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.
You can't study for a reasoning test. It's akin to a common sense test. You either have it, or you don't.
The overall effect is pretty significant. Mainly from deterrence and detection, as well as monitoring who is entering the country. If you're asking about interior checkpoints they're also pretty good. We used to catch loads of stuff trying to go around the checkpoint. This makes it really easy to catch. So, yes, they're pretty effective at both detection, deterrence and apprehensions. I can't speak for some of the really interior ones on distant highways though. No idea what they catch there.
SB1070 passed shortly after I left the BP. The USBP is 100% busy all of the time in Tucson Sector, so if anything it would have put more strain on us, due to a possible increase in local law enforcement apprehending illegals. The actual passage did not affect the way we do business, as our authority is almost entirely immigration based.
I'd imagine there was a spike in OA (other agency) calls, and I'd like to hope that ICE in Phoenix got hammered by Sheriff Joe with more apprehensions.
I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to. However, a person illegally in the U.S. will forfeit any legal application process, as they have violated the law. You may not enter the U.S. legally until you have all papers (visa, permanent resident etc.) finalized.
This is the easiest way to completely ruin your chances of entering the country legally. Likewise, this will possibly come up in your application process during the background investigation.
I can not give you a direct answer, but it doesn't sound like a good situation.
Yoga Instructor
Why don’t more men do yoga?
Radio program/music director
Just how good of a radio host do you think Howard Stern is?
Call Center Employee (Retail)
I've heard that a lot of startups are hiring really well-educated college grads and paying them a lot, reasoning that customer service is often a client's most lasting impression of a brand. What do you think, and is it something you see spreading?
You are not required to have a college degree to join the BP. However, if you do, and achieve a 3.0 or better GPA you will qualify to join at a higher pay grade. If I were you, I'd finish the college degree. That's much more important for your future than just about anything else. It is, however, not required in order for you to join.
There was not much to do on duty to keep your morale high. Off-duty, always just get as far away from work as possible. I moved 40 miles from my station so that on my days off I wasn't seeing anything work-related (short of illegal immigrants all over Phoenix, AZ). The key is to remember it's nothing more than a job. Do your job, come home and carry on with the rest of your life.
Again, I can't help you - but only because our checkpoints were all temporary. We did not have any large scale traffic checkpoints (like in Las Cruces) in our area. If they look like radar equipment they could be ground radar systems based around the checkpoints which scan for areas out to each side - detecting people or traffic which is trying to cut around the checkpoint.
Some checkpoints have tractor trailer scanning equipment, which essentially X-Rays the contents of large trailer boxes. I'm not sure. No real experience at a "proper" checkpoint. Talk about a job I'd never want though...I'm really glad we only had a small temporary checkpoint, sometimes.
There are some guys who spend most of their career standing at a traffic checkpoint. Nooooo thanks.
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