United States Border Patrol

The United States Border Patrol (USBP), a Federal police force, is the mobile uniformed law enforcement arm of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a bureau of the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to 2003, the Border Patrol was part of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice. The Border Patrol was founded on May 28, 1924, and was originally an agency of the United States Department of Labor. Its priority mission, as a result of the 9/11 attacks and its merging into DHS, is preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States of America. The Border Patrol's traditional mission still is the deterrence, detection and apprehension of illegal aliens and illicit drugs entering the United States between designated Ports of Entry. Prior to this the US Army and various para-military forces patrolled the border.

See also

• United States Mexico barrier
• United States-Canadian Border