Two years ago, Congress gave the Immigration and Naturalization Service the funds and authority to begin hiring more than 1,000 new border patrol agents a year. Most were to be assigned to the Mexican border.

But critics claim that the burden of hiring too many new personnel too fast has resulted in some people being hired who should have been screened out. One agent was arrested on charges of murder and drug dealing, another was arrested for drug smuggling, and a third was fired for not disclosing that he had once been deported for being an illegal alien. Two agents were fired when it was learned they had prior criminal records.

• Since the expedited hiring policy took effect in fiscal year 1997, staffing levels have risen to 7,800 from 5,878 in fiscal 1996.

• Last year, Congress gave the Border Patrol $877 million to hire new agents, and this year's legislation includes an additional $103 million for the same purpose.

• During the 1998 fiscal year, the Border Patrol hired 2,000 new employees out of 39,000 applicants.

Prospective employees are tested and screened by the Office of Personnel Management of the INS. Members of the Border Patrol contend that they should be in charge of hiring.