Cornyn: DHS cuts to border patrol ‘jeopardizes safety’ of Americans

Cornyn said the decision from DHS could leave portions of the U.S. border unmanned for hours. 

{mosads}DHS has announced that it might have to cut overtime and hours of some workers, including border patrol agents, because of the across-the-board cuts mandated by sequestration.

“The fact that the administration would needlessly jeopardize the safety of American citizens as part of a continued misinformation campaign surrounding the effects of sequestration is outrageous and reprehensible,” Cornyn said.

Some Republicans have accused the administration of making political cuts that hurt Americans rather than going after waste and abuse within the government, but sequestration demands cuts across all discretionary spending programs.

Cornyn serves on the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security. He said he has requested a hearing on some of the sequester cuts DHS has chosen to make, including the release of immigrant detainees from detention centers.