This Week in USBP History, Vol. 4

September 26 - October 2

1918

• On September 24, 1918, the "Big Bend District" informed the Frank Berkshire that help (manpower) was needed in enforce newly passed Passport Law, Executive Proclamation and regulations concerning the requirement of people to enter and exit the United Stated through a port-of-entry.  On September 26, 1918, Supervising Inspector Berkshire recommended that Big Bend partner with the military in addressing the illegal crossings.

1924

• On October 1, 1924, the acting head of the Montreal District, I.F. Wixon, wrote a scathing memo to the Commissioner-General.  The Montreal District included modern day Houlton, Swanton and part of Buffalo Sectors.  The first sentence is, "I find that the border patrol service in this District is a long ways from being up to standard, due principally to the fact that it has not been properly supervised."  The memo contains recommendations that include having the workforce move from location to location to prevent smugglers from adapting to regular schedules.

1927

• The concept of a Voluntary Return (VR) was introduced in 1918.  However, it became official Immigration Service policy on September 26, 1927, when General Order 97 was implemented.

1936

• See this organizational chart for the Immigration Border Patrol dated October 1, 1936.  Although difficult to see, there are 11 Immigration Districts that are divided into 25 Sub-districts.  Sector were called "Sub-districts" at the time.

1940

• When the INS was transferred from the Department of Labor to the Department of Justice, all employee badges were changed.  This document, signed on September 26, 1940, stated that the new badges had been order and were schedule to be delivered by November 4th.  The document also discusses penalties for employees losing badges.  

1962

• Riots at the University of Mississippi - "On September 30, 1962, protests deteriorated into a riot, and Border Patrol agents <inspectors> worked through the night along side marshals and the National Guard to restore order." CBP source

2001

• On September 26, 2001, the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry finalized the design of the "Badge, Identification, Tactical Unit (BORTAC), U.S. Border Patrol".