Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection: Who is Alan Bersin?

(AllGov.com)

It remains to be seen just how long Alan Bersin will be serving in the Obama administration as head of Customs and Border Protection. Given a recess appointment by President Barack Obama, Bersin must receive Senate confirmation before the end of 2011, or else step down. His efforts to win over key senators did not go well in May during a hearing to vet Bersin’s qualifications and background.

Bersin apparently did not complete employment-verification forms for his 10 domestic workers—forms that tell the government whether someone is hiring illegal immigrants. The man chosen to be in charge of protecting the nation’s borders said he was unaware that he was required to fill out such paperwork during the 17 years he had hired the servants.

Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana) said he found it “incredible” that Bersin didn’t know of the requirement. “That just doesn’t pass the credibility test,” said Baucus.

Bersin’s neglect to file the paperwork was also surprising in light of the fact that he held the post of “border czar” during President Bill Clinton second term. His second chance to serve in this role broke a pattern of accepting government appointments to posts for which he had little prior experience. Read more here.