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

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 about 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.

what happens if you are caught trying to cross the boarder with a fake visa and not arrested? does it count against you if you try and get a visa?

Asked by ana over 11 years ago

Yep.

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 almost 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. 

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 over 11 years ago

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

how long will a person be detained if he is caught trying to cross the border with a fake or ''borrowed'' passport and green card??

Asked by AZ about 11 years ago

Depends on the criminal history.  If prosecuted, as long as needed.  If not prosecuted, only 24 hours in the U.S.

if i become a border patrol , will i still be able to visit mexico?

Asked by jesus oceguera over 11 years ago

You can.  I don't recommend it, for obvious reasons.  This has been discussed previously.

What happens when you catch someone who has no ID whatsoever? On what basis can you prove he's not an American and is in the country illegally?

Asked by Broseph about 12 years ago

It's quite easy actually.  During the interview/processing, it is very easy to establish whether someone is a citizen or not.  This is also why we process everyone we catch.  Once you're caught crossing the border (which, by the way, is illegal for U.S. citizens as well - you're required to cross at a designated Port of Entry, through customs etc.) you're processed into the immigration database.

O.T.M's frequently would travel with no documents, trying to masquerade as Mexicans (because it was easier to pretend to be a Mexican, and be returned to the border...as opposed to being flown back to their native country).  A simple interview would reveal their false claims very simply.  This is part of your training, basic interrogration techniques.

There was never a case during my time in the Patrol where we had an issue revealing someone's true origin/identity.  Proper names etc. were another story.  I'd say perhaps 50-70% of illegals had a number of aliases/false names/identities, stolen or forged social security numbers etc.  In this instance, a person's identity in the U.S. legal system is that name/identity under which they originally were processed.