Ranking Member Underwood Remarks at Customs and Border Protection Oversight Hearing

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the subcommittee's oversight hearing on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Good morning, Acting Commissioner Flores, it’s nice to see you again. 

I would like to note that you have taken this position as a career official. You are not serving in a political capacity. So, we appreciate your service and thank you for being here today.

You are currently the head of one of the Nation’s oldest and most versatile federal agencies, responsible for addressing changing and increasingly challenging issues: the enforcement of complex trade and agricultural laws and policies; securing our borders from illicit activities including narcotics and human trafficking; facilitating lawful trade and travel through our ports of entry; and representing American values to visitors and around the world.

CBP’s work is made harder by our broken immigration system and Congress’s failure to fix it. 

Since January 20th, you’ve also been at the mercy of fast-paced and chaotic directives from the Administration to meet unfeasible goals that are putting enormous strain on CBP’s resources and operational abilities. 

The constant whiplash on tariffs and new policies that are deterring international tourism are already impacting CBP, threatening our economic security and the financial stability of your agency.

On top of that, the Secretary is commandeering resources for politicized security theater that has already put DHS investigations and officers at risk. 

The President is dangerously downgrading our relationship with Canada — one of our most important allies and a critical partner on trade and northern border security.

And our Vice President is joking about detaining tourists who come here to enjoy the 2026 World Cup. The Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration reports that international visitors to the United States already fell 12 percent compared to this same time last year, and airlines are reporting that bookings for the summer are also looking lower. In addition to hurting the American economy, threats to tourism and trade impact CBP’s daily operations because, as international air passengers decline, so do your fee collections associated with that travel. The U.S. is now on track to lose over $12 billion in international travel spending this year, which would likely increase CBP’s budget needs for fiscal year 2026, putting pressure on this subcommittee to find savings from other parts of DHS. 

I know your agency is already monitoring this decline in previously projected growth, but I ask you to keep us informed about how this may change in this fiscal year and the next to ensure CBP has the resources it needs.

One of the resources we have invested in over the years has been the deployment of non-intrusive inspection technologies that are vital in the detection of deadly narcotics in cross-border traffic. There is much more to be done to stem the flow of these deadly narcotics across our borders and continued investment in both personnel and technology at the ports is critical to keeping our communities safe. I am committed to improving our security at and between the ports of entry – and facilitating trade and travel. 

But I am also committed to doing so in a way that is consistent with our values as Americans, our founding constitutional principles, and our responsibility to those in our care, including the most vulnerable individuals that CBP encounters as well as the physical and emotional wellness of the CBP workforce. In 2023, CBP launched a pilot in El Paso, Texas, focused on addressing the concerning rise in deaths by suicide of CBP personnel and providing services to improve the wellness of the CBP workforce. 

This program is saving lives: reinvesting in CBP personnel and their families pays off.  I was glad to see that the pilot has since expanded and encourage you to grow and expand the program.  This type of investment only improves operational readiness, performance, retention and recruitment.

That’s important because hiring at CBP continues to be a challenge, especially for Border Patrol Agents. While the Secretary touts a surge in recruitment, that does not translate into actual positions onboarding. 

CBP is also facing a major issue with its CBP officer workforce due to the anticipated wave of retirements that will leave a major gap in our capacity if we don’t continue to plan and invest in hiring them now. I hope to hear more from you about your plans for addressing these issues and how Congress, and specifically this Committee, can help on that front. 

Thank you again for being here today and I look forward to your testimony and answers to our questions. 

I yield back.

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