(AP): The U.S. Border Patrol headed to Ohio looking for some of the 6,000 new agents it intends to hire by the end of next year.

The agency held a job fair Dec. 15, 2007 in Columbus, one of dozens of cities that Border Patrol recruiters are scheduled to visit between now and the end of July. So far, no other Ohio stops are planned.

Ohio Hispanic Coalition Chairman Joseph Mas accuses the Border Patrol of coming to Columbus to recruit Midwesterners fired up about Latinos crossing into the U.S. from México.

Recruitment manager Joe Arata says that’s “absolutely incorrect” and says his agency casts a wide net looking for people thinking about careers in law enforcement. Starting pay is about $40,000.

On the Net: U.S. Customs and Border Protection: http://www.cbp.gov/ Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com