| Agent Brian Terry |
Protecting the American border is a complex task that involves a web of federal law enforcement agencies who have all experienced true tragedy. In the past 10 years a total of 36 law enforcement officers from seven different federal agencies tasked with border or customs enforcement have been killed in the line of duty.
Tuesday's murder of Agent Terry is a perfect example of the ruthless criminals and inherent dangers CBP and ICE agents face every day. Agent Terry was one of four agents on an elite BORTAC team - Border Patrol Tactical Unit - that was tracking a group of subjects who were preying on illegal immigrants, robbing them of whatever money or meager belongings hadn't already been taken by the cartels.
In a remote, mountainous area miles from anything, a gun battle ensued in which Agent Terry was reportedly shot in the back with rounds from an AK-47. Of the five suspects involved in the battle, four were apprehended, including one who was wounded. The fifth suspect and one was able to evade immediate capture and, as of the time this article was published, is still on the run pursued by hundreds of local, state, and federal officers.
As the border wars continue, mostly along our southern border, please keep in mind the agents and officers who have fallen, their families, and their fellow agents who keep on fighting to keep drugs and terrorists out of our country.
Since 2000, the following 36 federal law enforcement officers from seven different agencies responsible for border protection, customs enforcement, and/or immigration enforcement have been killed in the line of duty:
| Senior Customs Inspector Richard Anthony Forde | United States Department of the Treasury - Customs Service, US | 2000-09-12 |
| Border Patrol Agent Daniel Miles James Jr. | United States Department of Justice - Border Patrol, US | 2001-03-03 |
| Border Patrol Agent Jason Christopher Panides | United States Department of Justice - Border Patrol, US | 2001-04-04 |
| Petty Officer Scott Chism | United States Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement, US | 2001-03-24 |
| Seaman Christopher Everett Ferreby | United States Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement, US | 2001-03-24 |
| Inspector Thomas Murray | United States Department of the Treasury - Customs Service, US | 2001-10-30 |
| Border Patrol Agent Eloy Hernandez | United States Department of Justice - Border Patrol, US | 2002-01-16 |
| Border Patrol Agent Roberto Javier Duran | United States Department of Justice - Border Patrol, US | 2002-05-06 |
| Senior Patrol Agent Catherine Mary Hill | United States Department of Justice - Border Patrol, US | 2002-10-25 |
| Enforcement Agent Lorenzo Roberto Gomez | United States Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, US | 2003-11-08 |
| Border Patrol Agent James Paul Epling | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2003-12-16 |
| Senior Patrol Agent Jeremy Michael Wilson | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2004-09-19 |
| Senior Patrol Agent Travis Wayne Attaway | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2004-09-19 |
| Senior Patrol Agent George Brian DeBates | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2004-12-19 |
| Assistant SAC David Gray Wilhelm | United States Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Office of Investigations, US | 2005-03-11 |
| Senior Patrol Agent Nicholas D. (Nick) Greenig | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2006-03-14 |
| Senior Patrol Agent David Norman Webb | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2006-11-03 |
| Border Patrol Agent Ramon Nevarez Jr. | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2007-03-15 |
| Border Patrol Agent David Tourscher | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2007-03-16 |
| Petty Officer Ronald Gill | United States Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement, US | 2007-03-25 |
| Air Interdiction Agent Clinton B. Thrasher | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Air and Marine, US | 2007-04-25 |
| Border Patrol Agent Richard Goldstein | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2007-05-11 |
| Air Interdiction Agent Robert Smith | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Air and Marine, US | 2007-05-22 |
| Border Patrol Agent Eric N. Cabral | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2007-07-26 |
| Air Interdiction Agent Julio E. Baray | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Air and Marine, US | 2007-09-24 |
| Senior Border Patrol Agent Luis Alberto Aguilar | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2008-01-19 |
| Border Patrol Agent Jarod C. Dittman | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2008-03-30 |
| Border Patrol Agent Intern Nathaniel A. Afolayan | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2009-05-01 |
| Border Patrol Agent Cruz C. McGuire | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2009-05-21 |
| Border Patrol Agent Robert Wimer Rosas Jr. | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2009-07-23 |
| Border Patrol Agent Mark Van Doren | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2010-05-24 |
| Officer Charles Collins | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations, US | 2010-07-11 |
| Border Patrol Agent Michael V. Gallagher | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2010-09-02 |
| Officer John Zykas | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations, US | 2010-09-08 |
| Petty Officer Shaun Lin | United States Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement, US | 2010-10-13 |
| Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry | United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Border Patrol, US | 2010-12-15 |
