That job should continue to be done by the highly trained, professional law enforcement officials." Roehrkasse said that Bonner, whose agency is part of Homeland Security, had not told department officials "any specific details of the idea." A message left with a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman was not immediately returned. Bonner's comments had marked a significant shift. Before a high-profile civilian campaign along the Arizona-Mexico border in April, Bonner had urged citizens not to interfere with his agents' work, saying "ordinary Americans" weren't qualified for what can be a dangerous task. Apparently, however, that "Minuteman Project" had an effect. Bonner had said that his agency focused on citizen involvement after noting how eager volunteers were to stop illegal immigration. "It is actually as a result of seeing that there is the possibility in local border communities, and maybe even beyond, of having citizens that would be willing to volunteer to help the Border Patrol," Bonner said in an interview while visiting the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports Wednesday. "But with some training and being organized in a way that would be something akin to a Border Patrol auxiliary." Bonner said that the idea was conceptual and that details such as whether citizens would be deputized to enforce federal immigration law hadn't been worked out. A spokeswoman said that a range of proposals were being considered, including having volunteers do clerical work so more agents could work in the field. Immediate reaction to Bonner's idea was generally skeptical. Immigrant friendly groups panned it and one organizer of the Minuteman Project said it was well-intentioned but not likely to become reality. On Thursday, a representative with the Border Patrol agents' union critical of the concept agreed with Homeland Security officials. "The whole idea that (CBP officials) were going to create a volunteer force was a diversion to mollify the organizers and the participants in the effort," said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents agents. "And I don't think it worked." T.J. Bonner is no relation to Robert Bonner. Robert Bonner had said that his agency was examining as potential models the volunteer auxiliaries of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Auxiliary helps with non-law enforcement programs such as public education, vessel safety checks, safety patrols, search and rescue and maritime security. On Thursday, Homeland Security there already are programs for civilian volunteers such as Citizen Corps, which helps coordinate preparedness activities nationwide.