Oscar
Charleston, SC
Male, 31
Spent a bit over four years (2006-2010) serving as a Border Patrol Agent in Tucson Sector, AZ: the busiest sector in the country. Worked numerous positions, and spent the last year and a half operating/instructing ground radar installations. Duties included: field patrols, transport, processing, control room duties, transportation check, checkpoint operations, static watch duties, etc.
I haven't been to that location so I couldn't tell you. Sorry.
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That is probably mostly done for the camera. If you're within a mile or two of the border, everyone (including the illegals) knows what's going on. Many times they see agents and sit down. They know the drill. If you're operating on a highway or in another area you will identify yourself. Tourists or travellers who are not used to the border area won't know who/what you are etc.
I do believe it is policy to identify yourself...but the uniforms and big vehicles with "BORDER PATROL" on them, kind of give it away. Now, having said that - there are groups of bandits (Mexican criminals who actually prey on other groups of Mexican illegals) who try to dress up as the Border Patrol (wearing similar outfits etc.). They will shout out Border Patrol as they encounter groups and then rob them.
In other sectors where there are towns and populations I am sure it's a vastly diffierent circumstance. In the middle of the desert you'll only find agents, illegals and cartel guys.
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Absolutely not. While the Border Patrol is paramilitary in its operations and organization, we still follow normal law enforcement procedures.
Most non-cartel related illegals are not bringing firearms here, though it does happen on occasion. They are often for self-defense from bandits etc., and not for use agains the Border Patrol. Remember, in Mexico firearms are "illegal", meaning only the powerful, rich, and cartels (who are both powerful and rich) have weapons.
The cartels on the other hand are extremely well armed, moreso than the Border Patrol. However, there is a small amount of common sense in the cartel members higher up. They know if they begin a big shooting war with the Border Patrol that security will be stepped up and we'll bring the military to the border etc. They predominantly stick to shooting at each other and the Mexican police and military (I've witnessed running gun battles on the Mexican side from a radar post).
Even once in the U.S., cartel groups are normally armed in order to fight each other. We had numerous running gunfights up and down I-10 (main highway from Tucson to Phoenix/California), and gunfights in Tucson, Phoenix and other cities. There are a lot of shootings in the desert between cartels, bandits, and groups of illegals. It is normally rare for a BP Agent to be shot at. This is often a couple of pot shots taken at us from across the border.
I've been on duty during a couple of shootings, but have not been shot at personally. Likewise, I've drawn my gun in numerous cases and have been fortunate enough to not need to use it. I've had a fair share of incidents where someone tried to run me over in a vehicle/run me off the road etc.
It does happen though. Like all law enforcement, we are absolutely justified in using lethal force when threatened with extreme bodily harm/death etc. In the weeks before I left the Patrol we had five shootings in our area: two were agent involved shootings, one was a sheriff involved shooting, and two more between illegals and bandits. Only one of these even made the local paper.
The USBP and other government agencies do everything in their power to keep the situation on the border hush-hush. They don't want people to realize that it's the wild west out there. The coverage you see on television, and NATGEO is about 10% of the nonsense going on out there.
Now to address your last question - I don't believe ANY law enforcement agency in the country has a policy allowing you to shoot an unarmed person fleeing you (except perhaps in the case of a prisoner fleeing a prison?). This is what we in the community would refer to as a "bad shoot", meaning the employment of lethal force outside of our "use of force continuum" = a detailed policy which dictates what levels of force an agent is allowed to use in certain circumstances.
These do happen in law enforcement, be it by accident or pure negligence. That's an unfortunate reality.
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Nope. Once released from federal service for that kind of issue you won't be rehired.
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With ICE? Probably very easy - FBI not so much. They're extremely high speed, and very picky. I only knew one BP guy who went over to the FBI and he was for all intents and purposes a rock star (top of his class, made sup' early, became SRT, then SRT sup' etc.). It is a great entry into federal law enforcement though. You'll do fine, and can likely go a lot of places. Also, remember there are a ton of agencies people have never heard of.
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Contact their consulate to directly contact the US and look into her status. If it was June, she's either in jail, or has already been flown back to Honduras. It is also likely she lied and said she was a Mexican in order to avoid being flown back.
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Technically yes, though in wildly different areas. BP patrols the border, while in theory ICE would be enforcing similar laws within the United States interior. However, in practice ICE does very little, as they're small and underfunded and can not adequately carry out their job. They end up handling immigration detainers from local prisons/jails etc. They also handle long-distance deportations by plane etc.
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