Built in 1989, the Sonoita Border Patrol Station was created to fill the enforcement gap between the Naco and Nogales Border Patrol Stations within the Tucson Sector of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Unit of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Border patrol jobs in Sonoita, Arizona are responsible for patrolling 1000 square miles of land and almost 25 miles of international border with Mexico.
The Sonoita Border Patrol Station agents often find themselves dealing with border crimes. In the past, they have included:
- Seizure of 1764 pounds of marijuana and five vehicles in April 2012
- Confiscation of 2700 pounds of abandoned marijuana in March 2012
- Seizure of 247 pounds of marijuana and arrest of three Mexican nationals in February 2012
- Apprehension of a convicted Mexican felon in March 2011
From the Sonoita Border Patrol Station in Arizona, the closest Port of Entry border crossing into Mexico is at Lukeville.
Border Patrol Careers in Sonoita, Arizona
Although their area of patrol may not be as large as that of other border patrol stations, border patrol agents working in Sonoita, Arizona are confronted by many illegal immigrants attempting to cross the border from Mexico into the United States. They also confiscate illegal narcotics and other contraband as part of their jobs.
Border patrol job titles in Sonoita, Arizona include Border Patrol Agents, who are the “foot soldiers” of the CBP, and may patrol the area on foot, in all terrain vehicles, or on horseback; CBP Officers, who are a step up from the Border Patrol Agents and have more law enforcement powers and specialized training requirements; Field Canine Coordinators, who work with teams of Border Patrol Agents and canines in their attempt to sniff out drugs and other contraband before it crosses the border; and Air Interdiction Agents, who act as Border Patrol Agents in the skies over the Sonoita Border Patrol Station’s area of responsibility.
All of these jobs share the responsibility of keeping the United States safe from terrorist threats, suspicious persons, illegal aliens, and goods that should not be crossing the border from Mexico into the United States. The men and women holding CBP jobs in Sonoita, Arizona are dedicated to the safety of the country for which they work and which they have pledged to serve.