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RECOGNIZING AUSTIN SKERO UPON HIS RETIREMENT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales) for 5 minutes.
Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Del Rio Border Patrol Sector Chief Austin Skero, who is retiring from Border Patrol at the end of July after a more than 30-year career in law enforcement.
Chief Skero has honorably served 26 years with Customs and Border Protection, beginning his career in 1995 in the Rio Grande Valley sector. Throughout his time with CBP, he has served Border Patrol in various roles across the Nation, from Washington, D.C., to Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Chief Skero has led the Del Rio sector as chief since July 2020. He oversees 250 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, supervising 2,000 Border Patrol employees, 9 CBP stations, and 5 traffic checkpoints, and supporting 47 counties in Texas.
Chief Skero's mission as sector chief has been especially challenging this year. Del Rio currently is the eye of the storm as we tackle this southern border crisis. Over the last year, Chief Skero has led Del Rio Border Patrol agents through one of the largest spikes in migrant traffic in United States history.
This has been no easy task. Del Rio is the second most trafficked sector on the U.S.-Mexico border. Agents are apprehending an average of a thousand migrants per day, some who surrender willingly and others who try their hardest to avoid being caught.
Last month alone, Chief Skero's sector saw over 30,000 migrant apprehensions, a 700 percent increase from the previous year. In Del Rio, over 700 human smuggling cases have been prosecuted, and sex offender apprehensions are up 1,400 percent.
Apprehensions on trains in Uvalde are up 900 percent, and it is estimated that cartels make $25 million a week in the Del Rio sector alone simply by trafficking people.
When agents are not in the field securing our borders, their dedicated work to ensure our migrants are protected has not gone unnoticed. Using the sector's limited resources to deal with many dimensions of the crisis has shown exemplary leadership from Chief Skero. Chief Skero has met and surpassed those expectations.
He has had the responsibility of briefing political figures from every corner of the Nation and every party on what is happening at our southern border.
I am incredibly grateful for Chief Skero's leadership, especially during this historic and difficult time for our border communities and our Border Patrol agents. His hard work and commitment have not gone unnoticed.
Chief Skero has received several awards and commendations throughout his career, including Border Patrol's highest award for heroism and valor, the Newton-Azrak Award. While we will miss his direction and guidance, I know his retirement is more than well-earned.
Chief Skero has lived a life driven by service to our community. The Del Rio border sector, our border communities, Texas, and our country are safer because of his leadership and work at the southern border.
Angel and I wish him and his wife, Chandra, all the best as they enter this next phase of their life.
I thank Chief Skero personally for all the direction and guidance he has given in this very difficult time. He has been at the forefront of this effort, at the forefront of this storm, and I am so grateful for the Border Patrol leading this effort.
Mr. Speaker, I wish Chief Skero a wonderful retirement. It is well-
deserved.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 131
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