Andrade, California is a Port of Entry from Mexico to the United States that is under the operation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Its physical/mailing address is the California town of Winterhaven. The Andrade border station is located within the boundaries of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation on Quechan Tribe property. The port is mostly utilized by pedestrians from the U.S. entering Mexico to shop or make use of the country’s medical services. Border patrol jobs in Andrade, California primarily entail checking persons and goods re-entering the U.S. from shopping trips into Mexico.
According to CBP officials, the Andrade port of entry ranked 11th in the U.S. in the number of pedestrian crossings in 2012, when over one million pedestrians entered the U.S. from Mexico through Andrade. During the winter months, pedestrian traffic at the Andrade port is heaviest
Border Crimes in Andrade, California
The Andrade port area is relatively crime-free, according to CBP officials. However, illegal goods and drugs are seized there on a regular basis, as indicated below:
- January 2012: CBP Officers at Andrade apprehended a fugitive wanted by the Watsonville Police Dept for murder
- August 2012: CBP Officers at Andrade seized over $700,000 worth of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle trying to enter the U.S.
- April 2012: Border Patrol Agents apprehended a convicted sex offender and seized 130 pounds of marijuana near the Andrade port
Border Crossings in Andrade, California
Border crossing statistics for the Andrade, California Port of Entry in 2011 were:
- Privately owned vehicles: 162,961
- Privately owned vehicle passengers entering U.S.: 337,744
- Pedestrians entering U.S.: 226,396
Border Patrol Requirements and Job Titles in Andrade, California
Many pedestrians enter the U.S. from Mexico at the Andrade, California Port of Entry each year. This facilitates the need for many border patrol jobs in Andrade to be filled. The majority of the CBP jobs in Andrade are for Border Patrol Agents and CBP Officers. However, there are some unique jobs that are available from time to time at the Andrade port, including:
- Agricultural Technician – This professional is responsible for working under the supervision of an Agricultural Specialist in inspecting vehicles and goods entering the U.S. from Mexico. Inspections are to determine if plant material is present, and if so, to inspect it and remove any pests, smuggled goods, etc from entering the U.S. Samples of the goods/pests may also be taken for further analysis and reporting. Requirements for this job include U.S. citizenship, possession of a valid driver’s license, passing background checks, passing a drug test, passing physical fitness exam, and passing a physical/medical exam.
- Agricultural Specialist: This position is responsible for supervision Agricultural Technicians as they perform the above-mentioned duties. Duties include making sure that smuggled goods and pests are not permitted to gain entrance to the U.S. through agricultural products. Requirements for this position include all of the above-mentioned requirements for Agricultural Technician, along with the following requirements:
- Possession of a bachelor’s degree in a related science like entomology, biology, plant pathology or botany
- Once hired, completion of 12 weeks of specialized training in Frederick, MD at the CBP Professional Development Center