Welcome to the new section of the National Border Patrol Council’s website – The Real Border Wars. We hope you have taken the time to read the information that has been published to our website since the fiasco, formerly referred to as the CBP sequester, began several months ago.
Due to some false statements being made about the NBPC’s current position, and inaccurate directives being issued at a few locations in the Border Patrol, the NBPC decided it was time to publish a series of articles. The initial articles will be intended to: dispel some rumors about the NBPC; clarify the official NBPC position; issue guidance to our members on what the Agency cannot do and what agents can do; and discuss the history and present some plausible theories as to why Border Patrol agents are repeatedly the target of disparate cuts proposed in CBP.
To begin, the NBPC is presenting a few rumors that were recently circulated about the NBPC. Although these rumors were isolated, the NBPC decided it was important to address them now before they spread to other areas:
RUMOR #1 (FALSE): The Agency gave the NBPC an ultimatum to go along with a reduction of AUO or face losing it all.
FACT: The Agency did not give the NBPC an ultimatum. Instead, CBP gave OBP an ultimatum to reduce AUO or risk de-authorization.
RUMOR #2 (FALSE): The NBPC agreed with OBP to reduce AUO to an established percentage or number of hours.
FACT: The NBPC did not strike any back-door deals with OBP that would give OBP the authority to reduce AUO. If done properly, OBP does not need the approval of the NBPC to administer AUO.
RUMOR #3 (FALSE): The NBPC agreed to allow OBP to direct agents to self-manage AUO to an established percentage or number of hours.
FACT: The NBPC did not enter into an agreement with OBP to direct agents to self-manage or restrict AUO.
RUMOR #4 (FALSE): The NBPC is asking agents to voluntarily reduce AUO to 20%.
FACT: The NBPC has not asked and is not asking any agents to voluntarily reduce AUO. Instead, agents should continue to work whatever AUO is necessary to get the job done. However, according to OBP, if the targeted reductions that were set by CBP in this category of the budget are not met, there is a real possibility that CBP may de-authorize AUO.
RUMOR #5 (FALSE): The NBPC is not going to challenge any attempts by Agency officials to reduce AUO to an established percentage or number of hours.
FACT: The NBPC fully intends to monitor the situation and will address violations if and when they actually occur. The NBPC continues to work with Congress to: preserve as much of our pay as possible, avoid having manpower reduced at the border, and consider the NBPC new pay reform that will eliminate the problems that have occurred with AUO over the past several years.
RUMOR #6 (FALSE): The NBPC instructed Local leaders to not issue any written correspondence regarding any of the above rumors.
FACT: This rumor is false because it specifically refers to all of the false rumors above. However, the NBPC did hold conference calls with the Local presidents. During those calls, the NBPC updated the presidents on information that had been received to date; discussed what the Agency could and could not do with regards to administering AUO; and explained what agents should and should not do in the event the Agency tried to manage AUO or directed agents to self-manage AUO. At the end of the call, the NBPC asked Local presidents to avoid issuing the information or guidance in writing to avoid giving OBP or CBP a blueprint on how to reduce AUO and subsequently compromise the strategy of the NBPC.
For now, hopefully this clears up any confusion regarding these rumors. If you know of any other rumors not addressed here or you hear of any future rumors about the NBPC, please do not hesitate to contact one of the NBPC executive committee members for a response. If the person spreading the rumors tells you not to go to the NBPC to verify the rumor, that should be a pretty good sign that the person does not know what they are talking about or knows they are purposely spreading false rumors to satisfy a personal agenda. Please check back for the other articles in this series that will discuss what the agency cannot do and what agents can do before jumping to any conclusions about what appears in this first article.
