New chief takes over Border Patrol’s Laredo Sector
Chief Patrol Agent Joel Martinez, right, was sworn in on Friday, July 28, 2023, to lead the Laredo Sector of the Border Patrol in South Texas. He was sworn in by U.S. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens. (Photo Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
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McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — The new chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s Laredo Sector was sworn in on Friday.
Chief Patrol Agent Joel Martinez took over the helm to lead the South Texas sector, which next year will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
He was sworn in on Friday during a ceremony in Laredo that was facilitated by Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens, who in June was named to oversee the agency after Raul Ortiz announced his retirement.
Martinez previously served as deputy chief patrol agent of the Rio Grande Valley Sector. He is a 31-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol and was a member of the USBP Academy’s 1992 class, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
He has worked as an assistant chief at USBP Headquarters, and served in leadership roles previously in the Laredo, RGV, and Big Bend Sectors. He also is a graduate of the CBP’s Leadership Institute.
As head of the Laredo sector, he will oversee nine Border Patrol stations and tactical operations for 136 miles along the Southwest border of the Rio Grande between Mexico and the United States. This includes six checkpoints.