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For the last 20 years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection have used Rodeo events as recruitment opportunities, but in between Trump administration’s action on migrantsBacklash against sponsorship and recruiting in rodeo Department of Homeland Security Now it is increasing.
The recruitment drive was inspired by CBP’s participation in the Professional Bull Riders Rodeo event at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. protest group 50501 To say, “We don’t want a Department of Homeland Security in our city!”
“Just in the last few months, we have seen an increase in [Border Patrol] Partnering with ICE to conduct raids and terrorize communities across the country. We want to send a message: Not in our city!”
Other local protest groups also condemned the incident and called on the PBR to rescind the invitation to the Border Patrol.
The Trump administration has previously strengthened the bond between the Border Patrol and PBR with a 2019 deal that provides $3 million annually for the next five years for PBR sponsorship, for a total of $15 million.
The Trump administration’s push for more Border Patrol officers, as well as a significant recruiting drive for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers — both of which fall under the oversight of DHS — is making programs normally billed as family-friendly entertainment increasingly politicized.
However, the flavor of these events is changing, According to reportsAt professional bull-riding events across the country, the spectacle doesn’t end once the riders are dismounted. Pickup men – riders who swoop in to catch a bull after it has dropped its rider – now serve as walking billboards, their shirts and leather slippers emblazoned with Border Patrol logos.
The agency’s presence could be even more dramatic. In some arenas, Border Patrol agents descend from the ceiling on ropes with the Star Spangled Banner blaring through loudspeakers in a surreal mix of patriotism, pageantry and law enforcement bravado.
Outside, negotiations continue in hushed tones for would-be enforcement agents. Recruitment booths are often stationed near the gates, filled with pamphlets, pencils, and promises of careers in border policing.
The PBR suggested this week that their rodeo programs are a good fit for these recruiting campaigns.
Andrew Giangola, vice president of strategic communications at PBR, told mother jones Their rodeos “attract fans who often value service, discipline, and patriotism – qualities that align closely with the mission and culture of the Border Patrol.”
He said rodeo fans are “more likely to be receptive to careers in law enforcement or the military.”
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While sponsorship deals are already a mainstay in the operations of organizations like the PBR, the group said its partnerships with Border Patrol and other sponsors including Monster Energy, Wrangler, Tractor Supply Co. and Cooper Tires enable it to award more than $10 million per year to riders.
The federal government is now considering bolstering the ranks of the Border Patrol under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed earlier this year. It sets aside billions of dollars for both ICE and the Border Patrol, with a focus on recruitment and retention.
As part of this effort, new Border Patrol agents are being offered financial incentives of up to $30,000. Recruits receive $20,000 in enlistment bonuses – half upon completing training and the remainder after three years of service. Recruiters in what the agency calls “priority locations,” which include some areas of Texas and Arizona, are eligible for an additional $10,000.
Independent PBR and the Department of Homeland Security have been contacted for comment.