Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has taken a notable step by becoming the first Democrat to support the Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act. This bill seeks to remove the polygraph requirement for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) applicants with previous law enforcement or military security clearances, aiming to address significant recruitment issues.
Gallego, who is campaigning for the Senate seat previously held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), emphasizes the need for bipartisan solutions to border security problems. Experts believe that eliminating the polygraph test could enable CBP to hire an additional 5,000 Border Patrol agents, mitigating current staffing shortages.
“When I meet with CBP and border community leaders, one of the first things they mention to me is the shortage of CBP officers,” Gallego said. “Securing our border should be a bipartisan issue, which is why I’m proud to be the first to cross the aisle and support this commonsense legislation to expedite CBP hiring.”
The Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act was introduced in January of last year and is currently being considered by the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement in the House. Gallego’s support has drawn criticism from Republicans, particularly his Senate race opponent Kari Lake, who has attacked his voting record and alignment with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite these attacks, Gallego has continued to push for more resources for border communities, securing over $2 million in emergency funding and introducing several bills to enhance border security and migrant processing.
He has also advocated for a more structured approach to ending Title 42, a policy used during the pandemic to turn away migrants.
The competitive Arizona Senate race, classified as “Lean Democratic” by the Cook Political Report, is drawing significant attention as both parties vie for control.
