San Diego, California – The U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector introduced its new chief on Monday, naming agency veteran and San Diego native Justin M. De La Torre as Chief Patrol Agent. The appointment marks a homecoming for De La Torre, who began his career in the region more than two decades ago and now returns to lead one of the busiest and most closely watched border sectors in the country.
De La Torre has spent 25 years with the Border Patrol, serving in posts that span nearly the entire Southwest border and much of the agency’s leadership structure in Washington. In its announcement, the agency described him as a career official shaped by some of its most challenging assignments, from tactical units to migrant interdiction programs. “It’s an honor to return to the sector where my career began,” De La Torre said in a statement.
He first entered service in January 2000 and was assigned to the Imperial Beach Station — an area that has long been a focal point for immigration enforcement, cross-border smuggling, and humanitarian rescues. De La Torre said the experience “laid the foundation for operational excellence” and set the stage for his rise through the ranks…