Border Security Assets
By Matt Graham • July 2013
For most of U.S. history, little to no security existed along the southwest border
with Mexico. This began to change after the U.S. enacted its first immigration
quotas in the late 19th century. Irregular efforts to patrol the border began in 1904,
and Congress officially established the Border Patrol in 1924. Early efforts focused
mainly on unauthorized Chinese immigration and unlawful liquor smuggling.
Over the following decades, a focus on unauthorized immigration from Mexico led to
substantial increases in the U.S. presence along the southern border. The total
number of border agents has more than doubled since 2002, and the extent of
border fencing has more than quadrupled since 2005. Investments in surveillance
technology also increased substantially in the past decade, including a new network
of mobile surveillance systems and watch towers. Today, the U.S. maintains an
unprecedented level of investment in border security, particularly along the
southwest border.
Border Patrol agents. The number of agents deployed on the southern border
increased dramatically in the past decade. The Border Patrol had 450 agents when
it was established in 1924, which increased to over 1,400 by the end of World War
II. In 2002, the total number of border patrol agents surpassed 10,000 for the first
time. By 2012 the force had more than doubled to 21,394. The Border Security,
Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S.744) would require
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to increase the number of Border Patrol
agents along the southwest border to 38,405 before unauthorized immigrants move
from Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) to Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)
status.
Number of Agents (Thousands)
Figure 1. Border Patrol agents, FY 1993-­‐2012 and under S.744
40
38,405
35
30
25
21,394
20
18,516
15
10
5
0
1993
1997
2001
Southwest Border
2005
2009
All Border Regions
Source: CBP. Border Security Assets 2013
2017
2021
S.744
1 Fencing and tactical infrastructure. The Secure Fence Act of 2006 authorized
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to construct at least 700 miles of
fencing along the southwest border. In September 2007, 155 miles of fence were
complete; by December 2008, 578 miles. Today, 651 miles of barriers are complete
including 352 miles of pedestrian fencing. Tactical infrastructure such as stadium
lighting also sits along the fence. S.744 would require the DHS secretary to certify
that 700 miles of pedestrian fence exist before RPI immigrants could adjust to LPR
status.
Figure 2. Miles of Southwest Border Fence, 2005-­‐2013 and under S.744
Under S.744:
700
650 651 651
700
578
600
500
400
352
335
300
200 135
299
155
100
0
2005
2007
2009
2011
Overall Fencing
2013
2015
Vehicle Fencing
2017
2019
2021
Pedestrian Fencing
Sources: AILA (2005), CBP (2007, 7/2008, 11/2008, 2012), GAO (2011), U.S. Senate (2013). 2023
Surveillance systems. Border Patrol’s network of ground surveillance technology
expanded significantly between 2005 and 2012, including three new types of mobile
surveillance systems. The Office of Air and Marine (OAM) manages CBP’s aerial and
marine surveillance assets with a staff of about 1,200 agents. Additionally, the 300
National Guard troops remaining from President Obama’s 2010 deployment focus
on aerial surveillance.
Border Security Assets 2 Table 1. Surveillance assets in all border sectors, 2012 and
prior years
Ground-based
Unattended ground sensors
Remote Video Surveillance Systems (daylight and infrared
cameras)
Short & medium truck-mounted Mobile Vehicle Surveillance
Systems
Long range truck-mounted Mobile Surveillance Systems
Hand-held portable medium range surveillance systems
Integrated Fixed Towers developed through SBInet
Aerial and marine
Aircraft
Flight hours
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
Flight hours
Marine vehicles
Underway hours
Source: CRS (May 2013), CBP (December 2011).
2012
13,406
337
2005
11,200
269 (2006)
198
0
41
12
15
0
0
0
2012
269
81,045
10
5,737
293
47,742
2011
94,968
0 (2006)
4,406
133,374
Funding. Large increases in agents, fencing, and surveillance assets were paired
with corresponding increases in funding. Border Patrol’s 2012 budget of $3.5 billion
more than tripled its 2000 budget of $1.1 billion, and exceeded 1990’s funding level
by more than 13 times.
Millions of Dollars
Figure 3. Border Patrol budget, 1990-­‐2012 $4,000
$3,531
$3,500
$3,000
$2,278
$2,500
$2,000
$1,515
$1,055
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$263
$0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
Source: CBP. 2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
Operation Streamline. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS),
CBP has in recent years promoted “high consequence” enforcement for
apprehended would-be crossers at the southwestern border. The strategy attempts
“to discourage repeat entries and disrupt migrant smuggling networks by imposing
tougher penalties.” As part of this strategy, CBP has de-emphasized voluntary
removals in favor of formal deportation and criminal charges. Voluntary removals
were 77 percent of enforcement outcomes in 2005, but just 14 percent in 2012
(Figure 4).
Border Security Assets 3 Key to this strategy is Operation Streamline, which aims to prosecute 100 percent
of individuals apprehended in certain border sectors. Streamline began in the Del
Rio Sector in December 2005 and expanded to four others by June 2008. In 2012,
45 percent of immigration-related prosecutions along the southwest border were
processed through the program. Judicial and detention capacity limit Streamline’s
ability to meet its 100 percent prosecution goal. For example, the Tucson Sector
can currently handle only about 70 Streamline prosecutions per day; S.744
Figure 4. Enforcement outcomes (in thousands), FY 2005-­‐2012 Source: CRS (direct reprint). authorizes funding for up to 210 prosecutions per day through that sector (§ 1104).
Conclusions. Since the last round of comprehensive immigration reform proposals
in the mid-2000s, the U.S. has substantially increased its investments in border
security. Border agents have nearly doubled, fencing has more than quadrupled,
surveillance technology is more widely deployed, and consequences for would-be
crossers have increased. During that time, unauthorized immigration has fallen
while the Border Patrol’s “effectiveness rate” has increased. However, the recession
corresponded with the decline in unauthorized entries and rise in effectiveness,
making it difficult to know exactly how effective these investments have been.
In today’s immigration reform debate, stakeholders present a wide range of
perspectives on these border security increases. Some argue that the border is
more secure than it has ever been, while others advocate further investments.
Many believe that the border is over-emphasized, and that efforts to halt
unauthorized immigration should place more focus on measures such as
employment verification and entry-exit tracking. Ultimately, Congress will
determine the adequacy of current border assets, as well as the border’s role in an
overall strategy to control unauthorized immigration.
Border Security Assets 4