The border patrol station located in Zapata, Texas opened up in 1990, and has since become an integral part of the United States of America’s defense against illegal border crossing and the crime that comes with it. Over the last decade in particular, the security of the order between the United States and the country of Mexico has become much more crucial to matters of national security. The last decade has seen a drastic rise in violent crime due to a territory war between drug cartels in Mexico over drug trafficking routes that are used to get drugs, guns and money into the United States.
The increased presence of border agents was enacted after the events of September 11, 2001. After the terrorist attacks occurred, border security became the most important political issue and therefore more and more border agents have been hired by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency since. The increased presence has resulted in a deterrent to illegal immigration (as numbers have decreased every year since 2001) and has also resulted in the discovery of drug trafficking routes, which have then been shut down. Needless to say, life for drug smugglers in Mexico and the United States have become much more difficult as of late, and the border patrol agents employed at the Zapata station have had something to do with that.
Major Positions Available at Zapata Station
Marine Interdiction Agents: These agents are responsible for monitoring the water territory in the region. The monitoring is done via high-speed boats on Falcon Lake and the small rivers that shoot off the lake.
All-terrain Vehicle (ATV) Unit: These border patrol jobs require agents to monitor the rugged and sparsely populated areas surrounding the Zapata station in order to deter illegal immigration and trafficking of various illegal items.
Logistics of the Zapata Station
The border patrol jobs available in Zapata are responsible for monitoring approximately 939 square miles of territory, which is all located in Zapata County, Texas. In addition to the land territory, the Zapata station is also responsible for monitoring 61 square miles of water. About 75 miles of that territory is a shared border with Mexico. International boundary markers are located directly in the middle of Falcon Lake, which consists of the majority of the water territory that must be monitored by the border patrol agents at Zapata station.