W. Ralph Basham

Mr. W. Ralph Basham has one of the most distinguished and diverse backgrounds in law enforcement and homeland security in the world today. Over the course of his 38 year career in federal law enforcement, he served in senior leadership positions at four of the eight operational components in what is now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and did so as a Senior Executive Presidential appointee in the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations.

Most recently, Mr. Basham led an agency of over 53,000 employees as Commissioner of U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), the nation’s largest law enforcement agency and the largest operational component of DHS with overall responsibility for the border security of the United States. During his tenure as Commissioner, CBP embarked on an ambitious initiative to secure the border using state of the art technology such as ground based radar systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and an increased intelligence infrastructure.

Mr. Basham led the agency’s successful effort to double the size of the Border Patrol and modernized the way in which law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community work together in their efforts to screen passengers and cargo entering the United States. Mr. Basham led CBP through a period of unprecedented growth and intense public scrutiny on issues like immigration and border security, and managed the challenges of securing the global supply chain and enforcing trade laws while facilitating legitimate commerce. He also oversaw the rapid deployment of billions of dollars worth of assets and tactical infrastructure along the nation’s borders.

Prior to becoming Commissioner of CBP, Mr. Basham served as the Director of the United States Secret Service (USSS), where he had overall responsibility for the security of the President, Vice President, all living former Presidents and their families.