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Border Patrol

The United States Border Patrol: An Overview

United States Border Patrol is the largest law enforcement arm of the U.S Customs and Border Protection under the Department of Homeland Security. It is responsible for securing the U.S Borders between the ports of entry and was officially established on May 28, 1924, to control illegal immigration and human smuggling. However, since the 9/11 attacks, the focus of the Border Patrol has changed to the detection and deterrence of terrorists and their activities. Although Border Patrol has changed a lot over time, The mission since the time of its inception has been to prevent the illegal entry of individuals and goods into the United States. The United States Border Patrol is responsible for patrolling the Mexican and Canadian Land Borders and also the coastal waters of the Florida Peninsula and Puerto Rico. During the 1980s and 1990s, illegal immigration to the U.S was on the rise. During this time, the U.S Border Patrol employed infrared night-vision telescopes, seismic sensors, and computing technologies to locate people trying to cross into the U.S illegally. Operation ‘Gatekeeper’ was implemented in 1994, which reduced illegal entries by three-quarters. The Patrol also established anti-smuggling units and search rescue teams soon after. In 1998, the U.S Border Patrol also started The Border Safety Initiative with the cooperation of the Mexican Government. After the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security was established, of which the U.S Border Patrol became a part. The staff of the U.S Border Patrol has significantly improved since its inception, and it has a workforce of over 20,000 agents as of now. The safety and security of the borders are accomplished by struct surveillance, electronic sensor alarms, and through aircraft sightings. Electronic sensors, Video monitors, and night vision cameras are placed at strategic locations along the diverse terrains of the Border to detect people or vehicles attempting to enter. The Border Patrol also maintains the traffic at highway checkpoints along the Border areas and carries out anti-smuggling investigations. They also employ boats, aircraft, drones, and submarines for their operations. In some places, they also use horses, motorcycles, bicycles, or snowmobiles for daily patrol. The U.S Border Patrol is also responsible for fighting Human Trafficking. The Border Patrol works alongside local law enforcement units such as the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and other non-profit organizations to successfully integrate victims of human trafficking into normal life. Human trafficking is still prevalent in the modern world, with victims trapped and exploited for slavery, sex, forced labor, and marriage. Women and girls are the biggest victims, with more than 99% trafficked by the sex industry. To identify human trafficking victims, the Border Patrol looks out for signs such as lack of identification documents, restrictions to socializing, deprivation of basic living necessities, signs of physical assault, fearful demeanor, presence of older abusive men, etc.  

Immigration

How the United States Immigration System Works?

The fundamental principle of the U.S. immigration system is to reunify families, protect the refugees, promote diversity, and admit skilled people who will provide value to the U.S. economy. The Immigration and National Act (INA), the law that governs the immigration law of the U.S., provides 675,000 permanent immigrant visas per year. Additionally, the president and congress admit an annual number of refugees through the U.S. Refugee Admission program. Also, a person can become a lawful permanent resident (LPR) by coming to the U.S. after obtaining a permanent visa. A person who obtains LPR can apply for all jobs and stay in the country even if they are unemployed. Along with this, the U.S. offers many visas for non-citizens temporarily. These non-immigrant visas can help students, tourists, and temporary workers to remain in the country for years. You can also immigrate to the U.S. using the following immigration systems:

Family–Based Immigration

One of the principles of the U.S. immigration system is family unification. This immigration system allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to bring some of their family members to the county. If you are a U.S citizen, an unlimited number of visas are provided to immediate family members. But the prospective members must meet some eligibility criteria, and the petitioners must meet some financial requirements. The relative who can apply for a visa are:

• Spouse of a U.S. citizen.
• Unmarried children of U.S citizens who are under twenty-one years old.
• Parents of U.S. citizens who are above twenty-one years.

To control the number of immigrants who are arriving based on the family system, congress has established some laws. According to the rule, the number of family-based visas allocated through preference should be at least 226,000. And the numbers of visas given to immediate relatives exceed 250,000 every year. Thus, the number of family-based visas provided will be about 480,000. To get admitted for a family-based migration system, the petitioner needs to establish the legitimacy of the relationship with the relative, meet the income requirement, and sign an affidavit stating that the sponsor will be finically responsible for the relative. The relative should also pass some criteria, including:

• Submit to a medical exam.
• Doing required vaccinations.
• Checking of criminal history.

Employee based Immigration

The United States offers various ways for people with skills to come to the country, including:

Temporary visa classifications

The temporary employment-based visa enables employers to hire people from foreign countries for particular jobs for a fixed period. The employees, who come under this visa, will have to work under the same employers mostly and cannot change their jobs. Currently, there are more than 20 types of visas that are available for temporary workers.

Permanent employment-based Immigration

The annual number of visas granted based on permanent employment-based Immigration is 140,000. This number includes the immigrants, along with their spouses and minor children. This means that the number of visas will be less than 140,000. Do you want to immigrate or bring your family to the United States? If yes, then go through the immigration system of the country and see how you can navigate through the complex process.

US Border Patrol

Everything you Should Know About the US Border Patrol

The United States Border Patrol is called USBP short and is recognized as the largest federal law enforcement agency. As the name suggests, it is one of the higher authorities responsible for maintaining peace and harmony within the borders. The three principal missions of border patrol are:

• To ensure the safety of Americans
• To safeguard the US borders
• To enhance economic stability and prosperity

As of 2019, the agency comprises 19,648 agents who were actively involved in serving the country.

History of US Border Patrol

In the 19th century, US borders were open and unrestricted for anyone to pass, and there was no systematic control to stop anyone from trespassing. Mounted guards of the US department of labor and commerce took this opportunity to patrol the border in 1904. However, due to the irregularity in their services, a troop of 75 had to be hired to patrol California and prevent Chinese immigrants from entering the border. Around 1915, special forces called “mounted inspectors” were hired, which in the long run proved their incompetency, and US army soldiers occasionally took the place to patrol along the borders. However, in 1932, the official border patrol groups were divided into two offices

• Mexican office, which was directed from El Paso, Texas
• Canadian office, which was directed from Detroit, Michigan

However, after the attacks on the border in 2001, the entire border patrol was under the Home Security Department, whose primary goal was to prevent the entry of terrorists and weapons into the United States. As of 2019, the border patrol officers are also responsible for controlling illegal drugs, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration along the border.

Goals and objectives of border patrol

In addition to the responsibilities mentioned above, by 2025, the Border patrol department plans on achieving the following goals and objectives:

Goal 1: Reduce Air Pollution

• Objective1: Install and establish air monitoring networks to access data on air quality.
• Objective 2: Receive data from emission inventories from different governments across the border, including Afro-Mexican and Indigenous communities.
• Objective 3: Monitor vehicles that do not follow the emission standards and reduce the number of cars, thus reducing vehicle emission
• Objective 4: Improve public health along the border by improvising technologies to reduce atmospheric pollutants.

Goal 2: Enhance water quality

• Objective 1: Address the problems related to water management and find necessary solutions along the Tijuana river.
• Objective 2: Improve the infrastructure for water treatment and provide clean drinking water, certified by the NADB board.
• Objective 3: Enhance and promote the use of re-treated wastewater to save and conserve energy and water.

Goal 3: Promote sustainable waste management techniques

• Objective 1:Ehnace waste management resource practices along the borders and also with local and state institutions
• Objective 2:Improve government knowledge at all levels to employ sustainable waste management strategies.
• Objective 3: Take care of the marine environment to prevent and reduce marine pollution

 

U.S. Citizenship

What Are the U.S. Citizenship Requirements for Naturalization?

You can become a U.S citizen by birth or through Naturalization. You are considered a U.S citizen if you are born in the United States or if you are born abroad to U.S citizens. Naturalization is the process of becoming a U.S citizen if you are born outside of the United States. To apply for Naturalization, you must meet various criteria. You must be 18 years old at the time of your application. Depending upon the category you are applying for, you must have been living in the U.S for the past three to five years. To be eligible for Naturalization, you must also have good knowledge of the English language and an understanding of the U.S government and Constitution. You must also take the Oath of Allegiance for citizenship and have a medical test. However, it is important to note that some cases have exceptions to English language proficiency and medical examination.

Eligibility:

Before applying for your citizenship, it is beneficial to check whether you are already a U.S citizen. If you are born to U.S citizens who is a citizen either through birth or Naturalization, then you might already be a U.S citizen. You can also become a U.S citizen at birth, even if your place of birth is not U.S if you are born to U.S citizens living abroad. However, if you are sure that you are not a U.S citizen by birth or did not derive your citizenship from your parents at birth, you can apply for Naturalization. You can do this either by paper, through mail services, or online. If you are married to a U.S citizen, you can apply for citizenship after living in the U.S for three years instead of five years, applicable for other categories.

Application Process:

To apply online for Naturalization, go to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) official webpage (uscis.gov) and create an online account. You need to register with an email address to which a confirmation message will be received. Before proceeding, you will be asked to review the terms of use, which you should click 'I Agree' after carefully reviewing the document. You will be asked to create a password and then Submit it. You can set up a two-step authentication process with your mobile phone at this stage. A one-time password will be sent to your phone or email, depending upon your preference. After creating your account, fill out the N-400 Form for applying for Naturalization. At the time of application, you must provide all supporting documents and pay the fees electronically. After approving your application, you might be asked for a biometrics service appointment in which you will be interviewed and asked to provide fingerprints, photographs, and signatures to verify your identity. The USCIS also may conduct an extensive background check, ensuring no criminal records are in the files maintained by the FBI.

Border Patrol Agents

Roles & Responsibilities of Border Patrol Agents

Do you wish to become a law enforcement officer and protect your homeland? Then you may want to become a border patrol agent. A border patrol agent is a law-enforcing officer in the United States who safeguards the borders and coastal waters. They maintain safety and security in the borders and make sure that no illegal materials cross the border. They also make sure that no individual enters the borders of the country illegally. Before becoming a border patrol agent, you need to learn about their roles and responsibilities. You can look into this guide to understand their roles and responsibilities to make the right decisions.

Prevent Illegal entry of people

When the job position was opened in 1924, the primary goal was to prevent people from entering the country illegally. Controlling illegal immigration is still its primary responsibility and new agents have to start their patrolling duty in the borders of the Southwest. The agents will have to patrol and safeguard the northern border with Canada, or the southern border with Mexica, and has to work along the coastal regions and inland waterways. They will also have to safeguard the roadways in the borders and also monitor areas with high populations from hidden locations. These agents will also have to search for debris and other sign to ensure that no one has crossed the border. In areas that are heavily populated they will have to stop the vehicles and check thoroughly. They will also check highways, and check in trains, boats, and other modes of transportation to make sure that there are no illegal passengers.

Safeguard your Homeland

After the terrorist attack of 9/11, the border patrol agents were assigned the duty to protect the homeland as well. They have to monitor the various events and political developments to understand the potential threat of terrorist attacks. They need to detect any immediate attack and take measures to prevent them. Now they are given the right to stop and investigate boats, aircraft, or individuals who seem suspicious. To monitor and find threats, they can use surveillance cameras or low-light optical equipment. Agents should always be ready to face any threat.

Mitigate smuggling

Another major duty of a border patrol agent is to find and mitigate drugs and other smuggled items. Usually, they will be finding smuggled items while going on patrolling on land or water. These agents will also assist or participate in drug operations when they are informed about the possibility of smuggling activity. Even though they are known for controlling illegal migration and counter-terrorism operations, they also go for counter-drug traffic. If you think that you are the right fit for this job, then gain the skills and knowledge to become a law enforcement officer.