see also: in May 2004:   CBP Border Patrol Nabs 3 Men and 3,000 lbs Of Dope   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Seize Over 10 Tons of Marijuana In a Three-Day Period Along Southwest Border   CBP Officers Seize Almost 6,000 Pounds of Marijuana at Otay Mesa Cargo East Facility   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Modifies Procedures Regarding Entry Requirements of Foreign Journalists   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Announces that Port of Tokyo Becomes 19th Container Security Initiative (CSI) Port to go Operational   CBP Border Patrol Agents Seize Over 10,000 Pounds of Marijuana in the Rio Grande Valley Overnight   First Class of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists Begins Training ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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After 34 years of dedicated government service, Chief of the Border Patrol, Gus De La Viña announced that he will retire on July 1, 2004.

"Chief Gus De La Viña epitomizes the Border Patrol. He is a Border Patrol icon. Gus De La Viña has been a strong and effective leader for the Border Patrol. He has developed and implemented the strategies that have strengthened control of our borders, so important to the security of our homeland," Commissioner Robert C. Bonner said. "Chief De La Viña will always be remembered as the leader who centralized the command structure of the Border Patrol and who aligned and integrated the Border Patrol with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to form a single, unified agency within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for managing and securing our Nation's borders."

Chief De La Viña was appointed Chief of the United States Border Patrol in December 1997 and directed the enforcement efforts of more than 11,000 Border Patrol agents across the country.

On March 1, 2003, the Border Patrol transitioned into and became a part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the protection of our Nation's borders. The Border Patrol's primary mission is to stop terrorists and terrorist weapons from penetrating the border between official ports of entry. In addition to their anti-terrorism mission, the Border Patrol also guards our borders against illegal migration, drug trafficking and criminal elements.

On July 1, 2004 David Aguilar, the current Chief for the Tucson, AZ sector, will take the helm as the Chief of the Border Patrol.

"I am so honored to have served with some of the greatest men and women in law enforcement and I am leaving with the knowledge and comfort that our country is being guarded by the very best," Chief De La Viña said. "Serving as the Chief Patrol Agent of one of the southwest border's busiest sectors over the past five years makes David an excellent selection for this challenging position."

Prior to his appointment as Chief of the Border Patrol, Gus De La Viña served for three years as the Western Regional Director, overseeing operations and initiatives throughout seven states (California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Alaska) and the territory of Guam.

His legacy will be as the visionary and founding father of modern day border enforcement by the Border Patrol. While Chief in San Diego in the mid-1990s, he directed the planning and implementation of Operation Gatekeeper, the border enforcement strategy credited with dramatically reducing Border Patrol apprehensions in the San Diego area to record low levels. His design was an aggressive enforcement posture that emphasized deterrence over interdiction. He implemented a number of important improvements, including the installation of stadium-style lighting, enhanced border fencing and the computerized processing of arrested aliens. The quality of life in San Diego was restored and now serves as the model for border enforcement. More recently, he was the principal architect of the revised national Border Patrol strategy adopted as part of CBP's comprehensive anti-terrorism strategy.

In 1998, Chief De La Viña created the Border Safety Initiative (BSI). Working closely with the Government of Mexico, this program has now become a standard for border safety, responsible for saving thousands of lives since its inception.

In December of 1999, the President of the United States conferred the rank of Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service to Chief De La Viña for "extraordinary accomplishment in management of programs of the United States Government." In April of 2002, the President conferred to the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service for "sustained superior accomplishment in management of programs in the United States Government and for noteworthy achievement of quality and efficiency in the public service."

In 1994 and 2002, Chief De La Viña received the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award for his "exceptional leadership.....in the face of daily enforcement challenges that are unsurpassed elsewhere."

Chief De La Viña joined the agency as a Border Patrol agent in Eagle Pass, Texas in 1970. After his initial assignment, Chief De La Viña held numerous supervisory positions including Chief of the Border Patrol Academy, Deputy Chief and numerous supervisory positions in Texas.

Born and raised in Edinburg, Texas, Mr. De La Viña graduated from Pan American University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963.

The Border Patrol is a division of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for managing and securing our nation's borders.