El Paso, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector A. Mancha Jr. was formally sworn into office this morning during a CBP Field Operations change of command ceremony. Family, friends, colleagues and local dignitaries gathered as Mr. Mancha recited the CBP oath of office during a ceremony at the Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss.
“I am honored to be selected for this position and to have the opportunity to lead hundreds of CBP employees who work tirelessly to keep our nation safe,” said Mancha. “My goal is to provide the direction, guidance and support our employees need to perform at the highest level possible.”
El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector A. Mancha Jr.
As the El Paso DFO, Mr. Mancha will direct operations and enforcement activities at the 11 international ports of entry in West Texas and New Mexico including El Paso (four crossings), Boquillas, Fabens, Fort Hancock, Presidio, Santa Teresa, Columbus and Antelope Wells as well as CBP airport operations at El Paso, Santa Teresa and Albuquerque and rail crossings in El Paso and Presidio. He will oversee hundreds of employees at these locations including CBP officers, Agriculture Specialists, Canine Enforcement Officers, Import Specialists, Mission Support employees and personnel working in many other areas.
For his area of responsibility, Mr. Mancha focuses the efforts of his employees to ensure that the agency’s primary mission of preventing terrorists or weapons of terror from entering the United States is accomplished on a daily basis. Mr. Mancha is also responsible for all immigration issues related to the admission and exclusion of people applying for entry into the United States. He is also responsible for customs and agriculture inspections at the ports of entry to ensure that all goods and people entering the United States do so in accordance with our laws and regulations, while ensuring that they are facilitated in their processing to support the global market place and the international tourism industries.
“I spent the last three years leading one of the largest and most important ports of entry in the nation,” said Mancha “I now look forward to parlay the good work we did at the El Paso port of entry and apply that to the entire El Paso field office area of operations. We will continue to work with our stakeholders to further CBP’s current levels of cooperation and collaboration in making lawful trade and travel more efficient while at the same time enhancing border security.”
Mr. Mancha began his career with U. S. Customs & Border Protection (U. S. Customs Service) in December 1991 as an Inspector at the Port of Laredo. Mr. Mancha rose through the uniform ranks until achieving Supervisory Inspector in 1998. Shortly thereafter he was selected as an Operations Specialist for the Laredo Field Office (Customs Management Center) where his responsibilities included overseeing numerous operational programs throughout the South Texas ports of entry.
In June 2001, Mr. Mancha was selected as the Assistant Port Director for Passenger Operations at the Port of Laredo. In October 2004, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Director Field Operations for the Laredo Field Office. As ADFO his primary responsibilities consisted of the management and oversight of the Border Security program areas for the eight ports with the Laredo Field Office.
In March 2008, Mr. Mancha was appointed to the position of Port Director, for the Port of Hidalgo/Pharr, Texas. As Port Director his responsibilities included the management of operations and implementation of budgets for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and managing three international passenger bridge crossings, an international airport and a commercial import lot operation.
In October 2008, he was selected to participate in the Customs and Border Protection Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program. As part of the CDP program, Mr. Mancha was detailed to the Office of Border Patrol in Washington, DC and served in the capacity of Deputy Division Chief for Southwest Border Operations. In 2009, he also served as the Acting CBP Deputy Assistant Commissioner – Human Resources Management.
Mr. Mancha was named El Paso port director in July 2011. Under Mr. Mancha’s leadership the El Paso port of entry successfully implemented numerous improvements which have enhanced border security and expedited the border crossing experience. Some of those changes include the Section 560 public-private partnership, installation of pedestrian kiosk systems, and the introduction of the All Lanes Open Initiative.
Mr. Mancha received a Bachelor‘s degree in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a native of Eagle Pass, Texas and is married and has three children.
Although today marked the formal change of command at CBP’s El Paso Field Director, Mr. Mancha reported to and occupied his new post in late June. Mr. Mancha replaces David P. Higgerson.