The Nogales, Arizona Border Patrol Station is the largest and busiest Border Patrol Station in the United States and among the top locales in the nation for border patrol jobs. Part of the Tucson Sector, the Nogales Station consists of 1100 square miles of rough land, including 32 miles of border between Mexico and the U.S. , part of the Coronado National Forest, and urban areas such as Rio Rico, Nogales, Patagonia, Tubac, Green Valley and Amado.
The Nogales Border Patrol Station is classified as a Service Port, meaning that it has a full complement of cargo processing functions such as inspecting cargo, entry, collections, and verifying cargo. The Nogales Station is located along the CANAMEX trade corridor connecting western Canada with the Pacific Coast of Mexico, and consequently handles $17 billion worth of goods in international trade annually. This includes 60 percent of all of the fruits and vegetables grown in Mexico that enter into the U.S.
Established in 1924, the Nogales Border Patrol Station is currently undergoing an expansion project to replace existing 35-year old facilities and add 13 acres to the station’s area. About 2.8 miles of fencing will also be replaced along the international border.
Approximately 1.4 million pounds of illegal drugs are seized annually at the Nogales Border Patrol Station, according to a special agent of the Drug Enforcement Agency office in Tucson. Twenty percent of all marijuana entering the U.S. illegally comes through Mexico.
Border patrol personnel at the Nogales station have been able to contain and prevent most violent crimes along the border. This has prevented crime from spilling into the Nogales metropolitan area, and has kept the city’s crime statistics low.
Border Crossings in Nogales, Arizona
Although the city of Nogales consists of just 21,000 residents, each day an additional 75,000 enter the area from Mexico.
Facilities and border crossings in the Nogales Station area include:
- Mariposa – commercial point of entry, also handles some pedestrians and private vehicles
- Morley Gate – pedestrian-only point of entry
- DeConcini – handles pedestrians, private vehicles, buses and trains
- Nogales International Airport – handles aircraft and passengers
Each year, agents at these border crossings process:
- 20 million people
- 3 million passenger vehicles
- 300,000 commercial trucks
Border Patrol Requirements and Job Titles in Nogales, Arizona
The Nogales Border Patrol Station is one of the busiest along the Mexican border. Because of the traffic there, a constant need exists for qualified personnel to work for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Nogales. Jobs that may be available include:
Border Patrol Agent: This position is on the front lines of border protection, and may involve patrolling the U.S. –Mexico border on foot, by vehicle or both. Nogales border patrol agents also carry M-16 automatic rifles. Agents must be able to correctly identify contraband and suspicious behavior along the border. Requirements to become a Border Patrol Agent include:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Pass the CBP Border Patrol entrance exam
- Have a four-year degree, experience, or a combination of the two
- Pass drug tests, medical exams and fitness tests
- Be younger than 40 at the time of application
- Pass an oral interview
CBP Agriculture Specialist: Because of the millions of pounds of fruits and vegetables entering the U.S. through the Nogales port each year, U.S. Customs careers for Agriculture Specialists are needed. Agricultural Specialists recognize possibly dangerous produce and meat imports, inspect them, intercept them and prevent their entry into the U.S. Requirements for this position include:
- Possession of a four-year science degree (such as biology, botany or entomology)
- Specialized law enforcement or border patrol training
Canine Enforcement Program: Part of the CBP Agriculture Specialists, the Canine Enforcement Program trains Agriculture Specialists to use dogs to help sniff out and discover fruits, meats and vegetables that may carry disease or pests into the U.S. In addition to meeting the requirements for an Agriculture Specialist, you must also undergo a 10 to 13 week Canine Handling training provided by the USDA in Georgia.
Import Specialist Team:This professional’s job is to appraise and classify imports entering into the United States. All types of imported cargo must be inspected. Requirements for this position include:
- Being a U.S. citizen and resident
- Have a bachelor’s degree in a related area like business, economics or accounting; OR
- Have three years of work experience
- Pass background checks and drug tests