How do I Become a Deportation Officer?

If you plan to become a deportation officer in the United States, you will need to obtain a bachelor's degree, preferably in Criminal Justice, from an accredited institution of higher learning. Three years of service in any branch of the military also can satisfy the educational requirements needed to become a deportation officer. Other requirements include possession of U.S. citizenship, good vision, excellent physical health, a valid drivers license and a clean background as well as being able to pass a drug test. You must also be between the ages of 18 and 37 to become a deportation officer.

Analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively in speech and writing are highly desirable for this profession. After being hired as a deportation officer in the United States, you will be required to complete 18 weeks of intense training, which will include learning basic communication skills in the Spanish language. Latin American Spanish is the native language of the majority of the illegal immigrants in the United States.

The principle job duties associated with working as a deportation officer, also known as a detention and removal officer, involve locating, apprehending and removing foreign visitors to a nation who break the law. Some visitors overstay their welcome in a country, enter a nation illegally or are wanted by the government of another country, in which they might have committed a crime. You also might be expected to prepare, present and defend deportation proceedings, obtain passports and other travel documents from the appropriate embassy and respond to your nation's governing body on immigration issues. In the United States, that ruling body is the Congress.

Before you decide to become a deportation officer, you should be aware of the working conditions and the dangers that could accompany the job. You might have to endure very strenuous physical exertion in running, climbing and maneuvering around obstacles to apprehend an illegal immigrant who refuses to vacate the nation. The position also involves the risk of being attacked without prior warning, so the ability to react quickly to protect your life and the lives of others is imperative. Each nation has vastly different laws concerning immigration issues and different regulations to ensure the well-being of its people and the protection of its resources. These differences greatly affect the work of deportation officers around the world.