I am fan of the servants in both agencies and what they do to protect us. They are all Federal officers and have arrest powers across certain so called charges of operations. No debate. I have not gone into a deep dive into organizations and limitations or guidelines but know they roll up into Homeland Security. It was explained to me by an ICE section chief and agents a few years ago what they do and what border patrol is suppose to do, and they told me about Border Patrols is the first 5 miles guideline bit. I have no doubt that BP is involved in operations outside of that area and I know they will combine forces for joint raids anywhere in the US as needed. Not wanting to demean anyone in either organization but that is how/what it was explained to me. Not taking a side.
I have worked with many government agencies and you have to understand that servants in each are advocates for their agency. They all have to fight and argue regarding justification for funding of their agency and operations when it comes to budgets and funding on the Hill, aka as budget crisis and shutdown we are faced with as of today. I also know these rolls and operational guidelines shift as well due to budget issues.
Not wanting to open a can of worms again but my point is that there is so much overlap in some agencies that does not make sense to continue to operate in the way they have as a government entity or from a business decision standpoint. It is a bureaucratic madness. My original point was about ATF. I am just not certain its operations can not be broken down and absorbed into some other agency. Some one made the point that Border Patrol was first line of defense for illegal drugs and guns and probably so which is just another bullet point to the statement.
Anyway, I know its complex and many other interests and points of view but just stepping back and taking a high level view is maddening and confusing.
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