Ask a CBP Officer anything

220 Questions

Last Answer on April 22, 2019

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

I find that my interests lie in data, trends, and solving puzzles. Would you say being a CBP officer affords these kinds of opportunities?

Asked by ajm over 8 years ago

There are many opportunities within CBP. If your motivated, after a few years in the agency, you can apply for certain teams within your Port or specific national teams that do targeting. Their role is looking at data and trends for smuggling contraband into the United States. From first hand experience, some of those guys are unbelievably skilled at their jobs!

The only problem is, you need to tough it out through the rookie years, which could range from 4 to 8 years.

811 Votes

Have you ever worked in the mail room, checking to make sure there are no drugs or contraband coming into the country? I think that would be so interesting. Personally, I think that is what I want to do.

Asked by Erik over 8 years ago

Sorry, this is an area that I am not familiar in. I've never done it, but from people that I've spoken to, they really enjoy it. The problem is, you cant get hired directly to that position. You would have to start as a regular officer then find an opening for that position. Chances are very slim, so I would recommend that if you apply for this job, don't apply with the sole intention of working at a mail room.

810 Votes

For GS-5 in San Ysidro, CA, the starting CBP officer salary is around $36,000. How are we expected to survive all that?

Asked by X. Lewis over 8 years ago

That's what I started at and it is tough. I ended up making some good friends during pre-academy and academy, the three of us shared a townhouse together so it worked out well. $36,000 is just base salary, your really looking at about $55,000 for your first year with overtime, holidays, and night pay.

807 Votes

A legal visitor to the US is visiting me and we plan to drive to Canada and back into the US. Are they any special requirement when re-entering the US by car, other than a valid passport and US visa?

Asked by VK over 9 years ago

Nope, thats all you need!

804 Votes

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Can a CBP at an International Border passenger crossing ask me what I do for a living?

Asked by Oscar Carlo almost 8 years ago

Yes. They can ask a range of question if it pertains to your admission into the United States.

803 Votes

How did you felt living your home state to move to the Southwest Border? how did you found housing and how did you attended to your 30 day EOD before the academy? Thank you.

Asked by jvcolo22 over 7 years ago

It was a drastic move for me, it was almost literally across the country. I used the CBP Delphi forums to find an officer who was renting a room in his home. I stayed with him for my first 30days. He showed me around the city and showed me which areas I should rent and which to avoid. Towards the end of the academy, I found an apartment to rent in a neighborhood he suggested. I scheduled my move in day the same day as my arrival .

799 Votes

I-131 is open to DACA recipients for edu, work, & humanitarian reasons. It is approved USCIS and clearly states recipient will need to be inspected and admitted to the U.S. why do officers act like they don't know what it is & threaten deportation?

Asked by Lola almost 9 years ago

DACA is a relatively new program that was implemented in 2012. Some officers are unfamiliar with how to process them because they are slightly different than the normal paroles.

You are not guaranteed parole into the United States under this program, or under any other parole program. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers have the ultimate say at the Port of Entry when it comes to DACA or any other paroles.

Basically, USCIS cannot FORCE CBP to parole you into the United States. USCIS does not have the lawful ability to parole anyone into the United States, only CBP does. The biggest misconception is that the I-512 (Parole Document) is NOT a guaranteed parole. The easiest way to explain it is that it is a "request for parole", if you will. USCIS is REQUESTING to us that we parole you into the United States because you meet all of their guidelines. Now, it is at the discretion of the CBP officer to determine IF they want to parole you in.

Theoretically, a CBP Officer is within his lawful right to remove you from the United States IF that officers has the appropriate charges against you. However, will it happen? Most likely not. It would just cause internal conflicts between agencies. But it is possible and lawful.

793 Votes

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CBP Officer

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

I find that my interests lie in data, trends, and solving puzzles. Would you say being a CBP officer affords these kinds of opportunities?

Have you ever worked in the mail room, checking to make sure there are no drugs or contraband coming into the country? I think that would be so interesting. Personally, I think that is what I want to do.

For GS-5 in San Ysidro, CA, the starting CBP officer salary is around $36,000. How are we expected to survive all that?

A legal visitor to the US is visiting me and we plan to drive to Canada and back into the US. Are they any special requirement when re-entering the US by car, other than a valid passport and US visa?

Also on Jobstr...

Can a CBP at an International Border passenger crossing ask me what I do for a living?

How did you felt living your home state to move to the Southwest Border? how did you found housing and how did you attended to your 30 day EOD before the academy? Thank you.

I-131 is open to DACA recipients for edu, work, & humanitarian reasons. It is approved USCIS and clearly states recipient will need to be inspected and admitted to the U.S. why do officers act like they don't know what it is & threaten deportation?

CBP Officer

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I find that my interests lie in data, trends, and solving puzzles. Would you say being a CBP officer affords these kinds of opportunities?

Have you ever worked in the mail room, checking to make sure there are no drugs or contraband coming into the country? I think that would be so interesting. Personally, I think that is what I want to do.

For GS-5 in San Ysidro, CA, the starting CBP officer salary is around $36,000. How are we expected to survive all that?

A legal visitor to the US is visiting me and we plan to drive to Canada and back into the US. Are they any special requirement when re-entering the US by car, other than a valid passport and US visa?

Also on Jobstr...

Can a CBP at an International Border passenger crossing ask me what I do for a living?

How did you felt living your home state to move to the Southwest Border? how did you found housing and how did you attended to your 30 day EOD before the academy? Thank you.

I-131 is open to DACA recipients for edu, work, & humanitarian reasons. It is approved USCIS and clearly states recipient will need to be inspected and admitted to the U.S. why do officers act like they don't know what it is & threaten deportation?

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Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

I find that my interests lie in data, trends, and solving puzzles. Would you say being a CBP officer affords these kinds of opportunities?