Ask a Border Patrol Agent anything

385 Questions

Last Answer on November 08, 2016

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).

1368 Votes

Also seen on TV--it was shown that BP has a site where it takes all the seized marijuana to be burned at various times of the years. Is this something that's contracted out or does BP take care of it 100%? How are other seized drugs disposed of?

Asked by CL Smith over 12 years ago

Our dope (marijuana and otherwise) was picked up and disposed of by the DEA.

1368 Votes

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 over 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.

1368 Votes

I am looking for documents on other nationalities caught crossing the Mexican border other than Mexicans or South Americans. Where can I find this data? Anything would be helpful thank you.

Asked by KB about 12 years ago

I'm not sure where you'd find this kind of information compiled. It may be available directly through a CBP office. The term you'd be using is "OTM" (Other than Mexican). Each sector in the BP has a headquarters with various agents assigned to public relations etc. That would be the place to start.

1368 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 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.

1366 Votes

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.

1366 Votes

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.

1365 Votes

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Border Patrol Agent

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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?

Also seen on TV--it was shown that BP has a site where it takes all the seized marijuana to be burned at various times of the years. Is this something that's contracted out or does BP take care of it 100%? How are other seized drugs disposed of?

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?

I am looking for documents on other nationalities caught crossing the Mexican border other than Mexicans or South Americans. Where can I find this data? Anything would be helpful thank you.

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")?

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?

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?

Border Patrol Agent

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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?

Also seen on TV--it was shown that BP has a site where it takes all the seized marijuana to be burned at various times of the years. Is this something that's contracted out or does BP take care of it 100%? How are other seized drugs disposed of?

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?

I am looking for documents on other nationalities caught crossing the Mexican border other than Mexicans or South Americans. Where can I find this data? Anything would be helpful thank you.

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")?

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?

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?

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