WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- Labor unions are seizing on a border shooting incident to press their case for extending federal law enforcement benefits to border inspectors.
Two federal agents from the Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection near the San Ysidro crossing shot dead an unarmed Mexican man Thursday after he failed to stop and allegedly drove his vehicle at them. The vehicle was suspected of being part of an immigrant trafficking ring, according to an account of the incident provided by San Diego police.
The police said five people in the car, all Mexicans in the country illegally, had been taken into custody and one had been charged with immigrant smuggling.
Local media reported that both agents had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
A statement from the American Federation of Government Employees at the weekend highlighted the different benefit situations of the two officers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are not treated as federal law enforcement agents for the purposes of injury and death benefits.
"It is unimaginable that two officers who received the same training, have the same duties, and both fired their weapons would not receive the same benefit coverage," said the statement, accusing the Department of Homeland Security of "trying to nickel and dime" frontline agents.
The statement urged the passage of legislation "to provide full law enforcement retirement benefits to all federal officers required to carry a gun and wear a badge."
