ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.
MELISSA BLOCK, host:
And I'm Melissa Block. Patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border is no small task. U.S. Border Patrol agents find themselves doing less patrolling and more minor duties such as transporting illegal immigrants back to Mexico. That's why the border patrol began hiring contractors to free up its agents. Now, two of those contractors stand accused of smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S.
As NPR'S Carrie Kahn reports, both of them work for the Wackenhut Corporation.
CARRIE KAHN: Several times a day, huge buses driven by Wackenhut contractors pull up behind the U.S. border patrol station right here in San Isidro, California. They unload dozens of illegal immigrants and send them through the clanking metal gates into Tijuana.
Mr. JULIUS ALITORI(ph) (Border Patrol Agent): It's freed up a lot of man hours for our agents to actually do our job and patrol the border.
KAHN: Border patrol agent Julius Alitori(ph) says Wackenhut drivers can make more than 12 roundtrips a day. On top of that, they have to wait at the border while every single deportee is interviewed by a Mexican immigration official.
Unidentified Man #1: (Spanish spoken)
Unidentified Man #2: (Spanish spoken)
Unidentified Man #1: (Spanish spoken)
KAHN: If the official determines the immigrant is not from Mexico, it's the Wackenhut contractor's job to take them back to a U.S. detention facility. But a federal complaint alleges that instead of returning illegal immigrants back to U.S. custody, two Wackenhut employees were letting them go in exchange for money.
Working on a tip, an undercover agent and an illegal immigrant set up a sting last June. The two were rejected by Mexico and were supposed to be taken back to a detention facility. That's when they asked Wackenhut driver Christopher Saint Lucero to cut them a break. Prosecutors say Saint Lucero asked how much money they had. They offered him $5,000 to let them go.
(Soundbite of approaching train)
KAHN: The complaint goes on to say that the contractor and another Wackenhut employee managed to get the two illegal immigrants to this park, which is just one Charlie stop up from the border.
At the park, Saint Lucero told the two to wait for him here, and I'm quoting from the complaint. He said: "I am the law here. Don't worry, nothing will happen to you. Do everything I say." A short while later, he returned in a double cab pickup and motioned to the two to get inside. Once inside the vehicle, the undercover agent identified himself and arrested the Wackenhut contractor on suspicion of immigrant smuggling.
Representative BRIAN BILBRAY (Republican, San Diego): This contracting is supposed to be - to reinforce our front level of service, not to undermine it.
KAHN: Brian Bilbray, a San Diego Republican congressman, says government contractors need closer screening.
Rep. BILBRAY: Sounds like we have a weak link that we have to fill, and those standards probably need to be moved up, and I think the Border Patrol (unintelligible).
KAHN: Border Patrol field operations supervisor Michael Riley says contractors are sufficiently scrutinized.
Mr. MICHAEL RILEY (Border Patrol Field Operations Supervisor): Our contract with Wackenhut requires them to perform a comprehensive pre-employment screening of all their employees.
KAHN: That includes a criminal background check, a credit check and minimal psychological testing. And Riley stresses this is the first incident since Wackenhut was awarded the $250 million contract two years ago.
Mr. RILEY: It's an isolated incident, you know? And it's unfortunate that it happened.
KAHN: But the instant does point to the need for tougher screening, says T.J. Bonner, head of a union representing agents. Bonner recently wrote a report that among other things criticized protocols that the Border Patrol currently uses.
Mr. T.J. Bonner (President, National Border Patrol Council): Regardless of whether you're talking about employees or contractors, it's critical that you properly screen them, properly train them, and provide proper oversight to ensure that people stay honest.
KAHN: The Border Patrol says no new safeguards have been implemented in light of the smuggling allegation. The agency referred any further questions to Wackenhut, which declined to comment. The Department of Homeland Security will decide next month whether to renew the company's contract. Carrie Kahn, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
