WASHINGTON (AP) - Firearms use by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agents is on the decline.
According to data obtained by The Associated Press, there were 15 instances in which officers and agents used firearms during the budget year 2018. That's down from a high of 55 during the 2012 budget year and down from 17 in the budget year 2017.
Despite cases where agents used tear gas on migrants that included children, instances of less-lethal force like tear gas and batons are also down to 898. That's a decrease from the high in 2013 of 1,168.
Data also shows officers and agents facing an increase in the number of assaults. They are also encountering an increasing number of families crossing the border.