Horror after 14 border control officers die in major crisis for CBP agency ‘due to increased stress on the job’

FOURTEEN border control officers have tragically died during a major crisis for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) "due to increased stress on the job," reports say.

There is a growing concern after three more agents took their own lives in November, upping the total number of suicide deaths this year to the highest amount in a decade.

The data confirmed by a spokesperson for CBP revealed 14 deaths by suicide this year, including agent Robert M. Boatwright, 49, Roque Sarinana, and Javier Fabela last month.

It comes after 2.3 million people crossed the border, a substantial increase from approximately 1.7 million crossings in 2021, and 458,000 in 2020, according to CBP data.

The tragic deaths from this year were also reportedly confirmed to The New York Post by the National Border Patrol Council, a union for 18,000 agents.

They include eight Border Patrol agents, five Office of Field Operations officers and one support staffer, according to the Post.

“Work has gotten very difficult on them,” Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from a Texas border district, told the Post.

Gonzalez is in frequent contact with agents, he said, noting: “I’ve seen it in their faces. I’ve heard it in their voices for months now.

'It’s almost, ‘How much can a person take?’ And often, they’ve taken a lot before they break.”

"It's no longer migrants that are dying at the border, it's Americans and those Americans are wearing green uniforms," Gonzales added at a press conference earlier this month.

 Sergio Moreno, of the National Border Patrol Council, told the Post that “fit for duty” protocols can be placed on officers if they express concerns about their mental health or personal struggles.

The policy forces agents to be put on desk duty, and limits their ability to work overtime, Moreno said.

“They treat those employees like second-hand members of the workforce,” said Moreno.

“You’re not allowed to wear a uniform, so the next day you come to work and [co-workers] say, ‘Either he got hurt or he did something wrong’ … they’re shamed. They’re ostracized.”

TRAGIC DETAILS

Border Portal Chief Raul Ortiz confirmed on Twitter Monday that agent Boatwright is the latest to have tragically died by suicide.

Boatwright was a United States Army veteran who joined the agency in 2012 as a canine handler, Ortiz said. He died on November 20.

"I recently met with BPA Boatwright’s co-workers, and they described his amazing work ethic and willingness to help others," Ortiz said.

"BPA Boatwright’s military and Border Patrol service were a testament to his dedication to our mission and his fellow agents."

He is survived by "his wife, Brenda; daughter, Kari; son, Dallas, a United States Marine stationed in Japan; his parents, Katheryn and Jerry; and a host of family and friends," according to Ortiz.

Special Operations Supervisor Sarinana also died by apparent suicide on November 9.

"We humbly ask for prayers for the agent’s family, loved ones, & fellow brothers & sisters in green as we mourn a devastating loss," Ortiz wrote in a statement.

"Rocky made us all better, he will never be forgotten."

Then, on November 13, Fabela a Supervisory Border Patrol Agent, assigned to the RGV Intelligence Unit, took his own life.

"A United States Army veteran, SBPA Fabela loved serving his country, community, and this agency, Ortiz wrote.

"But he loved his family even more. He enjoyed the outdoors, sportscars, the Dallas Cowboys, and spending quality time with his loved ones.

"He was a dedicated and passionate law enforcement officer who would not miss an opportunity to work on a special project or operation.

"Known to be carefree, his friends will always remember his innate ability to make people laugh, ease the tension in a room and for having a spontaneous fly by the seat of pants instinct."

Fabela left behind a wife and eight children.

RESOURCES

Ortiz said that: "Chaplain and Peer Support members and the Employee Assistance Program is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," for agents.

CBP has also hired a “suicidologist,” Dr. Kent Corso, according to the Post.

He is advising the agency on suicide prevention, and went to Loredo, Texas to give a prevention "session."

"There is no higher priority for CBP than taking care of our people,” a spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection told The U.S Sun.

"This is why we are facilitating a culture that destigmatizes suicide and makes it safe for employees to seek help.

"In addition to offering new resources for the field and generating social media and other communications campaigns, CBP has expanded the number of on-site clinicians and is hiring over a dozen operational psychologists.

"Together, these licensed professionals implement an evidence-based suicide prevention and intervention program while tackling precursors to suicide including substance abuse, relationship problems, financial difficulties, and job stress during periods of expanded mission scope and complexity."

"Our staff work tirelessly to execute their responsibilities. 

"CBP leadership recognizes their need for help and we are increasingly dedicating resources to support our workforce’s mental health and well-being.”

DISTURBING INCREASE

According to data by U.S Customs and Border Protection, there were 115 suicides among agents from 2007-2019.

Suicides peaked at 14 suicides in 2009, double compared to the previous year.

From 2015-2018, there were ten suicides a year, before dropping to nine in 2019, and eight in 2020.

The average agent who took their life was 42, with 12 years of service.