by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:37 AM ET, Wed June 26, 2019
The Transportation Security Administration announced plans to send more than 650 airport screeners and federal air marshals to the Mexican-United States border to assist with the increase in arriving migrants.
According to The Associated Press, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said TSA officials sent nearly 200 screeners and supervisors and 172 air marshals to the border, with another 294 expected to be sent in the near future.
TSA spokesman James Gregory told The AP employees volunteer for the border work and are sent on 45-day rotations, but they are permitted to stay longer if approved. Gregory went on to say the number of airport screeners at the border will fluctuate.
"The key is that we are managing voluntary deployments strategically to ensure no one airport or location is overly burdened," Gregory said.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske was also questioned during a hearing on the shortcomings of the agency, with the Homeland Security Department inspector general and the Government Accountability Office saying the TSA "has not fixed several weaknesses in airport security."
Pekoske said the agency has taken steps to comply with recommendations for updated screener training and is "committed to dealing with the others as soon as possible."
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