As a Border Patrol Agent for the Department of Homeland Security, I encounter social problems on a daily basis. Unfortunately, patrolling the borders often means encountering racism. This social problem is perpetuated by the construction of meaning around racism and intolerance towards other races. Society has been taught to hate illegal immigrants, which reflects the idea of ​​culture as a projection of social structure. However, it is important to avoid ethnocentrism and respect cultural relativism when dealing with different cultures. The line between being professional and being racist towards Mexicans and other illegal immigrants is a thin one. While immigrant rights activists argue that they should have the same rights as citizens, the fact remains that they are not citizens and therefore do not have the same rights. The debate over border patrol and illegal immigration is a hot topic, with a racist foundation underlying modern immigration laws. Deportation tears families apart, but it is the price paid for entering the United States illegally. Discrimination and racism will always be present in border policy, as evidenced by the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Martinez-Fuertes, which granted Border Patrol agents the right to stop and question people "of apparent Mexican origin." within a hundred miles of the border....... middle of paper ......With the border patrol you may encounter racism, but it is essential to be open-minded and do your job with the utmost professionalism. Works Cited Cuauhtémoc, C., & Hernández, G. (2008). No human being is illegal. Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine, 60(2), 23-31. Locked and loaded. (2006). Nation, 283(6), 29.