Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs
and Border Protection has announced plans to retire,
possibly as early as November.
Bonner has served in that role since March of 2003, and
prior to that, was Commissioner of the Customs Service
since September of 2001, before it merged with the
Immigration and Naturalization Service, Border Patrol,
and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
“After four years of service in Washington, I have
concluded that the time has come for me to retire from
federal service and return to private life,” Bonner said
in a statement.
He joins Michael Brown in leaving a major component of
the embattled Department of Homeland Security, though
under less harrowing circumstances.
In his announcement Bonner said he was proud of the bureau
for coming a long way achieving the “One Face at the
Border” initiative, “creating one frontline agency to
manage, control and secure” borders and ports, helping to
implement DHS’s container security initiative, the
immigration advisory program, as well as establishing the
National Targeting Center, and putting in place a national
strategy for border patrol.
“Rob Bonner has been an integral part of the Department of
Homeland Security leadership team since its inception,”
DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said in response.
“His guidance and efforts have been instrumental in
balancing our need to preserve the integrity of our borders
without sacrificing the free flow of commerce on which our
nation and the global community depends,” he added.
President of the National Treasury Employees Union Colleen
M. Kelley offered “best wishes,” and said the union is
“ready to work with a new commissioner” who will face “the
immense challenges to meet the critical missions of the
department.”
