About Border Patrol Agents

Border patrol agents are responsible for finding and stopping illegal aliens from entering the country. These highly-trained agents work all hours of the day in all types of terrain and weather conditions. They are often assigned to carry out dangerous missions in desolate areas. Along with capturing drug traffickers, one of the main objectives of United States border patrol agents--since the 9/11 terrorist attacks--has become the apprehension of terrorists and terrorist weapons.

Significance

A total of 17,600 U.S. border patrol agents are responsible for immigration and border law enforcement along the nation's 19,000 miles of land and sea boundaries. Most of these agents work along America's 1,900-mile southern border with Mexico. Less than 1,000 U.S. border patrol agents are assigned to the 5,000-mile boundary with Canada.

History

Mounted watchmen with the U.S. Immigration Service began patrolling the border on horseback as early as 1904 to restrict the flow of illegal Chinese immigrants. With the enactment of Prohibition in 1920 and a tightening of immigration limits, the federal government increased in emphasis on border security. Congress officially established the border patrol on May 28, 1924.

The first U. S. Border Patrol agents, who did not receive uniforms until 1928, were responsible for their own horse and saddle. The government provided the agents with a badge and revolver, feed for their horses and an annual salary of $1,680. At the time, most agents were stationed along the Canadian border as part of a crackdown on illegal whiskey smuggling. After 1950, the focus shifted to illegal immigration on the Mexican border. This remains a problem that border patrol agents still struggle to control.

Today's uniformed border patrol agents serve as part of the federal Department of Homeland Security.

Function

Though the United States border patrol has seen dramatic changes since its inception, the mission of agents remains the same: detecting and preventing illegal entries into the United States.

Besides pursing investigative leads, border patrol agents respond to electronic sensor television systems and aircraft sightings to apprehend terrorists, illegal aliens and drug smugglers. They also observe traffic and perform checks of vehicles, make routine patrols of border areas. Some have other administrative, intelligence and anti-smuggling duties.

Border patrol agents provide help to the illegal aliens that they catch trying to enter the country. This assistance can range from saving children from drowning in the Rio Grand to arranging health-care or buying meals for illegal immigrants.

Time Frame

During the 12-month period ending in October 2008, United States Border Patrol agents arrested 723,825 illegal aliens and seized 1.6 million pounds of marijuana, 9,272 pounds of cocaine and 735 ounces of heroin.

These results were not achieved without sacrifice. There were more than 1,000 assaults against U.S. border patrol agents during the same time frame, and two agents lost their lives.

Misconceptions

While U.S. border patrol agents utilize a wide array of sophisticated surveillance equipment, most people are unaware that some decidedly low-tech tools also play an important role. Agents often must rely on their eyes and instincts to interpret and follow tracks, marks and other physical evidence. In recent years, agents have resumed patrols on horseback as smugglers move to remote mountainous regions that are difficult to effectively monitor with modern tracking strategies.

Resources

• U.S. Border Patrol