The reassignment is temporary, the I.N.S. says, lasting only until the agency can obtain more money from Congress to triple the number of border inspectors.

In general, border inspectors also did not have the information they needed to make fact-based determinations of admissibility.

But the United Nations has final say on all contracts, and the border inspectors certify that the goods have arrived before the suppliers are paid.

Every port of entry must have a Port Director, which is a higher pay grade than a typical border inspector.

Our border inspectors have to be satisfied that the adult - whoever it is - is authorized to be traveling with the child.

All travelers arriving in the United States will be screened by federal border inspectors for radiological materials beginning this weekend, according to senior Bush administration officials.

Houston has lost 23.4 percent of its border inspectors.

The latter draws border inspectors' attention to specific, potentially dangerous, cargo.

For example, Iranian border inspectors would be told not to place telltale stamps in the passports of these travelers.

The inspectors' views are drawn from our interviews with 26 border inspectors who had contact with the 9/11 hijackers.