The U.S. border points are areas of security concerns in the Department of Homeland Security. This is because these points can facilitate entry of illegal travelers and goods that are a threat to the American people. In this paper I will look on U.S land border points, security measures in place at these points of entry or exit and how terrorists from far nations gain entry into the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is mandated to ensure the safety of American citizens and their properties. The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is an agency within the DHS that is responsible for protecting U.S. borders; both the land and the sea. The agency ensures 8, 000 miles of United States borders that include; the Canada and Mexico land border, the Great lakes, the Atlantic coast, the Gulf Coast and the Pacific coast are free from the illegal movement of terrorists, drugs, weapons and anything that can threaten the security of the American people (The DHS, 2021).
The CBP in collaboration with other security agencies ensures illegal travelers and properties do not gain entry into the American soil. This is achieved through various instruments at border points and ports of entry. The security measures at the border points ranges from experienced security personnel, physical wall barriers and sophisticated technological devices (Berkowitz, 2019). The security mechanisms in a given border point varies with another border points depending on risk factors and the rate of security threats.
For example, the Southern border, that stretches from California, through Arizona and New Mexico to Texas, which is a major border point of entry has been a major issue as far as the security of the American people and their resources is concerned. Over the years, illegal migrants from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and terrorist from far nations have been using this border point to enter the United States (Cheatham, 2021). The apprehensions in the area has been on the rise and in August this year it had reached more than 200,000 people. This has prompted the CBP to deploy a lot of security instruments in the border points to stop illegal migrants and entry of illegal goods (Barr, 2021). This includes; erecting a physical wall, drug-sniffing dogs, cargo scanners, elemental isotopes detectors, ground sensors, surveillance towers, drones among others.
The illegal immigrants and terrorists have realized the challenges they face while crossing the Southern border. As a result, they are now utilizing the loopholes in the Northern border. The Northern border is between the United States and Canada. The Citizens of Mexico and Romania do not need a visa to enter Canada. These citizens first look for a way to be in Canada and then move to the United State via border points like Vermont on the Northern border. The CBP works in collaboration with the Canadian government to regulate the entry of illegal travelers in the United States. But, this collaboration has a lot of loopholes and the CBP has gone further to place surveillance cameras on the border points. The major challenge lies in the fact that the U.S. and Canada citizens on the border live as one community. This has necessitated the CBP to form ties with the local communities in order to be having information of illegal people crossing the borders (Burnett, 2019).
When the illegal immigrants fail to cross the borders due to the security measures in place they look for other alternatives that include using ports of entry. The illegal immigrants risk use of boats (Lazora) that travel long distances and enter the United States. For example, Mexican travel to the coastal areas of California. But, the Coastal Guards and CBP intercept them before they enter the American soil. The Coastal Guards uses helicopters, drones and highly skilled personnel to secure the American Costal areas (Chivers, 2021). The collaboration between Coastal Guards, CBP and the U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is able to stop the illegal people and goods such as drugs from entering United States through the ports of entry.
The issue of the illegal immigrants on the Southern border goes beyond the Mexican entering the U.S. The border points are the gateways that terrorists from far nations use to gain access to the United States. The insecurity and issues like corruption in nations like Mexico makes terrorists to use those nations as entry points to the U.S. Terrorists travel as far as from Somalia, Pakistani, Istanbul among other nations that are base for terrorists and enter the U.S. through the neighboring nations. The people who have acquired U.S. citizenship rights from these nations also play part in helping these terrorists to enter U.S (Murdock, 2019).
In conclusion, the DHS has a great work ahead of monitoring what goes on on the borders. The department must ensure the surveillance systems in place are up to date and are functional 24/7. This is because illegal immigrants travel even during the night. The DHS also need to help the neighboring nations to enhance their security systems so that they can be able to detect terrorists and harmful goods before they arrive at the U.S. border points.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is mandated to ensure the safety of American citizens and their properties. The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is an agency within the DHS that is responsible for protecting U.S. borders; both the land and the sea. The agency ensures 8, 000 miles of United States borders that include; the Canada and Mexico land border, the Great lakes, the Atlantic coast, the Gulf Coast and the Pacific coast are free from the illegal movement of terrorists, drugs, weapons and anything that can threaten the security of the American people (The DHS, 2021).
The CBP in collaboration with other security agencies ensures illegal travelers and properties do not gain entry into the American soil. This is achieved through various instruments at border points and ports of entry. The security measures at the border points ranges from experienced security personnel, physical wall barriers and sophisticated technological devices (Berkowitz, 2019). The security mechanisms in a given border point varies with another border points depending on risk factors and the rate of security threats.
For example, the Southern border, that stretches from California, through Arizona and New Mexico to Texas, which is a major border point of entry has been a major issue as far as the security of the American people and their resources is concerned. Over the years, illegal migrants from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and terrorist from far nations have been using this border point to enter the United States (Cheatham, 2021). The apprehensions in the area has been on the rise and in August this year it had reached more than 200,000 people. This has prompted the CBP to deploy a lot of security instruments in the border points to stop illegal migrants and entry of illegal goods (Barr, 2021). This includes; erecting a physical wall, drug-sniffing dogs, cargo scanners, elemental isotopes detectors, ground sensors, surveillance towers, drones among others.
The illegal immigrants and terrorists have realized the challenges they face while crossing the Southern border. As a result, they are now utilizing the loopholes in the Northern border. The Northern border is between the United States and Canada. The Citizens of Mexico and Romania do not need a visa to enter Canada. These citizens first look for a way to be in Canada and then move to the United State via border points like Vermont on the Northern border. The CBP works in collaboration with the Canadian government to regulate the entry of illegal travelers in the United States. But, this collaboration has a lot of loopholes and the CBP has gone further to place surveillance cameras on the border points. The major challenge lies in the fact that the U.S. and Canada citizens on the border live as one community. This has necessitated the CBP to form ties with the local communities in order to be having information of illegal people crossing the borders (Burnett, 2019).
When the illegal immigrants fail to cross the borders due to the security measures in place they look for other alternatives that include using ports of entry. The illegal immigrants risk use of boats (Lazora) that travel long distances and enter the United States. For example, Mexican travel to the coastal areas of California. But, the Coastal Guards and CBP intercept them before they enter the American soil. The Coastal Guards uses helicopters, drones and highly skilled personnel to secure the American Costal areas (Chivers, 2021). The collaboration between Coastal Guards, CBP and the U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is able to stop the illegal people and goods such as drugs from entering United States through the ports of entry.
The issue of the illegal immigrants on the Southern border goes beyond the Mexican entering the U.S. The border points are the gateways that terrorists from far nations use to gain access to the United States. The insecurity and issues like corruption in nations like Mexico makes terrorists to use those nations as entry points to the U.S. Terrorists travel as far as from Somalia, Pakistani, Istanbul among other nations that are base for terrorists and enter the U.S. through the neighboring nations. The people who have acquired U.S. citizenship rights from these nations also play part in helping these terrorists to enter U.S (Murdock, 2019).
In conclusion, the DHS has a great work ahead of monitoring what goes on on the borders. The department must ensure the surveillance systems in place are up to date and are functional 24/7. This is because illegal immigrants travel even during the night. The DHS also need to help the neighboring nations to enhance their security systems so that they can be able to detect terrorists and harmful goods before they arrive at the U.S. border points.
