The Senate has approved on a party-line vote the nomination of Rodney Scott to serve as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Scott served as chief of the U.S. Border Patrol during President Trump’s first term and is expected to, per Trump’s stated priorities, focus CBP efforts on reducing illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
According to his biography on CBP’s website, Scott began his career with the Border Patrol in 1992 and subsequently held numerous leadership positions at various stations and sectors along the U.S.-Mexico border, ultimately becoming chief patrol agent for the El Centro and then San Diego sectors. During his career Scott also served in various roles at CBP headquarters, including as assistant chief within the Office of the Commissioner, Office of Anti-terrorism, as deputy executive director of that office, and as director for CBP’s Incident Management and Operations Coordination Division.
According to press articles, Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said recently that Scott “has no experience with customs facilitation or enforcement” at a time when the U.S. is imposing unprecedented tariffs on imports from virtually all countries.
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