How To Become An INS Agent
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Be Part of the Country's Actions to Protect Immigration Laws as an INS Agent
An INS agent or U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service agent, which is a similar job to an ICE agent, aids people trying to immigrate to the country and works to keep illegal aliens from entering. There are many jobs within the INS, including border patrol agents, immigration agents, criminal investigators and deportation officers, so there are many opportunities to be had. In some cases you may have to monitor customs check points for possible smuggling, and in others you will act to process applications for immigration, so many skill sets are required. If you are a US citizen or have lived in the country for at least 5 years, you can look into the necessary training to become an INS agent.
Training Obligations
Government positions, such as this one, generally require at least a bachelor's degree to be considered, but there is a range of subjects you can take. Criminal justice degree or homeland security degree are two relevant degree choices to consider that cover a lot of the basics of law enforcement and federal laws. You will study subjects like ethnic issues, social psychology, immigration laws and procedures and national security policies, which are all essential in understanding the complexities and importance of your role. Some programs even offer concentrations that enable you to delve deeper into subjects like law enforcement or terrorism. To make your training easier, consider taking online courses from the many schools that offer web degrees in these fields, starting with preferred schools like American Intercontinental University, Virginia College Online or Everest University Online. There are also graduate degrees available in the fields of criminal justice and homeland security that can increase your earning potential from the $45,000 range to the $65,000 range according to the Criminal Justice Degrees Guide.
Career Responsibilities
Among careers in criminal justice, federal positions are expected to increase by about 10-11%, and an INS agent is no different. You will be responsible for the prevention of illegal immigrants, drugs and weapons from entering the country, and you will be required to monitor commercial airlines and cross-border traffic. You will also be responsible for enforcing immigration laws and supervising the counterterrorism policies employed in aircrafts to ensure the safe passage and legal act of all citizens and immigrants. Finally, an INS agent will need to detain and deport anyone who enters the country illegally or work to investigate the eligibility of immigration applicants and then process the appropriate paperwork. It is a varied job that is very significant in upholding the country's laws.
Criminal Justice Degree |
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