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385 Questions

Last Answer on November 08, 2016

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 almost 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.

1202 Votes

Im told not to get housing until after graduation. Im also told we get about a week after graduation to move. How does one find housing and move their family from Michigan to Arizona all in a week? Doesn't seem reasonable.

Asked by DL79 over 11 years ago

The last couple of weeks before you graduate start looking...that's the beauty of the internet. Start researching and contact apartment complexes near your station etc. Heck you could even check into one of those hotels that lets you pay by the week for the first couple of weeks. Me and my classmates found a house to rent via Craigslist. We stayed there for 6 months then all moved to our own apartments/houses.

It's up to you to arrange the move of your family. It's not easy, but you'll figure it out. Just don't sign any papers or leases until you graduate. You should be able to tell the home owner or apartment complex your situation.

1198 Votes

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.

1198 Votes

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.

1197 Votes

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Is the opposition to building a giant wall the length of the border mostly economical ("we can't afford it"), pragmatic ("it wouldn't work") or political ("a wall is an antagonistic symbol of exclusion")?

Asked by Bucknell about 12 years ago

It's about 95% politics. No party nor politician wants to be responsible for losing the Latin-American vote or ruffling the feathers of Mexico's government. It would actually save us a lot of money in the long-run, given how much we spend on border security.

1196 Votes

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.

1196 Votes

You said that Al Qaeda is looking to leverage the cartels' intel and such -- are the cartels thought to be friendly to such requests? Do they care at all as long as they get paid? Or would that guarantee to bring a ton of heat on them from the US?

Asked by baconops almost 12 years ago

I wish I could give you a concise and accurate answer. There are numerous terrorist organizations who have been located in Mexico, dealing or working with the cartels. Simply put the cartels are the masters of infiltrating the U.S., using their expertise.

A week after 9/11 a dozen Chechens were caught coming across the Southern border. Hezbollah militants have been spotted in Mexico. I do believe the cartels know full well this could bring a lot of heat if something horrible can be traced back to them. However, unfortunately, we had a saying in the Patrol "we only catch the dumb ones". It's very simple to catch trucks driving through the desert carrying dope, or catching large groups of illegals walking blatantly across the border.

But small, secret tunnels, small nearly-undetectable ultralight aircraft, etc. are much harder to locate. I suspect any genuine terrorist activity is kept well below our radar. Imagine the funds available to Al Qaeda, Hezbollah etc. I'm sure they can make it financially worthwhile to the cartels to assist them.

I think it deserves some serious attention - and we have intelligence agencies pursuing this exact possibility. I wish I knew more about it to answer more appropriately.

1195 Votes

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Border Patrol Agent

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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.

Im told not to get housing until after graduation. Im also told we get about a week after graduation to move. How does one find housing and move their family from Michigan to Arizona all in a week? Doesn't seem reasonable.

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.

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?

Also on Jobstr...

Is the opposition to building a giant wall the length of the border mostly economical ("we can't afford it"), pragmatic ("it wouldn't work") or political ("a wall is an antagonistic symbol of exclusion")?

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?

You said that Al Qaeda is looking to leverage the cartels' intel and such -- are the cartels thought to be friendly to such requests? Do they care at all as long as they get paid? Or would that guarantee to bring a ton of heat on them from the US?

Border Patrol Agent

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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.

Im told not to get housing until after graduation. Im also told we get about a week after graduation to move. How does one find housing and move their family from Michigan to Arizona all in a week? Doesn't seem reasonable.

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.

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?

Also on Jobstr...

Is the opposition to building a giant wall the length of the border mostly economical ("we can't afford it"), pragmatic ("it wouldn't work") or political ("a wall is an antagonistic symbol of exclusion")?

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?

You said that Al Qaeda is looking to leverage the cartels' intel and such -- are the cartels thought to be friendly to such requests? Do they care at all as long as they get paid? Or would that guarantee to bring a ton of heat on them from the US?

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