Federal panel calls for reforms to border patrol investigations

A US Border Patrol agent stands near a crossing to Mexico at the San Ysidro port of entry along the US-Mexico border near San Diego, California on April 4, 2013. The barrier separating the two countries known to many as the 'border fence' or the 'border wall' is in reality several barriers, designed to prevent illegal movement across the border, backed by supporters and criticized by opponents.

US Customs and Border Protection is the nation's largest law-enforcement agency, with more than 44,000 officers. But its internal affairs department is understaffed and in need of reforms, according to a Homeland Security Department report out this week.

US Customs and Border Protection is the nation's largest law-enforcement agency, with more than 44,000 officers. But its internal affairs department is understaffed and in need of reforms, according to a Homeland Security Department report out this week.

The report also criticizes the border patrol for a dismal lack of accountability when it comes to hundreds of shootings by agents, some of them deadly. In the past decade, no agent has been formally disciplined for killing someone through the use of force.

For more, we're joined by Bob Ortega, senior reporter at the Arizona Republic.

To hear more about this, click on the audio player above.