Border Patrol Agent

Border Patrol Agent

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.

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Last Answer on November 08, 2016

Best Rated

can a person that was caught crossing the border illegaly pay a fine and get released to a family member living in the United States

Asked by erika almost 12 years ago

No.

Current CRJ major in junior year, in Air Guard, age 22. If I apply now is there a good chance of getting hired or is it a total crap-shoot? Am I too young? apply now while there are openings or finish degree and hope there are openings later on?

Asked by irishdude over 12 years ago

Getting into the USBP is not overly difficult.  You are perfectly qualified.  The only issue would be whether or not the USBP is hiring or not.  The academy is always running in some fashion.  Classes are put through to fill slots as agents retire/transfer to other agencies.

Like every other politically-volatile agency the BP goes through hiring phases, and hiring freezes.  When I joined it was part of the push from 8,000 agents up to 15,000+.  The academy was absolutely packed, running overtime.  Since then numbers have gone down a bit at the academy.

I would see if you can contact a recruiting agent.  They may be able to start the hiring process and have you wait to finish your degree (above al things - finish your degree!) to report to the academy.

 

can I apply to be a border patrol agent if someone in the house hold is illegal

Asked by ibxlegend over 12 years ago

You can try, but don't bother.  This will come up in your application process, and you'll be disqualified.

how long will a person be detained if he is caught trying to cross the border with a fake or ''borrowed'' passport and green card??

Asked by AZ almost 12 years ago

Depends on the criminal history.  If prosecuted, as long as needed.  If not prosecuted, only 24 hours in the U.S.

I guess I'm not really clear on this but do agents routinely patrol their sectors looking for illegals (like cops on a beat) or are they directed to areas when motion sensors are tripped or suspects are reported, etc.

Asked by C L Smith over 12 years ago

All of the above.  While it depends a lot on terrain and your local conditions, you have a large array of operations.

In our area we had a few "X"s...these are static locations watching a particular point of interest.  You then had patroling units, which would actively be cutting for sign (footprints, debris, trash, spoor) which would indicate a recent group or vehicles.  You also had static ground-sweeping radar.  You had bike units which would operate further in from the border.  You also had occasional aviation units when we could spare them.

In addition to this you have a large number of magnetic and seismic sensors which would register back at the station.  During the day, we also had a Horse Patrol unit which specialized in rougher terrain (they were quite good up in the more mountainous regions).

Now, in some places like Nogales (nicknamed "Nogadishu" for the level of violence about a decade ago) it's an entirely different situation, as the USBP there is operating inside a city etc.  Likewise, some stations operate solely in the mountains and operate heavily by airlifting agents around in helicopters etc.

It varies immensely by station.

how hard is it to get a job as a bortac agent, or even a regular border patrol agent job after serving six years as an infantryman in the army?

Asked by jesse over 12 years ago

BORTAC is difficult and something you won't hop into without a few years in the field.  BORTAC/SRT are small units, in a large agency so the competition is pretty fierce, but not impossible.

You'll be fine. 

I have been in the border patrol Explorer program for two years and was given explorer of the year my first year. will this increase the speed of the application process.

Asked by Mr.305 over 12 years ago

I don't believe so.  The application process has no real steps you can skip or speed up.  However, if you contact the agents you work with they would possibly be able to put you in touch with the Sector's recruitment agents who might be able to tell you more.