When President Bush failed to fully fund in his budget the increases in Border Patrol and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents authorized by the intelligence bill he signed in December, he opened himself to being outflanked to the right on border issues by left-wing demagogues.
Jerry Seper of the Washington Times reported yesterday that Sen. Robert Byrd (D.-W.Va.) used an Appropriations subcommittee hearing to attack Bush for not funding the new agents, when, "At the same time, the President's own terrorism experts are extremely concerned about the threat terrorists pose to our borders." Sen. Patrick Leahy (D.-Vt.) castigated the administration for "ignoring the call for substantial increases in staffing for the Border Patrol."
