Exclusives

EXCLUSIVE: Border Patrol Chief To Retire Amid Surge In Illegal Immigration

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz will retire next month, according to a Tuesday internal agency email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Ortiz’s retirement will take effect June 30, according to the email. The Border Patrol Chief has overseen the agency during record surges in illegal immigration.

“After a 32-year Border Patrol career spanning multiple Sectors, HQ tours, and overseas assignments in Afghanistan, I have decided to retire from federal service on June 30th,” Ortiz wrote in the email.

“Serving as your Chief has been one of the greatest honors and privileges I have had and please know I will always champion this agency, its mission, and the people who make the Border Patrol everything that it is,” Ortiz wrote.

Border Patrol agents recorded more than 2.2 million illegal migrant encounters in fiscal year 2022 at the southern border, according to agency data. So far in fiscal year 2023, agents have recorded more than 1.2 million encounters.

Border Patrol agents have also apprehended 196 individuals whose names appear on the terror watchlist between October 2021 and April 2023.

Amid the influx of migrants at the southern border, Ortiz testified that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lacked “operational control” of the area, contradicting DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.