CLOSE-UP

When he became a Border Patrol agent 15 years ago, Paul Blocker’s prime directive was to prevent illegal immigrants from coming into this country from Mexico. But over the past six years, Blocker has frequently worked with a host of law enforcement agencies to protect immigrants from violent crimes once they got here. As a member of the now-disbanded Border Crime Prevention Unit for two years, he watched over a 15-mile stretch near Otay Mesa.

“Our main job was to look for and arrest people who rob, assault, rape and murder illegal aliens on their way across the border. A lot of times it’s other pollos (illegal immigrants) or U.S. citizens who know these people are carrying cash and valuables,” he says.

The Border Patrol has sometimes been accused of using excessive force on immigrants, but Blocker says he has never seen such abuse. And he is emphatically proud of his old unit. “During my time on the BCPU, we were never sued and never accused of civil rights violations,” he says. “In fact, a lot of times, the illegal aliens thank us for saving them from being robbed.”

In his new position as leader of a patrol group, he is focusing once again on apprehending coyotes and drug smugglers. It is a job, he notes, where confrontation can lead to tragedy. Blocker recalls a day in 1987, one of the worst in his career. “Over the weekend, we’d seen this van run through a hole in the fence on the east side of the port of entry. When we started chasing it, the driver revved the engine and headed for the freeway, attempting to make a U-turn. The driver lost control and the van flipped over several times. A mother was hysterically screaming inside the van. She was holding a small baby. I tried to administer first aid, but the baby died.

“Sometimes I think I’d like to be a millionaire and forget the world. But for now, being with the Border Patrol is a pretty rewarding experience. I believe in what I’m doing. And if I can make it better I may as well stay.”