A Brownsville native and recent El Paso chief patrol agent will be moving back to the Valley as head of the Border Patrol sector two months after the retirement of the former chief.
Gloria I. Chavez, an agent with 27 years experience in law enforcement, was announced as the new chief on Wednesday, though she will officially take command Oct. 9. She will be replacing interim Chief Joel Martinez appointed after Chief Brian S. Hastings retired at the end of June.
“Being the U.S. Border Patrol Chief of the Rio Grande Valley has always been a goal of mine with the added value of finally being home after many years away,” Chavez said via Wednesday’s news release.
The Rio Grande Valley will be the busiest sector that has ever been under Chavez’ command. It will also be the fourth sector she leads; previously she was chief patrol agent of the El Paso, El Centro and Spokane sectors.
“I have spent my entire career strengthening the organization from within and expanding transparency while building valuable partnerships with stakeholders in different regions,” Chavez said. “The experience I have gained through the years on the Northern and Southern border has allowed me to grow as a leader to work through the everyday challenges that exist in our complex border environments.”
Chavez graduated from Gladys Porter High School and attended Texas Southmost College before moving to Corpus Christi to begin her law enforcement career with the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office and then the Taft Police Department, according to the news release.
She received her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration after she started her career with Border Patrol at the Imperial Station in San Diego Sector. She later received her master’s degree in homeland security studies at the Naval Postgraduate School in 2015.
Beside Chavez’ studies and experience within Border Patrol sectors, she’s also had multiple assignments in the U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters.
Although the Rio Grande Valley will be the busiest sector she’s led, Chavez arrived to the El Paso Sector as an interim chief in July 2019 when they experienced a large increase in migrants entering through that region. She became the permanent chief in March of 2020.
As chief, she focused her efforts on increasing lines of communication and transparency with federal, state, local and international stakeholders.
Chavez’ looks forward to her return for personal reasons, too.
“My family is so very happy to know that soon I will be back in their daily lives as I had been away for so long. My parents, as any other parent would be of their children, are so very proud of my achievements in life,” Chavez said.
Once she assumes command next month, she will have direct oversight of 3,200 agents spread across nine stations responsible for securing 277 river miles and 316 coastal miles throughout 34 counties.
