Arbitrator: Fired Border Agent Should Get Job Back

SANTA ANA (AP) — A federal arbitrator has ruled that a Southern California Border Patrol agent who was fired after he shuttled detainees back to the station earlier than ordered should get his job back.

The ruling issued Friday says that veteran agent Tony Plattel's failure to heed a supervisor's orders to return to the field with six detainees he was transporting to the city of Riverside in April 2008 was insubordination, but not grounds for removal.

The arbitrator found agents had been told previously to use discretion on when to bring detainees back to the Border Patrol station.

Plattel had argued that the detainees looked dehydrated so he wanted to get them out of the heat.

Plattel could not be immediately reached. A message was left at the Border Patrol's El Centro sector.

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