I Was a Border Patrol Agent for 18 Years — Here's What They Never Show You

Frank Vallejo grew up in Texas dreaming of serving his country. After six years as a police officer across two cities he was recruited to join the Border Patrol — and spent the next 18 years on the front lines of one of America's most complex and controversial assignments. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Frank pulls back the curtain on what border patrol work really looks like — from the human smuggling operations he dismantled to the major drug busts that defined his career. He breaks down exactly how smugglers operated and how agents spotted them, shares the heartbreaking stories from the job that never leave you, explains why the border wall actually increased security, and reveals how the catch and release policies of the early 2000s allowed millions of people into the country unchecked. This is the conversation about the border that nobody in the media is having.

#BorderPatrol #TrueCrime #bordersecurity

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Connect with Frank Vallejo:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franciscovallejo544?igsh=MWU0ZzFzbzR3MTVzMA==
Buy his book: https://www.amazon.com/Thin-Lines-Patrol-Betrayal-Enforcement-ebook/dp/B0GRPXBYP1

Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction - Border Patrol Agent Interview
03:54 Frank's Early Life and Background
07:31 How to Become a Police Officer: First Jobs & Academy
14:49 Why Police Officers Switch Departments
21:27 Border Patrol Training: Academy & What to Expect
28:17 What Does Border Patrol Actually Do? Duties Explained
36:08 Day in the Life of a Border Patrol Agent
44:00 How Drug Smuggling Works at the Border
51:46 Border Patrol Chase & Pursuit Stories
58:28 Border Patrol Catch Rates & Community Impact
01:07:28 Drug Smuggling, Tip-Offs & Police Corruption
01:13:13 Border Patrol Policy Changes & Supervisor Roles
01:20:17 Does the Border Wall Work? Wall vs Technology
01:27:27 Emotional Toll & Public Misconceptions About Border Patrol
01:33:35 Career Reflections & Writing a Book
01:36:19 Closing & Where to Buy the Book

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