The history of the United States Border Patrol stretches as far back as 1928. Even then, illegal immigration was a problem and Congress decided to take action against it by passing an act that created the Border Patrol. The initial mandate given to this force was to put a stop to illegal immigrants, a mandate that exists to this date. The Border Patrol comes under the command of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which in turn, is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Although it started with only 450 officers, it has now grown into a 12,000 strong force and is still expanding. The goal is to reach 18,000 officers, which is the current number in active duty. The short fall of 6,000 guards is made up of National Guard troops until such time that the Border Patrol is able to fill the void. Currently, it is a good time to join the Border Patrol, as they are on a drive to recruit more officers. However, it is not an easy task to join the force especially when it comes to the initial exam. Statistics denote that only 40 % pass this exam and only 3.3 % of entrants make it through to the Border Patrol Academy.

If you are serious about joining, you should put some effort into researching the various requirements outlined by the Border Patrol. One crucial exam you might want to concentrate on is the Artificial Language Test, which has a high rate of failure associated with it.