A Remembrance of the Fallen

“They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

we will remember them.”

From the poem “For the Fallen,” by Laurence Binyon, engraved on CBP’s Valor Memorial.

A bell tolled across the plaza of the building that holds U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Washington, D.C. A bagpipe honor guard stood steadfast, playing the sorrowful but stirring melodies. CBP’s Valor Memorial ceremony, held Friday, was a somber reflection of the seven souls who made the ultimate sacrifice during the past year and four more from previous years who were just recently added to the Valor Memorial. The ceremony also recognized many fallen during the more than 200 years of CBP’s legacy agencies – upholding CBP’s most sacred core values: vigilance, service to country and integrity.

“Each year we gather here to honor our fallen CBP agents, officers and professional staff,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Pete Flores. “This observance holds deep meaning for CBP, its employees, and the families and friends of the fallen, serving as a solemn reminder of the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem echoed the sentiment.

“Today we honored not just the fallen heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty, but the families and friends who carry their memory forward," she said. "I encourage all who knew one of these fallen officers, agents, and individuals to continue to talk about the ones you’ve lost and share these stories and memories with their friends and family members. These men are examples of the same bravery and selflessness that have defined the American people for centuries, and their commitment to defending our nation will never be forgotten."

The 11 honored this year – as well as the more than 300 individuals’ names from current and legacy CBP agencies, including the U.S. Border Patrol, the Immigration Bureau, U.S. Customs Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Animal and Plant Inspection portions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and trade inspectors already on the memorial – come from a variety of backgrounds and jobs within CBP:

Border Patrol Agent Christopher Luna entered on duty April 9, 2007, serving for 17 years at the Rio Grande Valley Sector’s, Rio Grande City Station in Texas. 

Luna was a second-generation member of the U.S. Border Patrol who loved being an agent. He was known as a good man with a heart full of love and integrity and had a great love for golf.

Field Technology Officer Laurencio Gonzalez Jr. entered on duty on April 11, 2021. He served at the Office of Information and Technology, Infrastructure and Support Services, Field Support Directorate, in Harlingen, Texas.  

Gonzalez was a 27-year, U.S. Army veteran who served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, completing a total of four deployments to Iraq.

Gonzalez was known for always having a smile on his face. He was easy going and a pleasure to talk to.

CBP Officer John Dale Leatham served nearly half a century with CBP, starting his career as an officer, at Casper-Natrona County International Airport, in Casper, Wyoming, in 1975.   

Leatham had a passion for hunting, fishing, garage sales, gardening, and traveling. He was known for his immense thoughtfulness, kindness, generosity, and selflessness, and enjoyed entertaining everyone he met with his many stories and jokes. He had a “green thumb,” and there wasn’t a plant he couldn’t save.

Border Patrol Agent Jesus Anaya entered on duty Sept. 27, 2007. Anaya served the duration of his career – 17 years – at the Rio Grande Valley Sector’s, Brownsville Station in Texas.

Anaya built the family home, doing most of the work himself. On their small 19-acre ranch, he brought in a few cows and horses and then showed his family how to take care of them. One of his yearly highlights was taking his children to the livestock show and showing the animals with them. He had a strong work ethic and worked very hard to instill that in his children.

Border Patrol Processing Coordinator Jose Martin Rodriguez–Lua Jr. entered on duty June 20, 2023. He served at the Rio Grande Valley Sector’s Centralized Processing Center in Donna, Texas.

He was known for being polite and humble, while always carrying a smile. He was a role model for his peers who loved his country and was doing his part to serve it.  

Jacob A. Raines was an attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel.

Raines began his career with CBP on July 14, 2024. He had previously served with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Social Security Administration, and was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

Raines was highly educated, earning two bachelor degrees, a Juris Doctorate, and post Masters of Law. He understood the value of loving life to the fullest, enjoying traveling, fishing, golfing, scuba diving, and spending time with his many friends and family.

Air Interdiction Agent Jeffrey Thomas Kanas entered on duty Oct. 6, 2008. He served at the Brown Field Air Unit, San Diego Air and Marine Branch in California.

Prior to joining CBP, Kanas was a pilot in the U.S. Navy. A native of the New York City area, he loved sports and his favorite teams were the New York Mets, Islanders and Jets. He was known as a dedicated husband and father, who spent much of his time supporting his children’s activities.

Flores also honored four individuals whose deaths were recently recognized as in the line of duty.

“Many years have passed, but we mourn their loss just the same,” he said. “Their courage and selflessness could never be forgotten to time.”

• Mounted Customs Inspector William A. Daniels;
• Mounted Customs Inspector Robert L. Wood;
• Mounted Customs Inspector Jot Gunter Jones; and
• Patrol Inspector Garvis F. Harrell

Flores and Noem also recognized the families of the fallen – both recently and over the years – who were physically at the ceremony, as well as though who could attend only in spirit.

“To our CBP families: We grieve with you and we honor you,” Flores said. “You will always remain a part of the CBP family.”

“To the friends and family of the fallen here: we recognize your sacrifice, and we are eternally grateful," Noem said. "Let this ceremony, and the laying of this wreath, serve not as the end of our work of remembering them. Let it be just the beginning.”

The Valor Memorial Ceremony was the finale of National Police Week, an annual 11-day celebration of the men and women in law enforcement.

One of the first events of the week was the Blue Mass, a special religious ceremony at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Washington to honor and pray for law enforcement and fire safety officers killed in the line of duty and those currently serving today. Representatives of federal and local law enforcement and public safety agencies from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area – including key leadership from CBP – and around the country attended the solemn service.

For all law enforcement officers nationwide, there was a Candlelight Vigil held at the National Mall. The hundreds of names of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. These names are then read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who made the ultimate sacrifice. CBP members were among the thousands who braved the rainy evening skies to pay their respects to their fallen law enforcement colleagues.

Another special event for National Police Week was the Annual Steve Young National Honor Guard Competition and Pipe Band Competition. It provided an opportunity for law enforcement organizations to perform ceremonious and patriotic tributes for public viewing. These teams are a highly dedicated group of law enforcement officers who represent organizations from all across the nation and Canada. CBP’s Pipes and Drums team took first place in the competition, while Border Patrol’s drill team placed first in their category and CBP’s Office of Field Operations drill team took third.

One of the Police Week activities brought law enforcement, including a CBP contingent, to the U.S. Capitol building for the Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service. Law enforcement officers from around the world to pay their respects to their fellow fallen officers. The ceremony started humbly in 1982, with just over 100 people taking part. The genesis before that was a 1962 proclamation by President John F. Kennedy that designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. This year, the number of officers and their families gathered at the Capitol numbered in the thousands.

Finally, CBP was part of the multitude of law enforcement agencies that took part in the National Police Week 5K. The event was sponsored by the Officer Down Memorial Page, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the lives and sacrifices of America’s fallen law enforcement officers.

Flores pointed to CBP’s rich history, going back to the earliest legacy agency, U.S. Customs Service, founded 236 years ago, in 1789, and is matched only by the proud tradition of service, demonstrated by the brave people honored whose watches were cut so tragically short while serving our nation.  

“The debt we owe them for their service and sacrifice can never be repaid,” Flores said.

But he added “their legacy lives on in our officers, agents, specialists, and professional staff across this great nation and the world,” and like the pealing of the bells and wailing of the bagpipes, “their memories will remain, resound, and reverberate throughout this sacred space for generations to come. We will never forget.”