KENNEDY BILL TO ADD 1,000 CBP OFFICERS YEARLY COULD BOOST TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH, CRITICS WARN

Buffalo Congressman Tim Kennedy defends the Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act of 2025, which would require Customs and Border Protection to hire at least 1,000 new officers annually and replace attrition until staffing meets the agency’s Workload Staffing Model. Kennedy says the hires are intended to prevent hours-long delays at Canadian land ports of entry and to address a pending retirement cliff that could worsen staffing shortages. Immigration advocates and critics warn the additional officers could be diverted to civil immigration enforcement and enable the Trump administration’s deportation campaign, citing data that CBP was short roughly 5,850 officers and that thousands have been reassigned to enforcement duties. Kennedy said he may consider amendments to keep new hires stationed at crossings rather than being reassigned, and the bill has been referred to committee and cosponsored by Rep. Bennie Thompson.