Former Border Patrol Agent on Immigration and Trump’s Cruelty

“Back then, we didn’t treat people like criminals just for trying to survive. What happened?”

Let me say this upfront: racism has always existed in law enforcement. Anyone who tells you different is lying or hasn’t been paying attention. But there was a time when open, blatant racism — especially toward undocumented immigrants — was at least frowned upon. It wasn’t tolerated out loud, and most of us understood the difference between enforcing the law and dehumanizing people.

And most of the people we encountered out in the desert weren’t criminals. They were desperate. Parents and kids, teenagers trying to find work, entire families running from cartel violence or poverty. Crossing the border without documentation? It’s a civil violation. Legally, it’s on par with running a red light. It doesn’t make you a dangerous person.

I never felt good arresting those folks. If I ever felt justified, it was when we caught traffickers or known violent criminals. But regular people just trying to live? I never saw them as the enemy. And I wasn’t alone. Even the “old patrol” guys — crusty, conservative agents from the ’60s and ’70s — showed them respect. They used outdated language, sure, but their actions were guided by human decency. That was the culture we were brought into.

As a former Border Patrol agent on immigration, I never expected to be speaking out publicly. But silence now feels like complicity.

Today, that moral compass is gone.

I’ve seen what’s happening in ICE detention centers. The abuse. The cruelty. The cold indifference. That doesn’t happen unless the people in uniform have stopped seeing the people in front of them as human. And it didn’t just happen — it was fueled by Trump’s rhetoric and policies. He gave permission for cruelty and stripped away accountability.

I used to be proud of my service. But when I see how undocumented immigrants are being treated now — with contempt, with disregard for due process — I feel ashamed. What was once a flawed but human system has become something else entirely.

The Truth About Immigration from a Former Border Patrol Agent

• Being undocumented is not a crime — it’s a civil immigration violation.
• Undocumented immigrants are statistically less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens.
• They contribute more to the economy than they take.
• They come here to live, not to harm.

We’ve allowed a whole population to be demonized over lies and fearmongering. We’ve replaced decency with politics. And it has to stop.

We can fix this

We can secure our borders and treat people like human beings. But we have to reject the lies. We have to speak up. Because if we don’t, we become complicit in the cruelty. And that’s not a legacy I’m willing to carry.

If this resonated with you, share it. Subscribe. Talk to someone. We don’t need more silence. We need each other.

If you value honest voices — especially from a former Border Patrol agent on immigration — share this post. It’s time to face the truth.

According to this report from the American Immigration Council, undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born citizens.

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