A quiet leadership change within the U.S. Border Patrol seems to have promoted Jared Ashby following the earlier removal of longtime Rio Grande Valley Chief Gloria Chavez, with few public indications marking the transition.
The change has unfolded with little official announcement, even as social media and federal records indicate Ashby has assumed a more prominent role within the agency following Chavez’s departure earlier this year. Chavez’s removal from the Rio Grande Valley sector was reported previously, but the timeline and mechanics of Ashby’s elevation remain unclear, according to publicly available information.
One visible indicator came from social media rather than a formal press release.
The X account, @USBPChiefRGV, which had been associated with leadership under Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason Schneider, was recently updated to show Ashby’s name instead. The shift occurred without much explanation or fanfare.
On December 13, the U.S. Border Patrol Academy posted a message on Facebook that appeared to acknowledge Ashby’s leadership role, stating, “Thank you Chief Patrol Agent Ashby for your tireless effort in leading the next generation of agents who will carry the mission forward.#borderpatrol #usbp #honorfirst #usbpacademy,” alongside a video showing Border Patrol personnel thanking him. The post did not specify when Ashby began serving in the new capacity.
Public information about Ashby is limited.
A Facebook post from 2021 identified him as “Patrol Agent in Charge Jared Ashby” at the Ajo Station in Arizona, suggesting a career path that included operational leadership roles well before his recent visibility at the national training level.
Ashby’s name also appears in local civic records outside of his federal service. The Roswell, New Mexico, School Board website lists him as a current board member.
Earlier reporting shows Ashby held senior operational responsibilities in South Texas years before the current transition. During an August 31, 2018, press conference in Edinburg, Texas, he was identified by reporters as “Border Patrol Special Operations Acting Patrol Agent In Charge Jared Ashby” while discussing rescue efforts connected to emergency locator signs placed on rural ranch land. At the time, Ashby explained the life-saving intent of the program, saying, “If we can reduce the time of response, a lot of times those extra 20 minutes to an hour, or two hours of searching means the difference between life and death.”
In May 2025, Ashby was publicly listed in a federal ceremony program as “Jared C. Ashby, Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol Academy, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” during the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers’ Graduates Memorial Day Ceremony in Glynco, Georgia. The listing placed him among senior leaders from multiple federal law enforcement agencies, suggesting his role at the academy was established by that point.
Chavez’s removal from the Rio Grande Valley sector earlier this year marked a significant leadership change for one of the Border Patrol’s busiest regions. Her replacement and the broader command reshuffling were reported previously.
Federal officials have offered a limited public explanation regarding her removal; however, one knowledgeable official told Border Report, “We are guided by the highest ethical and moral principles. Our actions must bring honor to ourselves and our agency. Misconduct — on or off duty — by a few distracts from the honorable service of the many.”
