see also: in June 2008:   CBP in New Orleans Offers Tips for International Air Travelers for Summer Season   CBP Offers Tips for International Air Travelers in Memphis for Summer Season   U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Host San Diego Hiring Event   Baltimore CBP Recovers Stolen Vehicle Being Shipped Overseas   Border Patrol Agents Seize Cocaine, Methamphetamines and Marijuana   Canada, U.S. Sign Arrangement to Align Security Standards for Cross-Border Business   CBP, Texas Strengthen Partnership to Ensure Border Security ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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El Paso, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Paso Director of Field Operations Ana B. Hinojosa was formally sworn into office this morning during the first-ever CBP field operations change-of-command ceremony. Family, friends, colleagues and local dignitaries gathered as Ms. Hinojosa recited the oath of office during a ceremony at the El Paso Community College Transmountain campus auditorium.

“It is an honor and a privilege to participate in this historic event,” said Hinojosa. “I am happy that I was able to share this day with family and friends. I am also proud that I was able to participate in this first-of-its-kind event for CBP field operations.”

CBP field operations, which oversees CBP’s port security operations, recently adopted formal change of command ceremonies as another way to unify the workforce and highlight the agency mission. Since its inception in March 2003, CBP has developed and implemented standards, policies and symbols to advance the internal and external recognition of the agency and to demonstrate the strides the agency has made as the guardians of the nation’s borders. The change-of-command ceremony is the latest addition designed to meet those goals.

The change of command ceremony began with a brief description of historical basis for such events. It was followed by the posting of the colors by the CBP honor guard and then the singing of the national anthem. An invocation was made and special guests were recognized. The oath of office was then delivered, was followed by remarks and then the retiring of the colors.

Although today marked the formal change

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of command at CBP’s El Paso field office, Ms. Hinojosa reported to and occupied her new post in late May. Ms. Hinojosa replaces Luis Garcia, who retired from CBP in November last year. Acting DFO Gene Garza, who occupied the El Paso DFO position between Garcia’s retirement and Hinojosa’s appointment, has returned to his position as the director of the Laredo port of entry.

As the El Paso DFO, Ms. Hinojosa will direct operations and enforcement activities at the 10 international crossings in West Texas and New Mexico including El Paso (four crossings), Fabens, Fort Hancock, Presidio, Santa Teresa, Columbus and Antelope Wells as well as CBP airport operations at El Paso, Santa Teresa and Albuquerque and rail crossings in El Paso and Presidio. She will oversee hundreds of employees at these locations including CBP officers, Agriculture Specialist, Canine Enforcement Officers, Import Specialist and personnel working in many other areas.

Ms. Hinojosa focuses the efforts of her employees to ensure that the agency’s primary mission of preventing terrorists or weapons of terror from entering the United States is accomplished on a daily basis. Ms. Hinojosa is also responsible for all immigration issues related to the admission and exclusion of people applying for entry into the United States. She also is responsible for customs and agriculture inspections at the ports of entry to ensure that all goods and people entering the United States do so in accordance with our laws and regulations, while ensuring that they are facilitated in their processing to support the global market place and the international tourism industries.

Ms. Hinojosa comes to El Paso from Dallas, where she served as the CBP area port director for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Before the Dallas position, Ms. Hinojosa was CBP’s area port director at Los Angeles International Airport. Prior to that, she held the position of assistant director, operations for the South Texas CMC (Laredo field office) where she maintained operational oversight of the Texas border ports from Brownsville to Del Rio, and the airports of San Antonio and Austin.

She has also held several positions in the international trade field with U.S. Customs at various locations along the southern border, including a position as a supervisory paralegal specialist with the Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office in San Diego and the assistant port director for trade in Laredo. Ms. Hinojosa began her career with the U.S. Customs Service as a co-op student working at Laredo in early 1987.

Ms. Hinojosa is originally from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and has spent most of her professional career, spanning more than 20 years, in various assignments along the U.S./Mexico border. Ms. Hinojosa, has been a career member of the senior executive service, is a graduate of Texas A&M International University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. She has also completed the executive development program with the U.S. Customs Leadership Institute at Columbia University Graduate School of Business in New York.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.