David V. Aguilar
Chief, Office of Border Patrol
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
www.cbp.gov

David V. Aguilar was named Chief, Office of Border Patrol, in May 2004, and assumed the position July 1, 2004. As the nation's highest ranking Border Patrol officer, Chief Aguilar directs the enforcement efforts of more than 12,000 Border Patrol Agents nationwide. Chief Aguilar brings to the job the knowledge and expertise gained from more than 26 years of service with the Border Patrol.

Before his appointment as Chief of the Border Patrol, he was the Chief Patrol Agent of the Tucson Sector United States Border Patrol. In that position, Mr. Aguilar was responsible for all operational and administrative functions of the sector. As Chief, he had over 2000 Border Patrol Agents under his command and over 200 support personnel assigned to the Tucson Sector. He oversaw Border Patrol operations at eight geographically dispersed Border Patrol Stations along 261 miles of the Arizona/Mexico border. In March 2004, Homeland Security Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson designated Chief Aguilar as the Border and Transportation Security Integrator for the execution of the Arizona Border Control Initiative.

Prior to his Tucson Sector assignment, Chief Aguilar served as Assistant Regional Director for Border Patrol in the Central Region of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) from August 1996 to November 1999. In this position, he was the principal assistant and advisor to the Regional Director in the administration of INS operations relative to Border Patrol. Chief Aguilar managed, directed, guided, and was the principal strategic planner for the Regional Border Patrol Program.

Mr. Aguilar served as Patrol Agent in Charge of three different Border Patrol Stations in Texas from 1988 to August 1996. He was first promoted to Patrol Agent in Charge of the Dallas Border Patrol Station in January 1988. He was promoted to the Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station in 1992. The Rio Grande City Station is one of the most active stations for narcotics interdiction along the Texas-Mexico border. He was promoted to the Brownsville Station in July 1995. The Brownsville Station was the largest Border Patrol Station in the Central Region of the INS at that time.

The Dallas Border Patrol Station and the Brownsville Border Patrol Stations were both awarded the Commissioner’s Award for Group Achievement under Mr. Aguilar’s command. Most recently, the Tucson Sector was awarded the Customs and Border Protection Office of Anti-Terrorism Commissioner’s Award for operational achievements under Operation Desert Safeguard, an operation planned, designed, and implemented in the high-risk areas of the Tucson Sector in 2003. Chief Aguilar was elected as the President of the Southern Arizona Federal Executive Association in 2004.

Mr. Aguilar entered on duty in June 1978 at Laredo, Texas, and served as first line supervisor and Assistant Patrol Agent in Charge prior to his service as the Patrol Agent in Charge.

Mr. Aguilar received an Associates Degree in Accounting from Laredo Junior College, attended Laredo State University and University of Texas at Arlington. He is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard Senior Executive Fellows Spring Class of 1999.

Chief Aguilar and his wife of 29 years, Bea, have three children.