The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the new agency created two months after the September 11, 2001 attacks with a budget of $4.8 billion, is seeking to hire an unspecified number of air marshals and up to 54,000 passenger and baggage screeners for airports. This is leading to a recruiting war among government agencies charged with security, including the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Secret Service, the US Capitol Police, the US Park Police, and the FBI. The TSA is offering raises of $10,000 or more to many candidates. Experienced air marshals, with overtime, can earn $84,000.

The INS is particularly hard hit. It is trying to hire 570 agents to patrol the Canadian border, but has seen an increase in attrition from 9 percent last year to 17 percent this year as 566 Border Patrol agents, immigration officers, and others have defected to the TSA. The Capitol Police has lost veterans with special skills, such as SWAT team members. The defections have led Congress to approve a 5 percent pay raise for the Capitol Police in 2003. The Border Patrol would like to see a 20 percent pay increase.

(Updated October 10, 2002)