Report on Internal Investigations and Employee Accountability FY2021

As the United States’ unified border entity, CBP takes a comprehensive approach to border management and control, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection into one coordinated activity. Our workforce is comprised of over 60,000 employees including law enforcement personnel and civilians working in administrative, professional, technical, and scientific positions.

Operating in such a complex threat environment requires tremendous focus and a commitment to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. The conduct of our employees, both on and off duty, forms the basis of public trust. The American people have entrusted us to protect the homeland. Guided by the highest ethical and moral principles, and exhibiting the highest level of professional responsibility, CBP employees strive every day to maintain the public trust and instill the confidence of the communities we serve and protect. However, like all border agencies in the world, CBP remains vulnerable to the potential for corruption and misconduct within its workforce. CBP takes all allegations of misconduct seriously, investigates thoroughly, and holds employees accountable when policies are violated.

Part of our duty to the public is to be transparent about such violations and demonstrate our commitment to responsiveness and accountability. This report describes the process from intake through outcome and provides key statistics on the intake, investigative activity, and discipline taken against CBP employees for the time period from Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. It also highlights specific areas that are of particular concern to the agency. There is a special section highlighting several topics of significance including data on employee arrests, drug testing, use of force oversight, and social media cases. The report also features summaries of significant investigative and disciplinary outcomes that occurred during the reporting period.

Information identifying individual employees has been omitted in accordance with the Privacy Act. Instead, data is presented in aggregate, and case summaries do not include personally identifiable information.

Previous Year Reporting

FY20 Report on Internal Investigations and Employee Accountability