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

If Someone from Mex is trying to cross the border illegally and the people that are attempting to help them were Mexican citizens aswell but now US citizens . What will happen to all of them ?

Asked by Brrriiiiaaaanna123 about 12 years ago

US citizens will be prosecuted for human trafficking/smuggling charges.

On August 9 I got cut crossing the border illegally into the us, that is the first time I get cut, do you think I still have a chance to obtain a work visa so i can get into the us legally?

Asked by anrobledo08@gmail.com about 12 years ago

If they discover you have been apprehended crossing the border illegally it will negatively impact your VISA application, particularly if you were deported (in which case you are unable to apply for 5 years, then 10 years, and then ever). 

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 over 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.

Is it easy to start with Border Patrol and go over to ICE or FBI? Or are there better approaches to becoming a federal criminal investigator?

Asked by josh about 12 years ago

It would make a transition to ICE much easier, but the FBI is never easy to get into.  They recruit very specific people from very specific fields.  It can't hurt your chances, but I would not join the BP planning on simply switching over to the FBI.  The FBI posts what they're looking for on their website.  You'd be better off getting a degree that they're interested in. 

Even if a Wall is infeasible, wouldn't cameras and motion sensors the entire length of the Mexican border be much easier and at least raise the rate of interceptions?

Asked by Bucknell over 12 years ago

We have a lot of the border under surveillance, but it's never enough.  Also the desert is an extremely diverse environment.  Dense brush, cliffs, outcroppings, washes (dry creekbeds), etc. make it very difficult to observe all of it.

Places with open expanses do rely on large networks of cameras.  All along the border we also have sensors or various types (magnetic, seismic etc.) to detect groups and vehicles.  However these don't always work, and are often set off by cattle or locals, or even BP Agents etc.

I worked for a bit over a year and a half in radar trucks which are fantastic.  However these are expensive, and we never had enough of them.  They were placed in high traffic areas.  They were extremely effective - moreso than any other tactic we used.

Also, it's very common for BP Agents to detect, sight, or even chase a group and not catch it.  So our detection numbers may be high, but actual apprehension numbers much lower.  It would not be uncommon to have more groups on my radar screen than I had assets to pursue.  You'd simply prioritize and catch as many as you could.

So, the theory is sound - but in practice is extremely difficult to monitor the entire border as it stands now.  Also, groups/cartel guys learn where the cameras are, and simply avoid them.  You do see more tunnels in areas which feature heavy camera presence.

there was this girl form Honduras that crossed the border and border patrol caught but her family haven't heard from her since June what can they do?

Asked by MLG almost 12 years ago

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.

Does it disqualify you from the Border Patrol if you have a tattoo?
Also, did it used to?

Asked by Russ over 11 years ago

It does not currently, and I doubt it did previously.  If it's an offensive tattoo in an obvious location - possibly.  No face tattoos or stupid nonsense on your knuckles/neck/etc.