Border Patrol was operating with “permanent” overtime, it was consistent and it was necessary so they could spend their shift in the field- overtime was used as commute time to and from their area of operations. The overtime was taken away- which amounted to quite a pay cut for agents- also took agents out of the field for X hours per day, commute time to and from the field is now taken out of their shift in the field. They may actually be in the field only 4-6 hours now, less in really remote areas.
It has cut coverage on the border, at any given time their are less agents available. Smuggling has noticeably increased. It has also caused financial hardship for those that lost the overtime that was set up as part of their regular pay- though technically it was always overtime.
It would have made more sense to sequester other personnel but this was all designed to cause the most pain.
To be clear, AUO was not taken away.
It was reduced from 25% to 20%.