Border Patrol Chief Accused of Paying for Sex Abroad

Allegations of misconduct against Michael Banks span over a decade, but two internal probes were closed without public outcome.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:38pm

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The head of U.S. Border Patrol, Michael Banks, has been accused by six current and former agents of bragging for years about paying for sex with sex workers during trips to Colombia and Thailand. The allegations date back over a decade, when Banks was a supervisory field agent in Nogales, Arizona. Two internal probes were launched into the matter, but both were closed without a publicly known outcome.

Why it matters

The accusations against Banks raise serious concerns about the leadership and ethics of the Border Patrol, an agency tasked with combating human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. If true, Banks' alleged conduct would be a clear violation of the agency's mission and values.

The details

According to an investigation by the Washington Examiner, the allegations against Banks span more than a decade, originating when he worked as a supervisory field agent in Nogales, Arizona. There, he allegedly openly discussed paying for sex workers with colleagues and invited some to accompany him on trips to Colombia and Thailand. Multiple sources described how Banks would openly discuss his reasons for traveling, saying 'he would go there to engage in activities with prostitutes.' The sources noted that this behavior was 'counter to what we do or what we should be standing for' as an agency tasked with combating human trafficking and the exploitation of women.

  • The allegations against Banks date back more than a decade, when he was a supervisory field agent in Nogales, Arizona.
  • Two internal probes were launched into the matter - one before Banks retired from the agency in early 2023, and a second that opened around June 2025 following his return to DHS.

The players

Michael Banks

The 53-year-old head of the U.S. Border Patrol, who has been accused by six current and former agents of bragging for years about paying for sex with sex workers during trips to Colombia and Thailand.

Kristi Noem

The 54-year-old U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, who appointed Banks to lead the Border Patrol in January 2025.

Paul Perez

The president of the Border Patrol's nongovernmental union, who defended Banks and dismissed the sources as people with 'an axe to grind.'

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What they’re saying

“He's going to third-world countries to take advantage of poor f--king women, which disgusts the hell out of me.”

— Anonymous, Current or former Border Patrol agent

“He would tell people that's why he was going on these trips—he would go there to engage in activities with prostitutes. So I think those stories are out everywhere, and you can't put them away or not give it attention because he was the one telling people about these trips.”

— Anonymous, Current or former Border Patrol agent

“In our line of work, part of what we do is try to combat the trafficking of females, that is part of our job. It's counter to what we do or what we should be standing for. If you're partaking in those activities, you're supporting the trafficking and exploitation of women.”

— Anonymous, Current or former Border Patrol agent

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security has not indicated whether it will launch a new investigation into the allegations against Michael Banks.

The takeaway

The accusations against the head of the U.S. Border Patrol raise serious questions about the agency's leadership and its ability to uphold its own mission of combating human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The closure of previous internal probes without public outcomes further erodes public trust in the agency's commitment to accountability.