US Customs and Border Protection hiring in SoCal
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection is hiring, and ABC7 got an inside look at what the jobs look like.
Every day 30,000 to 40,000 people enter the country through Los Angeles International Airport. It is the job of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to make sure nothing and no one enters illegally.
"We have to facilitate the regular trade and travel while we look for that needle in the haystack. Who's that smuggler? Who's that terrorist? Who wants to be part of that group that wants to cause harm to our country?" said agent Claudia Canizalez.
These men and women have to analyze the information right away and make those decisions in seconds. While technology has certainly made the job easier, you still need people on the ground, human interaction to try to catch the bad guys.
"A normal person who is traveling for legitimate reasons won't have any trouble telling you where they've been and why they're coming to the United States. If a person has other intents, they might not be able to answer those questions correctly, or might seem nervous," Canizalez said.
Now, U.S. Customs and Border Protection needs additional field officers. For the first time in years, the department is hiring in Southern California
"Local residents get to apply for a location like this. Most of our locations are at the southwest borders. Los Angeles is now on the radar," said Canizalez.
Canizalez said she seized $1.3 billion in counterfeit money and bonds, but she is proudest of one single arrest.
"The pedophile. Once we were able to inspect, found photos where he was engaging in a sexual manner with young children, we were able to arrest him and get him off the streets. That was one of my proudest moments. He no longer is going to hurt these people," she added.
You can find information on joining U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the website www.cbp.gov/careers.
As for the best part of this job? Canizalez said it's knowing you are doing your part to protect the country.
