Summary: The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 increased funding for the Border Patrol to help stem the flow of illegal aliens crossing the southwest border. The legislation authorized increases in the number of Border Patrol agents and support staff to carry out the Immigration and Naturalization Service's (INS) new border enforcement strategy of "prevention through deterrence." Under this strategy, more Border Patrol agents are to be stationed directly on the border to discourage aliens from entering the United States illegally. GAO analyzed the Border Patrol's enforcement activities nationwide. This analysis is intended for use in congressional deliberations on the number of Border Patrol agents to patrol the southwest border. Further, GAO's analysis provides baseline data on the (1) locations where the Border Patrol carried out its enforcement duties, (2) number of Border Patrol staff at each location, (3) specific enforcement activities carried out at each location, (4) views of INS officials on the contributions of the Border Patrol to INS enforcement activities, and (4) factors that could affect decisions on hiring or relocating agents for assignment to the southwest border.
