The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a leadership transition within the Border Patrol. Current Chief Raul Ortiz will retire on June 30th, and Jason Owens, the current Del Rio Sector chief, will take his place. Owens, a 25-year veteran of the Border Patrol, assumes command as border apprehensions have recently decreased following the expiration of the Title 42 public health order. However, officials remain cautious about the long-term stability of this trend.
In addition to Ortiz's retirement, acting Deputy Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Benjamine "Carry" Huffman will also retire. His successor will be Pete Flores, the Executive Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised both Ortiz and Huffman for their dedicated service and contributions to CBP and national security. He also expressed confidence in Owens' leadership abilities, highlighting his commitment to the Border Patrol's mission.
Ortiz's retirement concludes his tenure overseeing the Border Patrol during a period marked by historically high migrant encounters. He notably disagreed with the Biden administration's decision to halt border wall construction and supported agents who were wrongly accused of whipping migrants in Del Rio in 2021. Ortiz also acknowledged that the agency lacked operational control of the border, using a definition that implies the absence of any unlawful crossings.
Ortiz's departure coincides with the planned exit of acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tae Johnson. CBP is currently led by acting Commissioner Troy Miller, who temporarily replaced Chris Magnus before Magnus's resignation following disagreements with DHS officials.
