Learning Spanish
Speaking and understanding Spanish is an essential part of any Border Patrol Agent’s job. Most of all Border Patrol Agent trainees, will be stationed on the southern border, which includes California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Ninety percent of the undocumented aliens you will encounter at the border will speak Spanish only. It will be your job to find out more about them, help them if necessary, and arrest and interview them, if required. You can only do this effectively if you speak Spanish yourself. The Border Patrol does not require or expect new trainees who arrive at the Academy to know any Spanish. However, because the ability to effectively communicate in Spanish is so important, all new agents are tested on their Spanish ability within the first few days of the Academy. Those who meet the Academy standards for Spanish are exempted from the Spanish training program which is an additional 8 weeks at the academy in Artesia, New Mexico. Once they successfully complete thecore 58-day Basic Training Program, they immediately report to their duty station, start work, and begin their post-academy curriculum. Those who do not meet the Spanish language standards remain at the Academy to complete the Academy’s 8-week Task-Based Language Training (TBLT) program that begins immediately after the 58-day core basic training program is completed. There are many programs out there that will teach you Spanish, a great product is . Other options will be to hire a tutor, take a community college beginner’s Spanish class or purchase a . If you are not a native Spanish speaker, don’t worry the US Border Patrol Academy will provide all the Spanish training. Remember, once you get to your duty station, you will have to continue with your Spanish training.