Ask a Border Patrol Agent anything

385 Questions

Last Answer on November 08, 2016

I know there's a good bit of bull played up for the cameras when following patrol officers for the purpose of making a t.v. show. Are agents really forced to check their weapons out at the start of every shift and in prior to heading home?

Asked by L.E.O. 504 almost 12 years ago

Depends on the weapon. Agents are issued a service handgun (currently an HK P2000 in .40 S&W). Shotguns and carbines (M4/M4A1's) are checked out during shift if you think you'll need one.

Special units may be issued "take home" carbines/shotguns and even secondary handguns (for clandestine/undercover tasks). So, carbines/shotguns are kept in the armory (our station did not have nearly enough for everyone to have an issued longarm.).

You keep your handgun at all times. It is your assigned firearm.

1195 Votes

Just how porous is the U.S. / Mexico border? What percentage of it would you estimate is monitored in some capacity for illegal aliens?

Asked by dan79 almost 12 years ago

The U.S./Mexico international border is extremely porous. While on paper the entire border is monitored, the reality is that our capacity to deter/intercept all of the illegal traffic is mediocre at best. Judging by the traffic patterns I saw, I would estimate my station/sector's capability at perhaps 30% of the overall traffic is intercepted effectively.

1179 Votes

so i entered the USA as an illegal immigrant as a child with my uncle and the border patrol caught us and let us in the US when i was 12 i can back to my homeland and now im going 2 turn 18 can i apply for a visa and not get denied 4being ilegal once

Asked by Andy coleman almost 12 years ago

That would be a question for your consulate and the Immigration authorities. Normally if you were brought into the U.S. as a child it should not hurt your application process, but I can not state one way or the other.

You may be able to contact the office of a federal immigration judge for a proper answer.

1168 Votes

As a rule, when you went out on patrol, what did you take with you? How many BP agents would be on the ground at one time for patrol per shift, and were they paired or in larger groups?

Asked by CL Smith over 11 years ago

All of these questions are completely dependent on the station/sector and the needs of the shift. You could have over 100 agents per shift. Agents operate singles or in pairs, but when a task is called out on the radio who knows how many could show up. Bike teams and horses were often 4-8 agents depending on the shift. It also depends on how many agents were available, how supervisors preferred to work an area, and how busy traffic was in certain areas.

1167 Votes

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Just wondering I have a felony could I still be come a US Border Patrol?

Asked by Brett over 11 years ago

That's a question for a BP recruiter. I think it would depend entirely on the type of felony. My gut instinct says "nope", but I could be wrong.

1164 Votes

Is there a point where Border Patrol's jurisdiction ends and regular law enforcement's begins? I mean, at some point a crosser who evades US Border Patrol will be far enough North to just be IN the country and a problem for USCIS and not you, right?

Asked by apchick almost 12 years ago

BP Agents have authority to apprehend illegal immigrants anywhere in the country. However, special statutes and laws which allow us to set up traffic check-points, inspect items/people coming into the country, and stop vehicles for immigration purposes diminishes as you move further into the country.

If, for instance I was in Ohio and someone admitted to being an illegal immigrant, I could apprehend them. This of course assumes I'm on duty and in uniform etc. In this instance I would end up taking them to the nearest I.C.E. processing center.

Illegal is illegal.

1162 Votes

How does official US Border Patrol feel about the private Minuteman militia who "safeguard" the border? Are they a welcome teammate, or a lunatic fringe group who does more harm than good?

Asked by Jax almost 12 years ago

From an official standpoint, obviously the Border Patrol does not endorse or condone "vigilante" style groups like the Minutemen. That being said, I don't mind them. We were required to report them and confront them if we found them operating in our AOR. This was rare though, as our sector was far too busy. We had a lot of people who would call in and help us (even had a lady who erected a watchtower in her backyard).

I never viewed the Minutemen as a "lunatic fringe" group. Most of the people are farmers/landowners or friends/relatives of them...people who are suffering at the hands of the border problem.

The stories of American citizens being forced to leave or sell their homes and land because of the flow of illegals/cartel members etc. is heartbreaking. So, officialy -no we don't support them, but on a personal level none of us really cared. We never had any citizens arrests etc.

1162 Votes

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Border Patrol Agent

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I know there's a good bit of bull played up for the cameras when following patrol officers for the purpose of making a t.v. show. Are agents really forced to check their weapons out at the start of every shift and in prior to heading home?

Just how porous is the U.S. / Mexico border? What percentage of it would you estimate is monitored in some capacity for illegal aliens?

so i entered the USA as an illegal immigrant as a child with my uncle and the border patrol caught us and let us in the US when i was 12 i can back to my homeland and now im going 2 turn 18 can i apply for a visa and not get denied 4being ilegal once

As a rule, when you went out on patrol, what did you take with you? How many BP agents would be on the ground at one time for patrol per shift, and were they paired or in larger groups?

Also on Jobstr...

Just wondering I have a felony could I still be come a US Border Patrol?

Is there a point where Border Patrol's jurisdiction ends and regular law enforcement's begins? I mean, at some point a crosser who evades US Border Patrol will be far enough North to just be IN the country and a problem for USCIS and not you, right?

How does official US Border Patrol feel about the private Minuteman militia who "safeguard" the border? Are they a welcome teammate, or a lunatic fringe group who does more harm than good?

Border Patrol Agent

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I know there's a good bit of bull played up for the cameras when following patrol officers for the purpose of making a t.v. show. Are agents really forced to check their weapons out at the start of every shift and in prior to heading home?

Just how porous is the U.S. / Mexico border? What percentage of it would you estimate is monitored in some capacity for illegal aliens?

so i entered the USA as an illegal immigrant as a child with my uncle and the border patrol caught us and let us in the US when i was 12 i can back to my homeland and now im going 2 turn 18 can i apply for a visa and not get denied 4being ilegal once

As a rule, when you went out on patrol, what did you take with you? How many BP agents would be on the ground at one time for patrol per shift, and were they paired or in larger groups?

Also on Jobstr...

Just wondering I have a felony could I still be come a US Border Patrol?

Is there a point where Border Patrol's jurisdiction ends and regular law enforcement's begins? I mean, at some point a crosser who evades US Border Patrol will be far enough North to just be IN the country and a problem for USCIS and not you, right?

How does official US Border Patrol feel about the private Minuteman militia who "safeguard" the border? Are they a welcome teammate, or a lunatic fringe group who does more harm than good?

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