Border Patrol Agents mourn the death of fellow agent Robert Rosas

The National Border Patrol Council, Local 1613 is deeply saddened and angered by the brutal murder of Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas. He was following a group of people who had crossed the border illegally into Campo, California (in eastern San Diego County) on the evening of July 23rd when he was fatally shot several times by unidentified assailants who fled back into Mexico immediately after the shooting.

The events surrounding this senseless tragedy are currently being investigated by the FBI. The National Border Patrol Council, Local 1613 is refraining from commenting on the specific details of the case to avoid jeopardizing the investigation and in hopes of expediting the capture of those who are responsible for this murder.

This latest act of violence along our border highlights the extreme dangers that Border Patrol Agents face while protecting the United States from the illegal entry of persons, drugs, weapons, and other contraband. Border Patrol Agents routinely work alone in remote areas due to the lack of manpower. Agent Rosas is the 108th Border Patrol Agent to lose his life in the line of duty, with 21 of those deaths occurring during the past decade.

Agent Rosas entered on duty with the U.S. Border Patrol on May 22, 2006, as a member of the 621st Session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy. He is survived by his wife, a two-year-old son and an 11-month-old daughter.

A public viewing for Agent Rosas will be held on Thursday, July 30th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Faith Assembly of God Church, 320 South J Street, Imperial, California 92251. A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 31 at 9:00 a.m. at the Southwest Performing Arts Theatre (located on the Southwest High School campus), 2001 Ocotillo Drive, El Centro, California 92243. Internment services will immediately follow at Evergreen Cemetery, 201 East Gillett Street, El Centro, California 92243.

MEMORIAL FUND:

A memorial account has been established for Agent Rosas and his family through Cabrillo Credit Union.

Cabrillo Credit Union
Robert W. Rosas Memorial Account
Account Number 186716-02.
www.cabrillocu.com
1-800-222-7455

Speech by Congressman Poe

House Resolution 681

Press release from DHS Secretary

Press release by CBP

Visit the Officer Down Memorial Page for Agent Rosas

Reports of Questionable Training at El Cajon Station

Training for a career in the US Border Patrol should be hard. If you work hard in training, the real thing should be easier. But training should be conducted with a purpose and a goal. Field Training Officers have a difficult and thankless job, but it is not a license to impose their will upon trainees. It is not the place to do the wrongs unto others that may have been done to you. Just because you had to do something when you were a trainee doesn't make it right or useful. Hazing trainees has no place in the Border Patrol.

Recently Local 1613 has become aware of questionable training methods being used at the El Cajon Border Patrol Station. Trainees are being run up and down trails not to learn the area or to work alien traffic, leaving us with the question: what is the point? Is it punishment or is there some training value to it? No one in the union is opposed to hard training, only pointless training that can get agents injured or killed. The weather in eastern San Diego county during July is conducive to heat emergencies. Bulletproof vests and poorly ventilated uniforms only make the problem worse.

On Sunday, July 5, 2009, agents were further subjected to training methods of little value. Trainees were forced to perform push-ups on hot blacktop which resulted in some agents injuring their hands. To literally add insult to injury, a Supervisory Border Patrol Agent took photos of this activity, yet did nothing to stop it. Again, where is the training value in any of this?

This kind of behavior accomplishes nothing except to placate the egos of those overseeing the trainees. It is obvious that the field training officers have not been properly trained and that management is condoning their actions. For this the FTOs should be removed from their position and the supervisor of the unit held accountable.

Local 1613 is also aware that trainees are being pressured and intimidated not to "rat" on anyone now that this situation has come to light. Any interference with the ability of an agent to exercise their right to union representation will be viewed as a serious matter and will be pursued in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and/or applicable third party procedures.