"Good fences make good neighbors," wrote poet Robert Frost. What is the purpose of a country's border, and its border control agents? To protect the nation from the entry of terrorists or smugglers, of course, but also to help facilitate the smooth arrival of legal immigrants and asylum seekers. What to do about the U.S.-Mexico border and how to stop drug and human trafficking and illegal immigrants from crossing it is constantly in the news-from presidential hopefuls on the campaign trail to elected leaders' debates about funding and reform.
In September, a federal judge ruled that the state of Texas must remove a 1000-foot-long wall of floating buoys in the Rio Grande, which Governor Greg Abbott is currently appealing. New York State Governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, said the border is "too open" and that Congress should "limit" the number allowed to cross in the wake of the more than 100,000 migrants who have sought asylum in New York City this year.
But at the center of whatever policies and laws are in effect, are U.S. Border Patrol agents, who are tasked with protecting the country's border from threats. Vincent Vargas was one of those agents from 2009 to 2015. Formerly an Army Ranger who saw combat in Iran and Afghanistan, and now having just finished a five-season run as an actor on FX's hit show MAYANS M.C., Vargas gives an insider's view into the dangerous job of a border agent. In his new book, BORDERLINE: DEFENDING THE HOMEFRONT (St. Martin's), Vargas provides an inside look into what the job entails. This excerpt portrays one encounter that could have gone very wrong, and how he thinks about the policies necessary to balance humanitarian issues against the country's defense.
THERE ARE ALWAYS THREATS ON the border; everyone can be lethal, especially at the river's edge.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 17, 2023 من Newsweek US.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 17, 2023 من Newsweek US.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Most Loved Workplaces 2024
A THE WORLD'S MOST LOVED WORKPLACES ARE REMARKABLE FOR A variety of reasons.
Maya Hawke
MAYA HAWKE WEARS MANY HATS: ACTOR, WRITER, SINGER. BUT FOR Hawke, everything comes down to words.
Jacob Anderson
ANNE RICE'S NOVEL INTERVIEW WITH THE Vampire has a rabid fan base, intensely protective of the story and any adaptations of it.
VOTES OF NO CONFIDENCE
Why recent U.K. election results will ring alarm bells for Joe Biden
BIDEN'S BATTLEGROUND ELECTION
A small number of Democrats PROTESTING the president's support for Israel's war in Gaza could PREVENT him from winning a second term
'It's Time to Treat Addiction Like Cancer'
Both are serious illnesses but, unlike those struggling with substance use disorders, didn’t face shame and stigma when seeking help over my tumors
Could Influencers Survive a Tik Tok Ban?
With some content creators able to make good money from views and brand collaborations on the app, losing access to it could come ata high price
All Welcome, Except Some
A Chinese foreign agent is behind an Asian American parade in New York City with Mayor Eric Adams, but not everyone is invited
America's Maternity Hospitals 2024
The arrival of a healthy baby brings unparalleled joy. It's no wonder that families welcoming their newest members are looking for high-quality health care to ensure a smooth delivery and reliable postpartum care.
THE WEST SHOULD EXERT EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE RUSSIA PAY THE HIGHEST PRICE POSSIBLE FOR ITS AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
RUSSIA'S FULL-SCALE INVASION of Ukraine in February 2022 awakened the worst memories for Georgians.