Sen. Jeff Flake is pushing to get more border agents and law enforcement officers hired by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The Arizona Republican says the agency is facing a staffing shortfall because of its difficult pre-employment screening process.

At the center of Flake’s effort is improving how CBP administers polygraph tests, which he says have seen high failure rates and other obstacles in recent years.

Since 2013, all applicants for law enforcement positions at CBP have been required to pass a polygraph test. But only about 1 percent of applicants end up successfully being hired, according to Flake’s office.

Around 1,700 border patrol agent positions and 1,000 CBP officer positions remain unfilled at the agency.

Flake is now urging FBI Director James Comey to share best practices and guidance with CBP about how to successfully administer a polygraph test, since the FBI also requires applicants to pass a polygraph exam.

“The problems related to the polygraph appear to be unique to CBP,” Flake said in a letter to Comey.

“Given the FBI’s experience successfully administering these exams, I would encourage continued collaboration with other agencies to share best practices and provide assistance to CBP on how to effectively administer a polygraph test without disrupting the hiring process.”

The letter to the FBI isn’t the first step Flake has taken to address hiring shortfalls at Border Patrol.

The lawmaker has previously introduced legislation that would waive duplicative CBP polygraph hiring requirements for applicants who have qualifying law enforcement or military experience. 

The bill, which has been endorsed by the Tucson Local 2544 Border Patrol union, is co-sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Ron Johnson(R-Wis.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.  

“At a time when Arizonans are rightfully demanding a secure border, it’s unjustifiable to be turning away qualified applicants with distinguished military and law enforcement service because of a potentially flawed polygraph,” Flake said.


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