Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Houlton Sector Maine

This office provides law enforcement support for the State of Maine.

The Houlton Sector anchors the northeastern corner of our country's border with Canada and encompasses the entire State of Maine. The Border Patrol's main focus is controlling the border area in between the CBP Ports of Entry. Thank you for your interest in Houlton Sector and the security of our nation's borders.

 History and Background

The U.S. Border Patrol was established in Maine on May 28, 1924. The Border Patrol in Maine was under the direction of District One, located in Newport, Vermont. Houlton Sector consisted of 14 Patrol Inspectors located in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Houlton, Jackman, Mars Hill, Van Buren and Vanceboro. The first Chief Patrol Inspector was Charles Grey. Except for the Chief and Houlton Inspectors, all Patrol Inspectors operated out of the Port of Entry within their location. Houlton Sector was originally located on Bangor Street; however, in 1940 it was relocated to a temporary building on Park Avenue. It remained there until a new facility was constructed in 1965 at its present location at 96 Calais Road, in Hodgdon, Maine.

Houlton Sector Patrol Inspectors enforced Immigration laws throughout the State of Maine, as well as apprehended illegal liquor smugglers during the Prohibition era. Inspectors also routinely checked logging camps in the northwest part of the state to guard against illegal loggers from Canada. During World War II, agents assisted in the capture of escaped prisoners from the detention camp established in Houlton, Maine.

In 1940, due to an increase in Border Patrol funding, Houlton Sector opened several new stations in Maine. New stations were established in Bethel, Guilford, Fryeburg, Madison, Machias and Rangeley. These stations remained open until 1949 when reorganization efforts closed the stations as well as stations in Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Mars Hill and Vanceboro. In 1956, Fort Fairfield was reopened and in 1957, a new station opened in Lincoln. After twenty one years, the Lincoln Station closed in 1978. In 1983 the Rangeley sub-station was reopened and was re-designated as an official Border Patrol Station in 2008.

Today, Houlton Sector maintains stations in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Houlton, Jackman, Rangeley and Van Buren.

Historical photograph of Houlton Sector Border Patrol Agents lined up in front of the Sector Headquarters.

Service Area: The Houlton Sector covers the entire state of Maine.

Sector Headquarters Location: 96 Calais Road, Hodgdon, Maine

Stations: Stations of the Houlton Sector are located in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Houlton, Van Buren, Jackman and Rangeley, Maine.

Contact Information: Phone - (207) 532-6521, 1-800-851-8727; Sector Headquarters Mailing Address - 96 Calais Rd, Hodgdon ME 04730

Community Feedback: We strive to provide quality service to our communities. If we have not lived up to this commitment, we would like to know. If we have met or exceeded your expectations, please let us know that as well. To comment on the services provided by this office, please write to the Sector Chief Patrol Agent. If you feel you were mistreated by a Border Patrol employee or wish to make a complaint of misconduct by a Border Patrol employee, you may write to the Chief Patrol Agent.

Employment Opportunities: To obtain information about employment opportunities with the Border Patrol, you may contact this Sector and ask to speak to a recruiter or email tyler.m.close@cbp.dhs.gov. You will find additional information about careers with the Border Patrol in the Careers section of this website.

Public Affairs Office: To receive information concerning community or media-related issues, contact the Houlton Sector Public Affairs Office at (207) 532-6521.

Vehicle Seizure Office: Contact the Houlton Sector at (207) 532-6521 for vehicle seizure or asset forfeiture inquiries.

Houlton Sector Coin

Last Modified: Sep 11, 2023