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

How does official US Border Patrol feel about the private Minuteman militia who "safeguard" the border? Are they a welcome teammate, or a lunatic fringe group who does more harm than good?

Asked by Jax about 12 years ago

From an official standpoint, obviously the Border Patrol does not endorse or condone "vigilante" style groups like the Minutemen.  That being said, I don't mind them.  We were required to report them and confront them if we found them operating in our AOR.  This was rare though, as our sector was far too busy.  We had a lot of people who would call in and help us (even had a lady who erected a watchtower in her backyard).

I never viewed the Minutemen as a "lunatic fringe" group.  Most of the people are farmers/landowners or friends/relatives of them...people who are suffering at the hands of the border problem.

The stories of American citizens being forced to leave or sell their homes and land because of the flow of illegals/cartel members etc. is heartbreaking.  So, officialy -no we don't support them, but on a personal level none of us really cared.  We never had any citizens arrests etc.

Hello I'm 14 and I'm going to go on vacation with my uncle and aunt to Mexico for a few days do I need a Notarized letter from my parents I have a passport by the way.

Asked by David Chavez over 11 years ago

No idea.  That's a customs question, so I'm not sure.  Mexican customs is pretty lax.

I'm fostering children (U.S. Citizens) of an illegal immigrant. I have reason to think once the state gives the kids back their mom is going to take them to Mexico. Can an illegal immigrant parent take U.S. Citizen kids across the border to live?

Asked by Concerned Foster Parent over 11 years ago

I'm not entirely sure, but I'd believe so.  Children are always at the mercy of their parents decision, regardless of their citizenship.  A case would have to be made to the authorities (child protective services) to warrant removing the children from their parents.

I saw a program on TV about border issues and they said that when people pick up drugs dropped in the US to be dispersed, the perps use stolen vehicles to transport them. Doesn't that make it harder for them to do so successfully?

Asked by C L Smith almost 12 years ago

Not at all.  Stolen vehicles are cheap and disposable.  We used to capture dozens of stolen vehicles per week.  It's also why car insurance is incredibly high in the South West compared to other parts of the country (especially if you own a full size pickup truck).  They are also very fond of using rental cars (obviously with no intention to return them).

If they get chased, they'll just get away if they can and then bail out.  It's far too expensive/time consuming to use properly purchased vehicles.  The vehicles we're talking about are used for delivering large amounts of weed being shipped to local stash houses.  When they are talking about dispersal, they're not talking about normal street dealers.  These vehicles would be loaded with 1500-2000 lbs. of weed each.

Sometimes they even drive these vehicles in pairs or trios.  There are tons of small-time cartel lackeys in Phoenix, Tucson etc. who's job is solely to steal vehicles and bring them down to the border, stash them in the desert for use by drivers.

Is there a point where Border Patrol's jurisdiction ends and regular law enforcement's begins? I mean, at some point a crosser who evades US Border Patrol will be far enough North to just be IN the country and a problem for USCIS and not you, right?

Asked by apchick almost 12 years ago

BP Agents have authority to apprehend illegal immigrants anywhere in the country.  However, special statutes and laws which allow us to set up traffic check-points, inspect items/people coming into the country, and stop vehicles for immigration purposes diminishes as you move further into the country.

If, for instance I was in Ohio and someone admitted to being an illegal immigrant, I could apprehend them.  This of course assumes I'm on duty and in uniform etc.  In this instance I would end up taking them to the nearest I.C.E. processing center.

Illegal is illegal. 

But sir if the guy told u the wrong address, again and again ,and how you can get real address in any country by his picture and if his country refuse his entry in his country then u send him prison ?

Asked by jai almost 12 years ago

Jai,

This website exists for occupational questions, not debates on police procedure.  If you have questions or concerns regarding immigrations laws and procedures, you need to contact a consulate or a sector headquarters, perhaps even an ICE field office.  I'll simply say this, in four years and thousands of people apprehended, we never had a person who was wrongfully imprisoned or caught.  If a person is caught lying to a federal agent, you've now committed a crime worse than illegal entry.

If a person lies about his country of origina successfully and gets sent to another country, well he'll have to deal with their immigration service or federal police.  Feel free to take your chances.  I've met Guatemalan and Mexicon federal police - not the guys you probably want to screw around with.

if someone is caught passing people over the border and got fingerprints and a ticket for 5000 dollars is that consider any type of felony or arrest

Asked by Paola over 11 years ago

Yes.