Overview
- Six current and former Border Patrol employees say Chief Michael Banks bragged for years about paying for sex during trips to Colombia and Thailand.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the accusations date back more than a decade and that a prior review closed the matter.
- Multiple sources reported that CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility examined the issue again after Banks returned to the Department of Homeland Security in 2025, though no public finding has been released.
- The National Border Patrol Council’s president said an allegation was investigated and that Banks was cleared of misconduct.
- Agents who spoke to reporters said paying for sex, even where it is legal, would violate Border Patrol ethics rules and raises concerns about judgment in a leader who sets workplace standards.