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

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 almost 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). 

Hello, I read one of your replies on 3/15/2013 and you said that, " The theory is that illegal immigrants will be intercepted/apprehended within 25-50 miles of the international border." With ICE catching some, so ICE and BP work together?

Asked by Janice over 11 years ago

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.

What percentage of illegals attempting to cross the border would you estimate are successfully intercepted by Border Patrol? Is that figure improving or worsening compared to past years?

Asked by Quezon over 12 years ago

I'd say that of the groups that we detected or spotted we apprehended around 30-35%.  That figure improved quite a bit following 9/11, as DHS/CBP had a large hiring push and went from around 8,000 agents to around 16,000.

Since then it seems to have been pretty steady.  As apprehensions increase the Mexicans and cartel guys become a bit more creative.  It's a constant back and forth.  There is no genuine progress being made toward "shutting down the border" or "stopping illegal immigration" etc.  Unfortunately that is not a political goal of either party.

Was it depressing that the border was such a revolving door? Did you feel like you were making a difference when a new crop of illegals would show up every day?

Asked by Isaac about 12 years ago

Yep, very depressing and stressful.  Living in AZ it's more than obvious we're not making much of a difference.  From Phoenix to the border the state has been flooded with illegal immigrants.  You'd see hundreds daily just on the drive in to work.  So, short answer - no I did not feel like we were making much of a difference.

It was also very obvious from the agency perspective that there was no genuine desire to effect real change.  The USBP is about 50% just a dog and pony show.  But we all knew that.  We busted our butts, worked hard - but at the end of the day we knew the government etc. was not genuinely serious about "closing the border".

FOLLOWING THE QUESTION BEFORE: affects me, do border patrol provide a dictionary for those who do not understand english?

Asked by Jose M. almost 12 years ago

There is not a dictionary that I am aware of.  A candidate must be fluent in English in order to be a BPA.  Most of the trainees in my class who failed out of the academy had poor English skills and were unable to pass the classes and law tests.  The law classes require excellent English as there is a lot of legal language which is extremely important to comprehend.

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 over 11 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.

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 almost 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.