The Border Patrol's highest honor is the Newton-Azrak Award for Heroism. This Award is bestowed to Border Patrol agents killed in the line of duty. It is also presented to agents for extraordinary contributions, service; accomplishments reflecting unusual courage or bravery in the line of duty; or an extraordinarily heroic or humane act committed during times of extreme stress or in an emergency.

This award is named for Border Patrol Inspectors Newton[25] and Azrak,[26] who were murdered by two drug smugglers in San Diego County in 1967.

Newton/Azrak Award

In 1973, the Department of Justice and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) created the Newton/Azrak Award to recognize employees killed in the line of duty or employees who clearly demonstrate unusual courage or bravery in the line of duty—or who perform a heroic act during an emergency situation. The award was named for two Border Patrol Inspectors, Theodore Newton, Jr, and George Azrak who were kidnapped and murdered by drug traffickers in 1967 while they were working at a California highway checkpoint.

In March of 2003, the Border Patrol left the Department of Justice and was incorporated into the Department of Homeland Security, under the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Border Patrol Agents Robert H. Arnold, and Herbert L. Williams of the Ft. Hancock, Texas Station, became the first recipient of the award following the merger into Customs and Border Protection.

NEWTON/AZRAK AWARD RECIPIENTS
1973 – Michael G. McManus – Patrol Agent in Charge – CMB/HLT
1973 – Willard T. Lamade – Immigration Inspector – San Ysidro, Ca.
1974 – Ted L. Giorgetti – Investigator – Chicago/IL
1975 – James E. Kibble Investigator – NYC
1975 – Lawrence V. Granelli – Investigator – NYC
1975 – James Moody Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1979 - Kenneth D. Crockett – Border Patrol Agent - YUS/YUM
1979 – Larry Herbert – Investigator – YUM
1979 - William A. Mclver- Border Patrol Agent – YUS/YUM

1980 - Myron Merchant - Border Patrol Agent - SWS/SWB

1980 - Joel C. Hardin - Border Patrol Agent - BLH/BLW

1981 – Edwin Rodriguez – Investigator – San Juan/PR
1981 – John Gallo – Interpreter
1981 - Reginald D. Ricks – Investigator – NYC
1981 – Joseph Occhipinti – Investigator – NYC
1981 – John B. Knowles – Investigator – NYC
1981 – George Fernandez Jr. - Border Patrol Agent – TEM/SDC
1982 – Hipolito Acosta – Investigator – El Paso
1982 – Gary Renick – Investigator – San Antonio
1982 – Richard Shuler – Investigator – Dallas
1983 – Douglas G. Roy – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – ELS/ELC
1983 - Peter R. Moran – Border Patrol Agent – SWS/SWB
1983 – Bruce D. Sanny – Border Patrol Agent – TEM/SDC
1983 – Robert B. Labelle – Border Patrol Agent – SWS/SWB
1983 – Stanley U. Spencer – Senior Patrol Agent – MRS/MAR
1983 – Donald A. Peck – Patrol Agent in Charge – SWS/SWB
1983 – Paul Conover – Border Patrol Agent – PRS/MAR
1984 – John A. Kalabus – Border Patrol Agent – YUS/YUM
1984 – David Gutierrez – Border Patrol Agent – NGL/TCA
1984 – Michael A. Lewis – Border Patrol Agent – FRS/LIV
1984 - Oscar H. Garza Jr. – Investigator – Laredo/TX
1984 – Mark Cangemi – Investigator – Chicago/IL
1984 – Stephan A. Peregoy – Investigator – Laredo/TX

1986 - John J. Burgmeier  Border Patrol Agent - YUM/YUM

1987 - Lee R. Prejean - Investigator - Seattle/WA
1988 - Robert S. Coleman – Border Patrol Agent – EPS/EPT
1988 - Craig L. Weinbrenner – Border Patrol Agent – LAK/NLL
1988 – James F. Murphy Supervisory Immigration – Border Patrol Academy Glynco, GA
1988 – William A. Preston – Patrol Agent in Charge – LAK/NLL
1988 - Charles J. Kothman – Senior Patrol Agent – LAK/NLL

1989 – Charles A. Rodgers, Jr. – Border Patrol Pilot – DRT/DRT
1991 – Robert E. Jolicoeur – Border Patrol Agent – EGT/DRT
1991 – Howard H. Gay – Border Patrol Agent – DGL/TCA
1991 – Theo D. Hudson – Senior Patrol Agent – DGL/TCA
1992 – Alan W. Marshall – Border Patrol Agent – NYC
1992 – Jose Cisneros – Border Patrol Agent – YUS/YUM
1992 – Robert Pittenridge – Border Patrol Agent – WEL/YUM
1992 – Armando Orlenas – Border Patrol Agent – NYC
1992 – Johnny Magdaleno – Border Patrol Agent - YUS YUM
1992 – Darrel Welsh – Border Patrol Agent – PHO/TCA
1992 - Michael W. Snyder – Border Patrol Pilot – DRT/DRT
1992 – Jesse Collins – Border Patrol Agent – LBK/MAR
1992 – Christopher M. Jacobs – Detention Enforcement Officer – NYC
1992 – William C. Spencer Jr. – Senior Patrol Agent – NYC
1992 – Theodore E. Huebner – Border Patrol Agent – YUS/YUM
1993 – Michael Deshaies – Senior Patrol Agent – MOA/NLL
1993 – Carlos Martinez – Border Patrol Agent – IMB/SDC
1993 – John K. Crowther – Border Patrol Agent – DRS/DRT
1993 – Lazaro Alverez – Border Patrol Agent – RGC/MCA
1994 – Jorge Arbolla – Border Patrol Agent – ELS/ELC
1994 – Robert S. Herrera – Border Patrol Agent – Yuma
1994 – Jose L. Perez – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – IMB/SDC
1994 – Forest J. Mauldin – Border Patrol Agent - ELS/ELC
1994 – Bruce L. Cooke - Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – EPS/EPT
1994 – Christina M. Carnes – Border Patrol Agent – EPS/EPT
1994 – David Hinojosa – Border Patrol Agent – EPS/EPT
1994 – Cheryl R. Smith – Border Patrol Agent – EPS/EPT
1994 – Robert E. Lindemann – Senior Patrol Agent – Detroit
1996 – Austin L. Skero II – Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1996 – Authur G. Lopez – Border Patrol Agent – TCA
1996 – Diego Gonzales – Border Patrol Agent – EPT
1996 – Juanitia Santana – Border Patrol Agent – TCA
1996 – William E. Simmons III – Deportation Officer – Denver District
1996 – Richard Holmes – Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1996 – Joseph E. Kempa – Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1996 – Andrew W. Shutt – Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1996 - Jefferson L. Barr – Border Patrol Agent – EGT/DRT
1996 – John D. Marlborough – Senior Patrol Agent – RIV/ELC
1996 – Michael W. Richardson – Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1997 – Orlando Sanchez – Senior Patrol Agent – HRL/MCA
1997 – Elizabeth M. Ebisuzaki – Border Patrol Agent – IMB/SDC
1997 – Guadalupe Chacon – Senior Patrol Agent – IMB/SDC
1997 – C. James Engelhardt – Senior Patrol Agent – DGL/TCA
1997 – Stephan C. Starch – Border Patrol Agent – ECJ/SDC
1997 – Stephan S. Martin Jr. – Senior Patrol Agent – DGL/TCA
1998 – Benjamin M. Batchelder – Border Patrol Agent – NVB/SWB
1998 – LeAlan L. Pinkerton – Field Operations Supervisor – CAG/TCA
1998 – Richard L. Ashlaw – Patrol Agent in Charge – MNB/SWB
1998 – Martin G. Hewson – Border Patrol Agent – NVB/SWB
1998 – John C. Pfeifer – Patrol Agent in Charge – NVB/SWB
1998 – Stephen Brooks – Border Patrol Agent – BVB/SWB
1998 – Susan L. Rodriguez – Border Patrol Agent – HRL/MCA
1998 – Ricardo G. Salinas – Border Patrol Agent – HRL/MCA
1998 – Alexander Kirpnick - Border Patrol Agent – NGL/TCA
1999 – Floyd Southerland III – Border Patrol Agent – DRS/DRT
1999 – James E. Lassiter Jr. – Immigration Officer – Rome District
1999 – William T. Veal – Chief Patrol Agent – SDC/SDC
1999 – Joseph P. Martin – Officer in Charge – Rome District
1999 – Mark M. Jones – Border Patrol Agent – MCS/MCA
1999 – Christopher A. Ramnes – Border Patrol Agent – BRP/MCA
1999 – Sevin K. Neufner – Border Patrol Agent – MCS/MCA
1999 – Armando Morales – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – SCM/SDC
1999 – Jay Visconti – Border Patrol Agent – TEM/SDC
1999 – Michael F. McCarson – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – COM/DRT
2000 – Jonathan P. Miller – Senior Patrol Agent – BFR/SDC
2000 – Ruben Miranda – Supervisory Patrol Agent – BORTAC
2000 – James D. Goldman – Assistant District Director Investigations – Miami District
2000 – Steven J. Pastor – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – HQBTC
2000 – Betty A. Mills – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – BP Academy
2000 – Walter M. Davenport – Senior Patrol Agent – TEM/SDC
2000 – Jesus E. De La Vega – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – ELS/ELC
2002 – Jared Bacon – Border Patrol Agent – NGL/TCA
2002 – Robert M. Lawler – Border Patrol Agent – NGL/TCA
2003 – Robert H. Arnold – Senior Patrol Agent – FHT/EPT
2003 – Herbert L. Williams – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – FHT/EPT
2004 – James P. Epling – Border Patrol Agent – YUS/YUM
2005 - Juan Villa – Supervisory Border Patrol Agent – NGL/TCA
2005 – Christopher Brinkhoff – Supervisory Patrol Agent NGL/TCA
2006 – Ricardo J. Hernandez – Supervisory Patrol Agent – LAS/EPT
2006 – Felix Morales III – Supervisory Patrol Agent – LAS/EPT
2007 – Gary Ortega, Border Patrol Agent, ELC/IDO
2007 – Dan Harris, Jr. – Assistant Chief Patrol Agent – MAR
2008 – Adam Ruiz – Border Patrol Agent – MCS/RGV
2008 – Luis Aguilar – Border Patrol Agent – YUS/YUM

2009 - Robert W. Rosas Jr. - Border Patrol Agent - CAO/SDC

2009 - Steven Kartchner - Border Patrol Agent - CUR/SPW