U.S. Department of Justice 

IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE 

FACT SHEET 11//7/00 

Over 1,700 New Agents Hired 

Border Patrol FY 2000 Recruiting and Hiring Report 

Innovative approaches the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) took to recruit 

and hire Border Patrol Agents in FY 2000 have paid off. The agency hired more than 1,700 new 

agents. The new agents were selected from a record number of applicants, 91,366 or 73 percent 

more than in FY 1999. 

New approaches to recruiting and hiring included training Border Patrol agents as 

recruiters, intensifying advertising, offering a $2,000 signing bonus for new agents and 

establishing a Headquarters task force to oversee the entire process. Border Patrol recruiting and 

hiring was so successful that it will serve as the model for other INS officer recruiting. 

Border Patrol Recruiters 

The record increase in Border Patrol applicants is due, in part, to the work of the agentrecruiters who cultivated local contacts to organize and attend more than 1,400 recruiting events 

across the country, ranging from attending campus job fairs to setting up booths at local malls. 

The recruiters also initiated a number of innovative efforts, including putting up billboard 

advertisements and targeting the Midwest, an area INS had not focused on in previous years. 

The first 200 agent-recruiters were trained at the end of FY 1999, while another 100 were added 

to the recruiting force last year. 

The recruiters’ personal contact with potential applicants proved to be the best tool in 

attracting new agents to the Border Patrol. By keeping in touch with applicants to remind them 

of the different application requirements, the recruiters increased the number of applicants who 

stay with the process. For example, the number of applicants that show up for the Border Patrol 

exam increased by 40 percent over FY 1999. 

Task Force 

Designating and training agents as recruiters was one of many innovations initiated by a 

Headquarters-led task force that was organized in FY 1999 to oversee the recruiting and hiring 

process. After assessing the existing recruiting situation, the task force provided direction to 

reform the process. Its coordination of efforts at Headquarters with those in the field produced a 

highly productive partnership between the Border Patrol and the INS Office of Human 

Resources and Development. 

The task force also strengthened INS’ working relationship with the Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM), spurring a number of new ideas that dramatically reduced the application 

processing time. This included the use of compressed testing, a new concept that allowed 

applicants to take the test and receive their results immediately upon completion of the exam. 

Now, more than 50 percent of Border Patrol applicants come through compressed testing, which 

is offered at 10 sites—San Diego, El Paso, Harlingen, Tucson, San Antonio, Albany, Puerto 

Rico, Dallas, Orlando and Los Angeles. 

Prepared by the Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2648 Internet: www.ins.usdoj.gov
Border Patrol Recruiting and Hiring 

Page 2 

Other measures implemented under the direction of this task force include: 

A $2,000 recruitment bonus for new Border Patrol Agents;

Outreach to press and congressional offices to gain support for recruitment efforts;

A 1-800 toll free number for applicants; and,

Development and dissemination of promotional materials, including a popular, actionoriented Border Patrol recruitment poster.

Advertising Initiatives 

Creative approaches to advertising also helped attract new agents. In FY 2000, INS 

began advertising in movie theaters and on the Internet. INS’ Western Regional Office created 

the first TV ad, which debuted in Tucson, Ariz. 

In FY 2000, INS focused on recruiting and advertising on-line—80 percent of Border 

Patrol applicants applied through the Internet. By advertising on popular Web sites like 

Monster.com, INS was able to reach a broader audience. In addition, INS also actively searched 

career Web sites, downloading résumés and contacting those interested in law enforcement 

career opportunities. 

In total, INS placed 250 different advertisements and coordinated advertisement 

campaigns with local recruitment efforts to enhance the recruiters’ efforts. 

Hiring Status 

From FY 1996 through FY 1998, INS met or exceeded its hiring goals. In FY 1999, 

however, a strong economy that afforded applicants multiple job opportunities caused INS and 

other law enforcement entities to fall short of their hiring goals. The military services also 

experienced significant difficulties in recruiting and hiring. 

In FY 2000, INS needed to net 1,030 agents to make up the shortfall of 600 from 

FY 1999 and to hire the 430 new agents provided by Congress in FY 2000. INS was successful 

in hiring 1,708 new agents. After attrition (due to retirements, resignations and career changes), 

the agency netted a total 

of 861 new agents. This Border Patrol Agents On-Board 

left INS with a shortfall (including aircraft pilots) 

of only 165 agents. With 10,000

the continuing rise in

Border Patrol applicants, 8,000

INS will be able to hire 6,000 the remaining agents in

FY 2001. 4,000

To qualify for the 2,000 

Border Patrol, applicants 

must: 0 

4,036 4,295 4,953 

5,942 

6,895 

7,982 8,351 

9,212 

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
Border Patrol Recruiting and Hiring 

Page 3 

Hold a valid driver’s license;

Be under 37 years old;

Have a year of experience—demonstrating decisiveness under stress, analytical ability and

good interpersonal skills—or a bachelor’s degree; and

Pass a written test and an oral interview.

An applicant who qualifies must then pass a background investigation, a drug test and a 

medical exam and complete 19 weeks of rigorous training (including Spanish language classes) 

at the INS Border Patrol Academy. 

For More Information: 

Call 1-800-238-1945 or log on to the Border Patrol Website at www.usborderpatrol.gov. 

Note: Due to the success of recruitment efforts and the number of current applicants in the 

hiring pipeline, INS is not accepting applications in November and December for Border Patrol 

positions. 

– INS –