This office provides law enforcement support for the Southwest Border and Laredo. This site provides Sector-related information, including Sector operations, Sector contact information, where our stations are located, and news. The Laredo Sector is a multi-task law enforcement agency that has served the Southwest Border and Laredo since 1924. Our primary function is to enforce the immigration laws and prevent illegal entry of aliens into the country. The Laredo Sector is an integral part of a great Border Patrol tradition and mission. We strive to partner with the community to improve the quality of life in the areas we serve. New projects, innovative ideas and a growing interaction with the communities are creating a great environment for the personnel of the Laredo Sector.
History
The U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector is a multi-task law enforcement agency that has served the Southwest Border and Laredo since 1924. The primary mission of the U.S. Border Patrol is to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, as well as continuing its traditional mission of preventing illegal aliens, smugglers, narcotics, and other contraband from entering the country. The Laredo Sector is responsible for 136 Southwest border miles along the Rio Grande River between Mexico and the United States. The area of responsibility stretches from the U.S./Mexico border in Texas to the Oklahoma and Arkansas state lines. Present enforcement problems vary greatly from those of the past. The primary objective has always been to prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States.
Many of the original means employed to achieve this objective are still in effect today to include linewatch and signcutting duties. Programs such as the Bike Patrol, Boat Patrol, Horse Patrol, All Terrain Vehicles and the Canines (K-9) are utilized to accomplish the mission. Technology assets including sensor systems, personal radiation detection devices, Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System, and Remote Video Surveillance Systems (RVSS) have substantially increased the efficiency of these operations.
The combination of personnel, technology, and infrastructure allows the Border Patrol the ability to establish immigration checkpoints, which facilitate legitimate trade and travel from the border into the interior of the United States. Border Patrol checkpoints serve as a secondary level of response and deterrence. Laredo Sector has six permanent checkpoints. Traffic checkpoints are a major defense against those aliens who enter illegally with the intention of seeking employment in the interior areas. In addition, the majority of narcotic smugglers are apprehended at the checkpoints or while attempting to circumvent them.
History of the Laredo Sector Headquarters
In June 1970, the Sector headquarters and the Laredo Station moved to 207 W. Del Mar Boulevard in Laredo, Texas. The Laredo Station was complete with a detention cell and a Sector Communications Center. The Sector automotive repair facility, radio repair, car wash, truck storage and indoor pistol range were located in a separate building on the premises. An indoor pistol range was never completed and the area was utilized for storage. A building on the eastern perimeter of the complex provided covered parking for 26 vehicles. In 1997, the Sector headquarters complex was remodeled. The remodeling included additional offices, restrooms, and a lunchroom area to accommodate the increasing support staff. During the remodeling process, Sector headquarters was temporarily housed in a lease facility across Del Mar Boulevard until the project was completed.