Border Patrol Expands Interior Arrests Away from Borders \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Border Patrol agents are increasingly conducting immigration arrests deep inland, far from U.S.–Mexico and U.S.–Canada borders. A recent incident in Southern California showed an agent striking a landscaper during a confrontation. With border crossings down, agents are filling ICE’s deportation quotas within the 100‑mile zone and beyond.
Quick Looks
- Deployment Trend: Border Patrol stepping in as Interior enforcement support.
- Legal Scope: Agents operate with warrantless powers within 100‑mile zone, probable‑cause authority beyond.
- Policy Drivers: ICE staffing shortages and DHS pressure fuel inland deployments.
Deep Look
As U.S. immigration enforcement adapts to falling border apprehensions, a new trend is emerging: Border Patrol agents are increasingly conducting operations deep within the interior of the United States. This shift is most visible in recent viral videos, such as one from Southern California where a Border Patrol agent was seen repeatedly striking a landscaper in the head and neck while he was pinned to the ground. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims the man swung a weed trimmer at agents; however, his son—Marine veteran Alejandro Barranco—contests that, saying his father was frightened but nonviolent.
This incident is not isolated. It represents a growing use of Border Patrol personnel in roles traditionally reserved for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With border arrests hitting a 60-year low, averaging just 282 a day in May 2025 compared to a December 2023 high of more than 8,000, the roughly 20,000-member Border Patrol has surplus capacity. Meanwhile, ICE, which is responsible for interior enforcement and removal operations, is operating with just about 6,000 deportation officers nationwide.
The imbalance has forced ICE to lean heavily on Border Patrol agents. This is partly driven by policy ambitions such as former President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which aimed to hire 10,000 more ICE staff—a goal not yet realized. In the interim, DHS, under pressure to meet internal targets like the 3,000 daily immigration arrests set by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is utilizing existing resources more aggressively. The Border Patrol, a DHS agency like ICE, has become a natural ally.
Operational deployments now routinely place Border Patrol agents far from their traditional posts near the borders. For instance, agents from the Yuma sector in Arizona were recently involved in immigration operations in Philadelphia, as shared publicly by sector chief Justin De La Torre. This shift is significant—Yuma agents were making just four border arrests daily in May, down from over 1,100 a day during the same period the year before.
A similar narrative unfolded in El Centro, California, where Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino joined Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a news event in Los Angeles. There, tensions escalated when U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was forcefully removed, handcuffed, and pushed to the ground. Bovino, speaking at the event, emphasized that the Border Patrol is not retreating. “We’re here and not going away,” he said, signaling an ongoing, assertive presence in cities far from the U.S.-Mexico border.
A crucial legal backdrop to this shift is the “100-mile zone”—a provision under federal law that grants Border Patrol agents expanded powers within 100 miles of any U.S. border, including coastlines. Within this zone, agents can stop, question, and search individuals without a warrant, a power that civil liberties advocates like the ACLU argue covers approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population. Cities like Los Angeles fall well within this zone, allowing for robust Border Patrol activity under federal law.
Outside of this zone, however, the legal landscape changes. Border Patrol agents can still conduct arrests as immigration officers, but their authority is more limited. According to Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, agents must establish probable cause to conduct searches or detain individuals. “People have somewhat heightened rights against search and seizure outside of the 100-mile zone,” he explained, though enforcement still depends on specific circumstances.
Despite legal limitations, the practical outcome remains clear: Border Patrol is now functioning in many ways like a domestic immigration enforcement agency. With low border traffic and sustained pressure on ICE to meet removal quotas, these agents are effectively extending federal immigration authority into the U.S. interior.
This trend raises ongoing concerns about civil rights, overreach, and the long-term role of Border Patrol agents beyond border regions. For now, it appears that unless border crossings surge again, the presence of green-uniformed agents in places like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and beyond will likely continue—changing the traditional image and function of America’s border enforcement apparatus.
Border Patrol Expands
You must Register or Login to post a comment.