Mike Banks | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Chief of the United States Border Patrol | |
| Assumed office January 21, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jason Owens |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mercedes,Texas |
| Education | Southwestern College (AS) South Texas College (BASc) |
Michael W. Banks is an American law enforcement officer who is the current and the 27th Chief of the United States Border Patrol. Previously,he served as the first Texas border czar.
Banks attended Southwestern College in Chula Vista,California,where he received an associate's degree in administration of justice,and South Texas College,where he earned a Bachelor of Applied Science and organizational leadership. He served for 10 years as a member of the U.S. Navy Military Police. [1]
After his service in the Navy,Banks joined the United States Border Patrol (USBP) as an officer and served in various positions in over 25 years of experience. [1] He held leadership positions in Texas,Arizona,and California,and was the USBP McAllen Station patrol agent in charge and the USBP Rio Grande Valley Sector executive officer and acting division chief. [1] He later was the acting deputy chief of operations for the USBP headquarters in Washington,D.C.,and after that,was the head agent for the USBP station in Weslaco. [2]
Banks retired from the Border Patrol in January 2023,due to disagreements with the immigration policies of President Joe Biden. [2] [3] Shortly after he retired,he was named by Texas Governor Greg Abbott as the state's first border czar on January 30,2023. [4] [5] Abbott said that he hired Banks to "tap his expertise to deploy strategies that reduce illegal immigration and keep our community safe," and tasked him with helping build the border wall. [3] He was an advisor to the governor for the border and assisted in Operation Lone Star,the state government's operation to control the U.S.–Mexico border. [6]
On January 16,2025,Banks was named by President-elect Donald Trump to be the Chief of the United States Border Patrol. [7]
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