Leahy Lauds INS Decision Backing Off Plan Cutting Back Number Of Inspectors Along N. Border

February 28, 2000

[Below is the reaction of Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Democratic Leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee who last week wrote to the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to urge the agency to NOT move ahead with a tentative plan to reduce the number of border inspectors along the Vermont-Canada border on Sundays and holidays. Leahy had urged the INS to instead reallocate funds from existing resources to cover any temporary shortfall due to additional budget strains caused by the recent Y2K terrorism scare. A one-page fact sheet from the INS follows.]

"This was the right move by the INS. The INS headquarters has ample resources to tap into to let the northern border staff do their job well without cutting back on existing coverage. Such a staffing reduction could have slowed up the free flow of trade and tourism that is a hallmark of our northern border."