The union representing more than 14,000 current and former FBI agents released a report Tuesday detailing how the government shutdown was damaging their work — and their lives.
“ ’Voices from the Field’ contains reports from FBI special agents nationwide. These stories illustrate how the government shutdown affects our work and identifies the risks that may emerge as it continues. FBI Agents Association members provided these reports on a voluntary and confidential basis,” the group said in a statement as the partial shutdown lumbered into its 32nd day.
“FBIAA is releasing ‘Voices from the Field’ to ensure that Congress, the Administration, and the public are aware of the real and daily challenges faced by FBI Agents and the risks to national security posed by a prolonged shutdown.”
The shutdown over President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion for a border wall and Democrats’ refusal to give it to him has damaged national security, the association charges.
Cases involving crimes against children, sex trafficking, drugs and gangs, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, cybersecurity and financial fraud have been slowed, they contend.
The 72-page report also includes anonymous agents telling their personal stories.
“Like thousands of my colleagues, I am worried about the financial impact this is having. I am worried about paying bills and having to find a part-time job to make ends meet,” said an agent from the bureau’s Southeast Region.
“New agents assigned to [high-cost areas] can barely afford to live there even while being paid. If this lasts another month, many of us will have to decide between bankruptcy, eviction, or quitting,” said an agent from the West Region.
“If we are forced to quit, the bureau will suffer significant manning issues, placing more strain on the already overburdened agents who can afford to stick it out a few more months. We’re also all told that financial instability is a vulnerability from a counter-intelligence standpoint.”
FBI agents, like the other 800,000 federal employees who have been either furloughed or forced to work with no pay, will miss a second paycheck this week.
“The government shutdown is causing my wife and I undue stress, as we are expecting our first child soon and worry that money could be an issue once our savings are depleted, despite our pride in being financially responsible,” added an agent from the Northeast Region.
Others had health care concerns — including another agent from the Northeast Region whose wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Last year my wife was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, we consider ourselves fortunate because we have great healthcare insurance that is provided by the federal government, but we also hit the catastrophic deductible on our insurance in May, one month after she was diagnosed,” the agent said.
“My wife has not been able to work due to her treatments and still has treatments scheduled to go through May 2019. The question that is first and foremost on my mind, will I be able to financially out last this shutdown? I am also very angry at the unnecessary stress this shutdown is putting on my wife who just survived cancer and my 9-year-old son.”
Another agent, from the Washington, DC, Region, said the stalemate between Team Trump and Democratic lawmakers was a morale killer.
“As a 22-plus year veteran supervisory special agent, I have never been anything but proud to have been blessed to be a member of the best law Enforcement/Intel agency on the planet, period,” the agent said.
“We are a motivated, professional, and patriotic lot as you know, but we do have to make our bills like every other American — red, blue, green, or otherwise. Notwithstanding the obvious financial duress, there is also a very real impact on morale for us all.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was expected to introduce a bill based on Trump’s latest offer — temporary protection for Dreamers in exchange for the $5.7 billion — but it’s unclear if he can get the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster.
The GOP holds a 53-47 majority, so McConnell would need Democratic votes.
In the House, meanwhile, Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to pass spending bills that would reopen the government but allot only $1.3 billion for border security — bills opposed by McConnell and Trump.
