Border Patrol applicants say aggressive, humiliating polygraphs blocked them from joining understaffed agency
Fox News
Border Patrol has a much higher polygraph failure rate than comparable federal agencies, and former applicants described the examiners as aggressive and hostile.
Hannah Ray Lambert is an associate producer/writer with Fox News Digital Originals.
Customs and Border Protection has struggled for years to meet its staffing goals, and the Border Patrol union says the polygraph requirement is eliminating scores of otherwise qualified candidates. Several former CBP applicants — three of whom have other law enforcement experience — shared their polygraph experiences with Fox News and said they don't think the test should be a make-or-break factor in employment.
"Do I think the test is reliable? Not at all," said Howard, who told Fox News he failed two polygraphs in his quest to join the Secret Service and CBP, but passed one required by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. "It's just high-tech voodoo."