The border crossing station located in Fort Covington, New York is one of the northernmost stations in the state. The geography of the area makes it a very interesting option for any hopeful border agent candidate. The town of Fort Covington shares a border with the Canadian province of Quebec and also shares an area with the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation. On the Canadian side of the border crossing is the town of Dundee, Quebec which is a major corridor used by truckers transporting goods from Montreal, Quebec, Canada and New York City in the United States.
Drug trafficking is one of the biggest concerns for the Fort Covington border crossing because of its location between the two metropolitan hubs. The area in which the Fort Covington station is located made national headlines when a group of drug smugglers were arrested after being caught smuggling large amounts of marijuana in hockey bags. The smugglers were caught in the wooded area near the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. Upon being arrested, the Canadian smugglers admitted that they had smuggled thousands of pounds of marijuana across the border over a span of years.
Fort Covington and the Surrounding Areas
According to the United States Census Bureau, Fort Covington has a population of about 1,700 residents and is surrounded by woods and farm land. The rural nature of the area requires border patrol agents to work with local law enforcement when needed to do so. The border station is located very close to the Salmon River and includes a docking area that is used by both the border patrol and residents of both the United States and Canada.
Major Jobs at the Fort Covington Border Station
Since the Fort Covington border crossing is located in a remote, rural area, the positions available at the station are quite limited. But, there are plenty of opportunities available because of its location that are not available at border stations located in larger cities like Detroit, MI and San Diego, CA.
- Border Patrol Agent: This position requires United States Customs and Border Protection employees to interview people crossing the border and reviewing the various documents needed to legally cross the border. This is the majority of the border patrol jobs in Fort Covington.
- Agriculture Specialist: Because of the location between two large cities, the agriculture specialist position is very important. These agents must inspect vegetables, fruits and other agricultural goods in order to identify whether or not they can pass through the border.