Border Patrol Agent - Entry Level

About the role

The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) is hiring immediate entry-level career positions in federal law enforcement. These positions are open to those with prior experience in public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement.

Responsibilities

• Deterring illicit activity and ensuring the safety of the American people by safeguarding our borders.
• Inspecting documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers of noncitizens at or near the borders.
• Maintaining surveillance from covert positions and performing night operations.
• Interpreting and following tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Performing various types of checks, including farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling the international boundary and coastal waterways using a variety of government assets.

Requirements

• GL-5: One year of general work experience or a bachelor's degree with successful completion of a full four-year course of study.
• GL-7: One year of specialized work experience or a bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement, or a full year of graduate-level education in a field of study related to law enforcement.

Qualifications

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age Restriction: Must be referred for selection to the Border Patrol Agent position before reaching their 40th birthday.
• Veterans’ Preference: Eligible for Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA).
• Formal Training: After being hired, will be detailed to the U.S. Border Patrol Academy for approximately six months of intensive instruction.

Benefits

• Annual Base Salary for newly appointed BPAs varies per grade, as follows: GL-5/GL-7 $51,632- $92,912 per year.
• Exceptional benefits including health, dental, and other insurance plans, a generous annual and sick leave program, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan.
• Up to $60,000 in additional incentives, including a $20,000 recruitment incentive and up to $40,000 in retention incentives.

Pay

Salary and Benefits: Annual Base Salary for newly appointed BPAs varies per grade, as follows: GL-5/GL-7 $51,632- $92,912 per year.

Schedule

U.S. Border Patrol determines duty assignments at the time of offer based on operational needs, which may or may not align with candidates’ first-choice preferences. Relocation may be required. Duty location impacts pay rates; locality pay for federal law enforcement is higher in some locations than others.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and other insurance plans.
• A generous annual and sick leave program.
• Participation in the Thrift Savings Plan.
• Up to $60,000 in additional incentives, including a $20,000 recruitment incentive and up to $40,000 in retention incentives.

Skills

Ability to speak and read Spanish, as well as English. Border Patrol Agents will be provided training to become proficient with the Spanish language at the Academy.

Benefits

• Formal training at the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico.
• Opportunities for career advancement within the Border Patrol Agent position.

Benefits

• Job stability and long-term federal law enforcement career.
• Opportunities to serve in mission-critical locations across the Southwest Border.

Benefits

• Opportunities for relocation to different duty locations.
• Opportunities for promotion to higher grade levels within the Border Patrol Agent position.