On April 8, 2024, the Mosbacher Institute’s Borders and Migration Program hosted Acting Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) Matthew J. Roggow, who serves the Big Bend Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, to present “Security: America’s Border in Theory and Practice.” This event was part of The Other Side of the Border: Ties that Bind and Issues That Divide speaker series organized by Bush School Assistant Professor Aileen Teague, who also served as moderator.
Chief Roggow, who has served in the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) since 1999, provided opening remarks on the topic and discussed the new strategies to address the irregular migration traffic at the southern border. The Chief particularly emphasized CBP’s focus on ensuring that sectors along the southern border are equipped with the staff support and infrastructure to manage the high traffic of migrants in urban centers and rural regions of more challenging terrain. Throughout the event, Chief Roggow provided first-hand accounts and practitioner insight on the issues at the border and addressed audience questions and concerns about the Border Patrol’s vital role in alleviating the border crisis moving forward.
View the program on the Bush School YouTube Channel link the video here.
In the last few years, the United States has seen unprecedented levels of migrant crossings at the Southwest border, fueling concerns related to national security, economic impact, and drug and human trafficking. In FY 2023 alone, CBP reported almost 2.5 million land border encounters across Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Chief Roggow emphasized that CBP has worked closely with ranchland owners, conventional enforcement units, and international partners to ensure that criminal migrant encounters face justice and to mitigate the number of “getaways” or criminal migrants who evade CBP custody. Roggow also made the clear distinction between migrants who seek to evade CBP forces and those who immediately surrender themselves to be formally processed, as this is where the difference between “irregular” and “illegal” immigration becomes critical in characterizing the border situation. The speaker noted that the demographic of those crossing the border has changed significantly in the last decade, stating that CBP has interdicted people from more than 150 countries this year alone. In addressing some of the more contentious audience questions regarding border security, the Chief discussed the “open border” political trope and shared thoughts on the border wall proposal. On this point, Chief Roggow stated, “Walls do not catch people, and neither does technology.” Roggow also highlighted CBP’s relationship with other enforcement groups, noting that support on detection capabilities is particularly helpful from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the resources allocated through Operation Lone Star.
Chief Roggow went on to describe CBP responsibilities compared to other agencies involved in handling the migrant crisis. Here, the Chief discussed the need for equal funding across these agencies, as gaps in funding create different custodial outcomes and make it challenging to enforce consequences consistently. Funding also plays into the options available to the migrants who choose to surrender at the border, as information-sharing and real-time processing help inform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on those who should be detained for criminal background versus those who can be released into the United States to await further proceedings. “You can’t have this lens that the border is the same everywhere,” Roggow stated, reemphasizing that the future of the border depends on the combined capabilities of the CBP and other agencies across the full spectrum of the immigration process.
In handling mass irregular migration, Chief Roggow underscored that a foremost goal of CBP is to “ensure that everyone who comes into U.S. custody is treated humanely, with dignity and respect, and to ensure they receive the care they need.” Further, it is vitally important that Americans seek out accurate and transparent information to understand the full extent of the situation. The CBP now has a public-facing statistics and information platform that provides insights directly from the southwest border sectors and a real-time reflection of CBP enforcement activity. Moving forward, as CBP continues to conduct targeted enforcement operations and prioritize criminal apprehension and detection capabilities, the agency is also working to ensure the safety and success of its agents. Chief Roggow stated that there is absolutely a sense of sacrifice taken on by CBP agents, but from the leadership perspective, it is about giving your agents the best opportunity to be successful.
Chief Roggow also met with several Texas A&M University and Bush School student groups throughout the day.
By Abigail Huie, Bush School MIA Student
