I just dropped an app. I have 10-point veterans preference, and have the equivalent of the experience they're looking for via the .MIL. Hopefully I get an email back. I only have enough experience to go with the GS05 level.

It say's if I'm selected, I'll go to Harper's Ferry, WV in September for my initial testing, then do a video oral interview here in Norfolk, VA.

I applied for the Southeastern U.S. positions they have open, but I'm willing to go wherever they tell me; I'm single, and don't really have a "family" so to speak.

I can speak Spanish enough to get around, but I can speak Arabic and Korea enough to hold a short conversation. Will this help me at all?

What can ya'll tell me about the day-to-day life overall?

I already am somewhat familiar with the mission of CBP, but I'm trying to figure out what your opinions are, and if any of you might be CBP agents.

As it stands right now, I'm in the hiring process with 3 local LE Agencies, and two Federal LE agencies.

I'm using the "shotgun" approach, as I really think LE very well may be my calling. Odds are, I'll hopefully get hired by a local agency before anything happens with this, or the other Federal Agency, but options are nice.

Advice, info, and whatnot is appreciated.

Im not a CBP agent but I did apply for it and my FIL is retired from them

To start with I don't have as many qualification as you do.

What will first happen is they will do a testing day part of the testing will involve Spanish (or their made up language which is pretty much Spanish) The test also has critical thinking as well.

If you pass the testing (I did) they will either have you do the fitness test. As for myself They didn't allow me to do the fitness test because an irregular heart rhythm but I still was able to do interview.

The interview I cant go a lot into (Agent there tell you that) but what I can say is giving you scenerios. My panel consisted of 3 Agents (one was a female). I did pass my interview the only thing that held me back was the physical test and could have a doctor cleared me (hate being a fat kid from WI)

If that's all passed I believe they do one more interview and then the academy and must pass that.

Not sure where you will get stationed but it will be in the south and most likely El Paso

That's what I experienced so things may or may have not changed.

Side note from the application to interview was around 8 months maybe longer.

Hiring could take for ever.

Federal hiring is akin to a monkey fucking a cocnut.


You will not find a hiring paying uniformed job in the federal government.

I've been in the hiring process for over 2 years.  Not everyone takes that long, some take longer, some take less than a year.



Your ten points will help you out greatly since they take everyone from the top down, score level wise, with who they select to move on to the next process. I scored an 89 with no preference so anyone who tests around the same time I do or after that is 90-110 on the test will move on before me.



The written test is long, but not hard, in my opinion. The video test is easy.  As long as you can talk and react to the situation with common sense you'll do fine.  I can't talk much more about it do to the paperwork I had to sign before taking it.  The oral interview is right after and that was one of the better ones I've gone through. Fitness test one is easy, the step test was the hardest part because you have to do it to 120bpm.  



The polygraph was annoying for me.  You can actually find the CBP polygraph procedure manual online, it's been leaked by people using FOIA, and I found it after I took mine.  The SA doing mine followed the script perfectly.  Mine took forever.  Started out fine, getting to know me, asking questions etc then the actual test.  After the test I was told I "failed" because I reacted to one question, but another question that was sort of the same I had no reaction too, so go figure, seems contradictory to me but whatever.  After I was told I failed my test turned into a two hour long interrogation which was really annoying.  



They sent out emails to applicants last year saying they really need people with foreign language skills, so that will help you out tremendously and probably shoot you to the academy quicker.

Your Spanish well definitely help you the most of your languages for the purposes of CBP's mission.  I would focus on improving that as much as you can.  The other two are just a bonus.

Let's just say that CBP means "Complaints Become Policy" and if you're a blue suit it also means "Call Border Patrol".

My son in law runs a drug dog for the CBP. He gets a lot of OT and he likes the job. Beware that politics get involved quite a bit, as it does with every government agency.

Good info guys, thanks.

Pretty sure I stand a better chance at getting hired locally, and much sooner, than going thru the process for CBP. I'm still going to test for it if they email me back.

Job satisfaction as well as quality of life off duty is HIGHLY dependent upon the port where you work. It also depends heavily upon your expectations of an LEO job. If you seek excitement and action, the job will generally let you down unless you work the land border, particularly the southern one. "Leadership" is of vastly varying quality from port to port. The upsides include the pay, which is largely unmatched in uniformed LE, as well as opportunities to travel and work in various domestic and foreign locations. Pay attention to politics, such as the current immigration fiasco, as it could greatly affect how the job is done. Generally, I recommend that people who want the opportunity to do real traditional police work where everyday is something new, go local.

I'm wanting "exciting"......good advice, sir.

At this point, I want whatever is going to get my "foot in the door" in LE. However, as a few have pointed out, Federal hiring takes forever and a lifetime. Hypothetically, I could end up graduating an academy, and be on the street before anything happens with any of the 3 federal LE agencies.

Good move on applying to many agencies, especially Fed agencies. Get your fed time started, while you wait for the agency you really want to hire you.
CBP is great because it gives a decent amount of broad experience, tons of immigration, and some customs. Many ex-CBPOs have gone to FBI, USMS, USSS, ICE-HSI, yes you will have to go through FLETC again.
With CBP the criminals come to you, you just have to find them through the crowd of good people.
Three types of port -- airport, land border, seaport ... choose WISELY
If you applied for Southeast region, i doubt you would get Texas or anything west of. You would probably get an airport, Atlanta or a seaport.

The action you want is on the southwest southern border, they say its the wild west down there, getting into fights and catching drug loads. But also working double shifts every OTHER day, and working in the summer heat outside. There is a high turn over rate, also you will be living in a border town, which sucks, and everyone will know you are CBP/BP. The amount of corruption coming over the border and in the border towns will astound you, and make you feel like your on the losing end of the battle. And thats just from the stories ive heard. You will be exhausted, want to quit or transfer to another port, probably a seaport, and hate management.

If you get an aiport, you will be stamping passports all day, for years. Then move up to searching through dirty laundry. Not much movement outside the airport, you will hate the passengers and management, and will want to transfer to a seaport.
If you get seaport, you will watch trucks drive by everyday, and be bored. Maybe do a ship search, immigration on a cruise ship, open boxes in a warehouse and get dirty. You will be bored and hate management, but you wont want to leave because you know the airports suck and so does the southern border. Seaports are where you go to retire.

CBP is the DIET version of law enforcement. Very few local agencies will respect you and know what you do, only the southern border locals will understand.

A good thing with CBP is that you can do TDYs to Canada for pre-clearance, and go to other coutries for Container security.

USBP would be fun, if you like running around the hot desert, and living in a dumpy border town.



I think CBP will have very little to do with the current immigration mess, because the immigrants are going directly to USBP, and are held and transfered around by ICE-ERO.

Have fun stamping passports for ever. Or working inbound at a POE.
They do have the opportunity to make a crapload of money though. Lots of double pay OT available at my local POE. They also have a union that seems to know how to actually get things done for them.

If you're interested in state LE, RUMINT has that my agency should be hiring early next year.

Good luck, stay safe.

Thanks!

Good luck.

Don't take it personally, but there are so many factors at play when it comes to everything in your post, that I wanted to make sure that the OP has a bit more info.  I have a lot of friends that are CBP / BP and they love it.  I have just as many friends and former co-workers that hate it.  Just remember that being Federal means that almost every four years policies are going to change, that a lot of time you have zero discretion on what you can and cannot do / arrest, and that you should keep your mouth absolutely shut while you're on the job when it comes to personal thoughts.  There are some good advantages to working for the Feds, but there are some good advantages to working municipal as well.  The one thing that I like about being federal was I could carry anywhere (including while flying commercially).  Take it FWIW and YMMV.

Iyy.
To all, be well .

Edited.  -SS

A good friend of mine, used to work for me as a Police Sgt is CBP down in Texas.  It took him over 2 years to complete the process, he was a 7 year Army Ranger, Bachelors Degree in CJ and Police Officer for 5 years and spoke nearly fluent Spanish.  His paperwork kept getting recycled for stupid reasons, or got misplaced yada yada.    He actually finds out on Monday if he made it through BORTAC selection, I imagine he will he is a high speed tough guy.  Anyways I remember back when he was going through the process, it was quite frustrating and took a lot of perseverance for him to complete it.   he kept getting hosed by all the Gov shutdowns.  It is amazing the Feds get any agents hired to keep up with retirements, they are so slow about it.

After college I had entertained Fed gigs versus local and decided on local because I didn't want a job where I could be moved at the whim of a bureaucrat.  I also didn't have the motivation to keep running here or there, traveling hours and hours to major cities to go through each stage of the process.   I worked with a girl that was a Task Force Officer with the BATFE and she flew from VA to Alaska just to take the written test for BATFE because that was only place they offered it at that time.  That's more dedication and desire then I have, and she didn't get it!