President's Homeland Security picks get guarded reception

President Bush's picks to lead two Homeland Security Department law enforcement agencies were met Tuesday with measured support.

Bush has nominated W. Ralph Basham to be the next commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection bureau, and has appointed Mark Sullivan to be director of the Secret Service. Basham has to be confirmed by the Senate.

Some union representatives questioned how responsive Basham will be to the concerns of rank and file employees. As CBP commissioner, he will be in charge of the Border Patrol as well as CBP officers at the nation's ports of entry.

Both men come from the Secret Service. Basham is a 28-year veteran of the agency and served as its director for the last three years. Prior to that, he was director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. He also was chief of staff at the Transportation Security Administration when that agency first was created.

Sullivan is a 23-year veteran of the Secret Service, and served most recently as assistant director of the Office of Protective Operations. He also has held senior investigative and protective management positions on the force.

"Both men are vastly experienced and highly decorated members of the federal law enforcement community, who have each made significant contributions to our nation's security," said DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff.

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association also praised the choices.

"It shows that Secretary Chertoff was focused on bringing to the table a combination of good leadership and experienced people," said Jon Adler, FLEOA's national first vice president.

Adler said FLEOA members have had positive interactions with both Basham and Sullivan.

However, T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, criticized the choice of Basham. He noted that former managers tapped from the Secret Service to head the Federal Air Marshal Service and the Transportation Security Administration had strained relationships with employees.

"The Secret Service does not have a good track record of working with its employees," Bonner said. "These guys are not unionized. They are very much command-and-control."

Bonner also questioned how Basham will approach issues related to immigration enforcement.

"Mr. Basham does not have any experience in immigration enforcement, so I don't believe it's going to be one of his priorities," Bonner said. "We believe that immigration is key to homeland security."

Bonner added that the National Border Patrol Council has no hesitation in taking an early stand against Basham. "He wasn't going to deal with us in good faith, anyway," Bonner said. "We really have very little to lose."

But Charles Showalter, president of the American Federation of Government Employees' National Homeland Security Council 117, said he is willing to give Basham a chance.

"My only concern is I don't know how much experience he has working with unions," said Showalter, whose union represents CBP officers at the ports of entry.

Showalter said AFGE hopes to meet with Basham to talk about giving CBP officers full law enforcement officer status and better training. The union also is seeking changes to the agency's One Face at the Border program.

He added that he hopes Basham will give CBP officers the support they need to do their work. "Support the troops in the field and they'll get the job done for you," he said.

The National Treasury Employees Union said Basham's nomination is "an opportunity to foster needed positive change and improvements in the troubled CBP workplace."

NTEU also called on Basham to review One Face at the Border and to help CBP officers gain law enforcement officer status.

"The first order of business for a new CBP commissioner should be to listen to front-line employees about ways to make our nation's border safer," said NTEU president Colleen Kelley.

The union also urged a renewed emphasis on the agency's traditional trade mission, including a reversal of personnel cutbacks; recommended that Basham "rethink the direction" CBP is heading in terms of the treatment of employees on issues such as scheduling, work assignments and overtime; and urged development of a fair pay system and a labor relations system "that respects employee rights and due process."

Calls and e-mails to the Senate and House homeland security committees for comment were not returned in time for publication.