GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The U.S. Border Patrol’s Grand Forks Sector (GFN) is proud to announce that Michael W. Hanson was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief Patrol Agent (DCPA). On May 24th, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney S. Scott announced that Michael W. Hanson would become the second in command for the Grand Forks Sector. Grand Forks Sector is the largest Border Patrol Sector in the contiguous U.S.; consisting of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. Grand Forks Sector consists of seven Border Patrol Stations along 861 miles of land border with Canada.
“I’m honored to be the new Deputy Chief Patrol Agent for Grand Forks Sector,” said Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Michael W. Hanson. “I look forward to being a leader for the men and women of Grand Forks Sector. We are responsible for more square miles than any other Border Patrol Sector in the United States mainland, but I am confident in our agents to go out every day and get the job done.”
DCPA Hanson entered on duty with the U.S. Border Patrol on March 23, 1998 with Class 370. His first duty station was at the current Eagle Pass North Station in Del Rio Sector. There he received promotions to Senior Patrol Agent and Supervisory Border Patrol Agent.
In 2008 he was promoted to Special Operations Supervisor at the new Eagle Pass South Station where he served until September of 2013. In 2009, he was detailed to Del Rio Sector Headquarters for one year as an Acting Assistant Chief Patrol Agent where he was assigned oversight for Training, Recruitment, and Health & Safety. During this time, he supported the implementation of Operation Detour in each of the southern border sectors.
In September 2013, DCPA Hanson was selected for the position of Assistant Chief at U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters in the Strategic Policy, Planning and Analysis Division where he was assigned with the Operational Requirements Management Branch. He provided support to the former Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition (OTIA) and the Border Patrol Facilities and Tactical Infrastructure Program Management Office. Support efforts included the development of formal requirements, the acquisition process and deployment of technology and tactical infrastructure solutions.
In November of 2015 he transferred to the Law Enforcement Operations Directorate, Operational Programs where he served with the Liaison Division and focused support on Air Operations, Air Domain Awareness, and Small Unmanned Aircraft System efforts.
DCPA Hanson was recognized by the Secretary of Homeland Security in 2014 as a recipient of the 2014 Department of Homeland Security Award of Excellence for his work with the Aerostat Team which deployed and evaluated Department of Defense Aerostats to Rio Grande Valley Sector in 2013 while he was detailed to OTIA.
In 2017 DCPA Hanson was promoted to the position of Division Chief. In this role, he served as a member of sector command staff while overseeing all of Grand Forks Sector’s operational programs. DCPA Hanson served as Acting DCPA from 2019 until he was selected as DCPA in May of 2021.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Mankato State University located in Mankato, Minnesota with a major in Law Enforcement and Corrections.