“We know where the bodies are buried,” says Cole, now a DOTP mentor. “I can look at a file and see exactly where an officer might cut corners, where a translation error happened, or where someone was eligible for withholding of removal but never told. That’s not a weapon anymore. It’s a key.” Unsurprisingly, DOTP has its detractors—from both sides of the aisle.
“You’re not a street cop. You’re not a border agent,” says Dr. Mariana Flores, a forensic psychologist who consulted on the DOTP’s creation. “You are the last face a person sees before they lose their home, their job, their entire life in this country. That weight is crushing.” deportation officer transition program (dotp)
But when he hung up his ballistic vest at 52, he didn't retire to a quiet life of fishing. He became a caseworker for unaccompanied minors. “We know where the bodies are buried,” says