Oregon is patrolled by Border Patrol Agents stationed in the Blaine Sector of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unit. Border patrol jobs in Oregon mainly involve patrolling the Oregon Coast, making sure that possible terrorists and illegal aliens do not enter the United States illegally through Oregon’s borders.
Very few border crimes have been reported by the CBP as occurring in Oregon. Notable ones include:
- Arrests of Occupy protesters and seizure of their weapons at Portland port of entry in December 2011
- A person was arrested for attempting to smuggle a dog inside their pants into the United States at the Hillsboro User Fee Airport in 2009
Border Patrol Requirements and Job Titles in Oregon
Although Oregon’s water border to the rest of the world is not as long as those of some other states, its ports are kept quite busy, meaning that there are many border patrol jobs needing to be filled in Oregon. In addition to jobs such as Border Patrol Agent and CBP Officer, Oregon’s ports also house the following positions:
Transportation Security Officer: These positions are typically found at the Hillsboro User Fee Airport in Oregon. Duties of this position include searching persons, their baggage, and their cargo to look for suspected or illegal goods, weapons, and other items that are prohibited from entry into the United States. Job requirements for this position include being a US citizen; being at least 18 years old when you apply for the job; being proficient in reading, writing and speaking English; having a high school diploma or general equivalency or one year of work experience in security, aviation screening or x-ray; pass a background check; pass initial and random drug tests; and if hired, complete two weeks of training.
Import Specialist: This position is located at the ports of entry in Oregon. Responsibilities of the job include inspecting anything that enters the United States, appraising its value, and categorizing the import. The import specialist must ultimately decide if an item can be imported legally into the United States. Job requirements include US citizenship; holding a bachelor’s degree in business, economics accounting or a related field; possessing a minimum of three years’ work experience; passing a background check and drug test; and if hired, completing seven weeks of specialized training in import/export topics.
Border Crossings in Oregon
Ports of Entry in Oregon under CBP control include:
- Portland
- Astoria
- Newport
- Hillsboro User Fee Airport
- Coos Bay