The federal government appointed Jason Owens as the new chief of the Border Patrol (CPB) on Friday. The decision by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was made official after several sources disclosed it to the media. Jason Owens will replace Raul Ortiz, who announced his resignation from the position last May.
DHS released a statement Friday thanking Raul Ortiz for his years of service with the federal agency. DHS also announced two other appointments, Pete Flores as acting deputy commissioner and Diane Sabatino as acting executive deputy commissioner for the Office of Field Operations.
Today, we announced key transitions among @CBP's leadership team.
These leaders embody our core values and are entrusted with critical responsibilities: protecting national security and supporting our incredible personnel.
My statement: https://t.co/Ki9MHcdoeR pic.twitter.com/WwKQE2XOPe
— CBP Troy Miller (@CBPTroyMiller) June 9, 2023
"Chief Ortiz embodies the ideals of public service. He has dedicated his career to the safety and security of the American people and to the betterment of the great CBP for which they have sacrificed so much," the DHS statement said.
Jason Owens is a veteran of CBP. Until now he was responsible for the Del Rio sector, which covered a 242-mile stretch of border along 47 counties in the state of Texas. Now, Jason will supervise more than 20,000 agents that make up the Border Patrol. Now that Title 42 has ended, he will have more work than ever.
Del Rio Sector Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens on Biden’s border crisis:
“We don’t have the organic resources available to us right now to deal with the flow” of illegal immigrants. pic.twitter.com/WxwfFxPVOs
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 21, 2022
Mayorkas' department released a statement about the new head of CBP. "Chief Owens is a talented, selfless and inspiring leader who is dedicated to the Border Patrol's law enforcement mission, the men and women who fulfill it, and the country we all serve. I have worked with Chief Owens; I am inspired by his commitment to the mission, and am grateful to him for his continued service in this new leadership role."
According to the Washington Examiner, Jason Owens also has experience working in New Mexico and on the northern border with Canada. He is married to Casandra Garcia, a senior advisor to Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
