CBPGuy
7 Years Experience
SouthWest, US
Male, 25
I am a U. S. Customs and Border Protection Officer on the southwest border between Mexico and the United States. I know the ins and outs of the job as seen on TV/News and things intentionally hidden from the media! There's more to this job than "Anything to declare?" I dont know all but I'll do my best to answer any questions you have! All answers are my opinion, and my opinion only!
You are not provided a take home. Every port has different duties. Our primary assignments are at the Ports of Entry conducting primary and secondary processing. However, there are many details that are outside of that. Traffic stops, drug/money runs, prisoner transport etc.
I believe you must pass probation (one year) before you can swap with another officer for another port.
Not completely. There are a bunch of factors that could come into play. The best advice I can give you is to be completely honest on the polygraph and completely honest on the background questionnaire.
I had marijuana use in the past as well, but it wasn't habitual and I was open about it.
Your mother probably has suspect travel history. If she comes to the US for 6 months, leaves for a month, comes back for 6 months then she's living in the US. Once a person maintains a consistent travel pattern, it can be used to cancel their visa.
Picture this, your a US citizen and you go to Colombia for six months. You come back to the US for a month or two, now you go back to Colombia for another six months, and repeat the cycle. Where do you REALLY live?
The airport can get fairly boring. For the first several years of your career, you will be posted at "Primary" where you either grant admission to alien's (Entry for US Citizens) or refer suspect individuals for further scrutiny.
Once you have a few years on your belt, you can bid for a secondary position. This is where you will be determining with you will allow someone to enter the United States or return them back to their home country.
There are also other specialty teams where you patrol the airport in vehicles, perform hot stops, interview subjects etc. Those positions, however, are few far and between at airports.
As for education, you only need a high school diploma or GED. Of course, a college degree will make you more noticeable and may start you at a higher pay but it's not necessary.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
How often do people wake up during surgery?
Hospice Nurse
Do most patients in hospice know they are going to die soon?
School Bus Driver
Why don't school buses have seat belts?
Yes, every single entry and exit.
Not necessarily. Sometimes, being referred to secondary only means the Officer on primary wants another Officer to take a bit more time to gather information versus immediately granting you entry into the United States.
On primary, the Officer only has two thought processes; "Yes, I will allow this person in the United States." or "I'm not completely sure if I should". If the Officer is not 100% confident with the first decision, he will send you to secondary for someone else to make a better determination.
When I went through FLETC, we had 1 to 2 classes graduating every week. Now its slowed down a bit, so its about 1 a month. FLETC is 4.5 months long, not including 6 weeks of Spanish training. In CBP, all armed positions and Agriculture Specialists go to FLETC, the others do not.
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)