WASHINGTON - Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), along with Sens. Grassley, Cornyn, Kyl, Coburn, Sessions, McCain, and Hutchison, are asking Secretary Janet Napolitano "to confirm that the current strength of 17,415 [Border Patrol] agents will be maintained or increased in fiscal year 2010."
 
In an Oct. 6, 2009 letter, Hatch and his fellow co-signers asked Napolitano to provide a written response addressing recent border reports and her plans to tackle the concerns regarding border security.
 
"We understand the importance of sufficient manpower along both borders and have worked diligently for years to increase the number of Border Patrol agents assigned to both borders," the senators wrote.  "Unfortunately, the most recent Government Accountability Office report on border issues (Secure Border Initiative, September 2009) acknowledges that both our southern and northern borders are still porous and easily breached. 
 
"Such reports do not inspire confidence that the Obama administration or your Department can do an effective job managing our international borders with fewer agents on the front line.  With drug trafficking, human smuggling, and cartel violence at an all-time high, we believe that we should be doing more - not less - to secure our southern border with Mexico."
 
Just recently, during consideration of the Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 2892), Senator Hatch voted for two important immigration amendments that will play a significant role in addressing immigration enforcement.  The amendments would require that all 700 miles of border fence with double-layer blocking barriers be funded and built. He also supported an amendment to permanently authorize the E-Verify program for verifying the immigration status of those seeking work in the United States.