The San Luis, Arizona Port of Entry to the United States is located within the Yuma Sector of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Border patrol jobs in San Luis, Arizona involve making sure that no one and nothing enters the United States illegally through this port.
Since 2010, San Luis has two ports – the new one, San Luis II, intended to handle commercial truck traffic only. San Luis II is five miles east of San Luis. The original San Luis port handles privately owned vehicles, pedestrians and commercial traffic. The volume of traffic had increased to the point that the CBP decided to build a second San Luis port for commercial truck traffic only.
Border Crimes in San Luis, Arizona
Port officials in San Luis, Arizona routinely inspect goods and persons entering the United States. During these inspections, they often discover illegal goods, drugs and unauthorized persons trying to enter the U.S. Border crimes reported by the CBP in San Luis, Arizona include:
- April 2012 – Over $500,000 in cocaine was seized by CBP Officers
- October 2012 – Agriculture specialists stopped a woman from bringing 12 duck eggs into the U.S. from Mexico, as they were from a region affected by Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
- November 2012 – Over $268,000 in cocaine and methamphetamines was seized by CBP Officers
Border Crossings in San Luis, Arizona
The San Luis port of entry contains the following border crossings:
- FAST/SENTRI Enrollment Center – Free And Secure Trade Program and Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection, providing faster travel for pre-approved commuters
- Passenger Processing
- San Luis II Commercial Operations
Border Patrol Requirements and Job Titles in San Luis, Arizona
As mentioned above, many Border Patrol Agents, CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists work at the San Luis Port of Entry. Other job titles that may be available within this port include:
Canine Enforcement Officer: This professional is a specially trained CBP Officer who uses dogs to help discover smuggled goods, drugs and persons attempting to enter the U.S. illegally. Job requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree in any field and one year of graduate education, OR
- General experience or specialized experience in working with dog handling and firearms (length of experience necessary is dependent upon the GS level of the position and may be combined with education in some cases)
- Completion of dog handling training in a school for dog handlers may be substituted for specialized experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Pass background, drug and physical exams
- After hiring, qualify to use firearms and periodically re-qualify
Import Specialist: This professional is responsible for inspecting, appraising and accepting or rejecting goods, cargo and commodities entering the United States. Knowledge of fair trade practices and a variety of goods is required. Specialized training must be completed after hiring. Other job requirements include:
- U.S. citizenship
- Pass background, drug and physical exams
- Have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business or economics and three years of work experience (or a combination of education and experience)