Clara L. Provost Named New Head of the U.S. Border Patrol

On August 9, 2018, the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Kevin McAleenan, named Clara L. Provost as the 18th Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol [PDF version]. Provost had been serving as acting chief of the U.S. Border Patrol since April 2017. She replaced Ronald D. Vitellio, who was appointed as acting Deputy Commissioner of the CBP before subsequently being appointed as the acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [see blog].

Chief Provost has 23 years of experience on the U.S. Border Patrol. In 2015, she became the deputy assistant commissioner of Internal Affairs at the CBP, “where she oversaw compliance with all CBP-wide programs and policies relating to corruption, misconduct, or mismanagement.” In 2016, Provost was appointed deputy chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.

Chief Provost takes over the U.S. Border Patrol in the midst of a fierce national debate over border security and immigration enforcement more generally. She has ample experience in various capacities both on the ground and in administrative positions. We wish Chief Provost luck in her new position securing the border and ensuring that the laws are enforced fairly and humanely.