Located in the northeast corner of North Dakota, Neche is a small town of under 400 people. Despite its small size, Neche is the fourth busiest border crossing in North Dakota, seeing an average of 200 car and 100 truck crossings daily. The Neche Border Crossing serves as an important truck portal into the Canadian province of Manitoba. In the winter, the Neche/Gretna crossing sees increased passenger traffic from winter sports enthusiasts who travel to the Pembina River Gorge. The Neche/Gretna Border Crossing is open daily from 8 am until 10 pm.
Working in Border Patrol at Neche
The Neche/Gretna Border Crossing is part of the Grand Forks Sector of the CBP. Its nearest CBP station is located at Pembina. The Pembina station is responsible for patrolling 102 miles of land border along the Canadian province of Manitoba.
The United States’ shared border with Canada has seen an increase in staffing by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Because much of the land along the northern border is rural, it is vulnerable to human trafficking as well as the smuggling of drugs, weapons and money. Particularly in the cold, northern areas like North Dakota and Minnesota, frozen bodies of water can act as access ways to criminals seeking to cross the international border.
At the Neche/Gretna Border Crossing, CBP officers regulate the passing of passengers and cargo from Canada into the United States. They enforce immigration laws, collect duties, and ensure that commerce is being conducted legally. Agricultural specialists inspect cargo.
As a substation of Pembina, Border Patrol agents may be hired to patrol the remote areas of the border for illegal activity. Specialists may be employed to conduct surveillance using technology such as thermal cameras and remote video surveillance. In times of emergency, Border Patrol agents may be called upon to conduct welfare checks on local residents and otherwise assist in the management of the crisis.
Employment with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Neche
As part of the Department of Homeland Security, CBP employees hired at Neche as federal employees. Compensation depends on education and experience, and includes federal benefits packages with health insurance, life insurance and retirement benefits.
Candidates for employment must be younger than 40 years old, have clean records, be in good physical condition, speak or be able to learn Spanish, and pass fitness tests. Polygraph tests may also be required.