In addition to patrolling the ports of entry and hidden coves, agents routinely check in a vehicle riding considerably lower on one side than the other and transporting narcotics, or at the ferry dock and chat with citizens in each of the towns. less apparent: clean areas on a dirty vehicle or perhaps the nervous behavior of a driver. “We strongly encourage agents to get out and talk to people,” Romero said. “The citizens “I don’t care how minimal it seems, we take everything seriously,” Romero said. “We know the area best and who is usually seen around or not.” take every scrap of information and connect the dots between them.” In fact, a majority of tips and leads come from local residents and are received while Unlike a police officer, Romero can’t give warnings. agents are out and about immersing themselves in the community. “We don’t differentiate between undocumented aliens who’ve been here one day or six Romero sips from a 16-ounce espresso. Another empty container sits next to the full years,” he said as an example. “You are either in violation of the law or you aren’t. There’s one in the center console. The barista at the coffee stand knows Romero and several other no in-between.” agents by name and as loyal customers. While he empathizes with people and their situations, Romero offers no sympathy. Across the scanner, fellow agents call in license plates, fishing vessel numbers and other “Sympathy is dangerous for an agent,” he explained. “I can’t let my emotions interfere with details constantly throughout the day. On other frequencies, what I know I have to do.” the police and sheriff departments, U.S. Fish & Wildlife and Such professionalism was U.S. Forest Service communications can be heard. put to the test last summer After Romero finishes patrolling the areas he was aswhen Romero arrested Sesigned earlier in the morning, he turns the vehicle around quim resident and Korean and heads back to town. national Hung Han at the Port To a bystander, it might appear that he’s aimlessly driving Angeles Farmers Market. Han around with nothing to do, Romero acknowledged. This had been living in the U.S. for couldn’t be further from the truth, though, he insisted. about six years and never at“If people knew all that we do and we could share all that tained legal resident status. At we know, they would want more of us in the area,” Romero the time, market bystanders resaid. ported that they were shocked While the Border Patrol is well-known for arresting illegal to see a productive member of aliens, it does a lot more than just that. Agents also protect society arrested and that they against domestic terrorism, contraband or illegal trade and were concerned the family was narcotics trafficking. targeted simply because they “There is a huge problem around here with meth, heroin were Korean. Romero said he’s happy to and cocaine,” Romero said. “And guess what? It doesn’t just report that Han, after facing show up here, it’s shipped here.” Border Patrol agents transport a deportation, has the proper In recent months, the Border Patrol has renewed its prisoner who will be returned to Mexico. paperwork to be living legally in dedication toward battling drugs in the area. Photo courtesy of CBP.gov the U.S. now and continues to be “We are prepared to a friendly face at the market. go to war against drugs,” “When we see each other now, we wave and say hello. Romero said. “We raise There are no hard feelings,” Romero said. “It’s not personal or our kids in the same towns that I don’t like somebody. It’s the law.” and shop at the same stores After covering hundreds of miles in his vehicle and talkand we won’t stand for any ing to numerous people, Romero is ready to call it a day. But harm against our comhe can’t head home yet. First, he must return to town, park munity.” the vehicle in the designated parking garage a few blocks While overall appreaway, walk back to the station and then fill out the necessary hension rates have inpaperwork for the day. creased, Romero purses Officially, agents work eight hours a day and rotate between his lips and shakes his shifts so that the organization operates 24 hours a day. Unofhead when asked too many ficially, eight-hour shifts commonly spill over into 10 hours details about how many arwith administrative uncontrolled overtime for paperwork rests have been made, how and other added duties. many illegal aliens were This summer, possibly by the end of June, some of the time sent away or the number spent traveling between the station, the garage and storage of agents employed at the lockers will be eliminated when plans for a new multi-million Port Angeles station. Disclosing too many A Border Patrol agent places a Mexican national under arrest for transporting drugs building are completed, Romero said. The headquarters will be at 110 S. Penn St., near the Port details, he cautioned, can into the U.S. Photo courtesy of CBP.gov Angeles city limit, and will be able to house up to 50 agents. put agents in danger. Most importantly, keeping all the vehicles, supplies and offices in one location will Romero tries to put community members at ease by assuring them, however, that an increase response time, Romero said. increase in apprehensions isn’t necessarily something to be feared. In the meantime, Romero and the other agents try to stay under the radar and out of “The activity has been here all along but by working with the community we are able the headlines. to pick up more offenders,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have a great team of agents “We measure our success by people not knowing what we do on a day-to-day basis,” bringing in an unprecedented amount of information back to us and everything is workRomero said. “If we’re not in the news, we’re doing our jobs well.” ing in tandem.” As he drives, Romero looks for anything out of the ordinary. It could be obvious, such as
LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | SPRING | MARCH 2012
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