A former Border Patrol agent describes the special federal unit deployed in Portland as one of ‘the most violent and racist in all law enforcement’

A former senior Border Patrol agent described a federal unit deployed in Portland, Oregon, as one of “the most violent and racist in all law enforcement.”

Jenn Budd, who worked at the agency for six years before leaving in 2001, described her experiences with the Border Patrol’s elite unit, known as Bortac, to The Guardian.

“They don’t do normal vehicle stops. They will rip drivers from their seat, throw him against the side, put him in handcuffs — the same tactics you are now seeing Bortac agents use in Portland,” Budd said.

Bortac, short for Border Patrol Tactical Unit, is typically summoned for high-risk missions such as drug raids.

The specially trained officers are the “biggest guys, like the jocks in a football team,” Budd told The Guardian. “They live in tight groups like the Navy Seals, spending their time in military-style training,” she said.

Budd added: “They don’t exist within the realm of civilian law enforcement. They view people they encounter in the military sense as enemy combatants, meaning they have virtually no rights.”

Bortac, which was established in 1984, often functions as the Border Patrol’s SWAT team and is responsible for carrying out missions related to drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other high-risk operations. Members undergo advanced training, have special weapons, and are deployed both domestically and internationally, such as in Afghanistan and Iraq. The unit is headquartered in El Paso, Texas, and officials typically work in desert areas of the border.