(NewsNation) — The U.S. Border Patrol is known for securing the nation’s border, but the agency includes an elite tactical unit that is less visible.
The Border Patrol Tactical Unit, or BORTAC, is comprised of highly trained agents with rapid response capabilities.
NewsNation received exclusive access to BORTAC’s training facilities in El Paso, Texas, where these men and women constantly train to apprehend the most dangerous individuals, including cartel operatives, who cross illegally into the United States.
NewsNation’s Border Correspondent Ali Bradley and Senior National Correspondent Brian Entin will give you an exclusive look at the border crisis in America and how the nation’s three borders — southern, northern and aerial — are kept safe. Tune in to NewsNation on Saturday, March 1, for their hour-long special, “Crisis At The Border: On The Frontlines” at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT. Not sure how to find NewsNation on your TV? Use our Channel Finder here.
“We train 365 days a year,” Bryan Gru, special operations supervisor, said during a simulated hostage rescue. “These guys are all invested, they are hand-selected to be here with the national team.”
Agents who run through such exercises are striving for “zero fail” results, explained Chris Voss, the acting commander for the Border Patrol’s Special Operations Group (SOG). At the same time, agents must adjust to changing circumstances, he adds.
“The guys are really good at it. So, it’s something we take very seriously, and we train constantly,” Voss said.
The training and selection process for BORTAC agents is modeled on those used for military special forces, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Candidates must train in advanced weapons techniques and “must demonstrate the ability to function in a team environment under stress and sleep deprivation conditions.”
