Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford has called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to reverse its recent decision to reduce the policy on past marijuana use for Border Patrol agent recruits. In a letter to CBP's senior official, Lankford urged the agency to rescind the policy change and reinstate the previous two-year lookback period for marijuana usage among recruits.
The current CBP policy prohibits applicants from having used marijuana within 90 days prior to applying to work for the agency. The senator's office revealed that the shift from a two-year to a 90-day lookback period occurred in recent months, although the exact date of implementation remains unclear.
Lankford expressed concerns that the revised marijuana policy undermines the security and integrity of the Border Patrol workforce and contradicts the agency's mission to combat illegal drug trafficking. He emphasized that CBP, as a federal agency, must ensure that its personnel comply with federal laws regarding controlled substances.
The senator highlighted the discrepancy between federal and state laws on marijuana, with 24 states, two territories, and Washington, D.C., having enacted legislation to regulate marijuana for non-medical or adult use. Despite the legalization in some states, Lankford stressed that CBP's obligation to uphold federal regulations remains paramount.
CBP did not provide a comment on the matter by press time. Lankford's office indicated that the agency justified the policy change by citing confusion between federal and state laws in states where marijuana is legalized.
As the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Governmental Operations and Border Management, Lankford asserted his oversight role in federal hiring and border management. He pointed out that recruits who disclose past marijuana use during polygraph tests often admit to other disqualifying criminal activities, raising concerns about the potential risks associated with the revised policy.
Lankford argued that the policy change could compromise Border Patrol's primary mission of combating illicit drug trafficking and illegal immigration. He warned that the reduced threshold for past marijuana use among recruits could pose security and integrity risks for the agency, potentially enabling ties to transnational criminal organizations.
In conclusion, Lankford urged CBP to reconsider its decision and reinstate the previous two-year lookback period for marijuana usage among Border Patrol recruits to uphold the agency's mission and safeguard national security.
