U.S. Border Patrol agents are balking at wearing their uniforms, which bear the labels "Made in Mexico."

"It's embarrassing to be protecting the U.S.-Mexico border and be wearing a uniform made in Mexico," says T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council.

Agents and lawmakers are concerned that the criminals or terrorists may get their hands on the uniforms and use them to enter the U.S.

"If we're manufacturing uniforms in Mexico, what's to stop someone from walking across the border in a Border Patrol uniform?" asks Rep. John Carter (R-TX). "How do you know who are our guys and who are their guys?"

the uniforms have been manufactured in Mexico for more than a year now. Although the supplier, VF Solutions, is based in Nashville, Tennessee, it subcontracts its work to plants in Mexico, Canada and the Dominican Republic.

"The principle of it seems almost like an oxymoron," says James Stack, the National Border Patrol Council's vice president for the region that includes Texas and New Mexico. "Most agents don't like it."

However, there have not yet been any instances of the uniforms being misused, customs officials say. They employ strict security measures such as on-site inspections at the Mexican plant.