Enforcement of our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States. President Trump is sending national guard troops to protect America’s southern border. The dynamic threat to our country demands a more sophisticated approach to assessing security and a new dialogue is needed to determine how, and to what extent, we approach a secure border. Finally securing our Southern and Northern borders will require a combination of physical infrastructure, technology, personnel, resources, authorities, and the closing of legal loopholes. Q&A: How the Military Can Help Secure the Border. A “secure border” should be capable of blocking those who pose a threat or attempt illegal entry via visas, ports-of-entry or immigration-benefit processing. Our immigration system has been broken for too long, and Congress must act. Securing our borders must be a priority. The number of individuals arrested for illegally crossing the border hit a, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine estimates that each illegal immigrant that crosses the border is a fiscal drain of approximately, MS-13 is a criminal organization whose motto “mata, viola, controla” translates to “kill, rape, control.”. Ray Walser and Jessica Zuckerman, “The Human Tragedy of Illegal Immigration: Greater Efforts Needed to Combat Smuggling and Violence,” Heritage Foundation, June 22, 2011, www.heritage.org/immigration/report/the-human-tragedy-illegal-immigration-greater-efforts-needed-combat-smuggling, Issue Brief: “Criminal Aliens,” Federation for American Immigration Reform, Last Updated August 2015, www.fairus.org/issue/criminal-aliens, Steven A. Camarota, “The Cost of a Border Wall vs. the Cost of Illegal Immigration,” Center for Immigration Studies, February 15, 2017, cis.org/The-Cost-of-a-Border-Wall-vs-the-Cost-of-Illegal-Immigration, Bryan Griffith and Jessica Vaughan, “Map: Sanctuary Cities, Counties, and States,” Center for Immigration Studies, July 27, 2017, cis.org/Map-Sanctuary-Cities-Counties-and-States, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “CBP Enforcement Statistics FY2018,” August 31, 2018, https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp-enforcement-statistics, Todd Bensman, “Middle Eastern Migrants Part of Caravan?” October 22, 2018, https://cis.org/Bensman/Middle-Eastern-Migrants-Part-Caravan, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “DHS Myth vs. The need to secure our borders has been a ‘National Emergency’ my whole life! Attempts to cross the border illegally are down nearly 80 percent from their peak, seizures of illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband are up, and some of the safest communities in America are found in our border states. The southern border touches Texas, New Mexico, California, and Arizona. More secure ports of entry. Congress has invested tens … 94 talking about this. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) secures our nation's maritime borders through a layered security system that begins beyond the country's physical borders. Natural barriers make up a large portion of the border. No matter how vigorously restaurants and gyms maintain COVID-19 safety protocols, they can’t control people arriving in Canada from outside our borders. The U.S. should be looking for border security policies and programs that will help to secure the border while protecting and promoting our nation's economic interests. While threats persist, our nation is stronger than it was on 9/11, more prepared to confront evolving threats, and more resilient in the face of our continued challenges. © America First Policies. Today, we have more agents and technology deployed to secure our southern border than at any time in our history. The most important aspect of immigration reform is keeping America safe. The security of our southwest border is stronger than it has ever been. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has deployed dual detection canine teams, which identify firearms and currency, as well as non-intrusive inspection systems, Mobile Surveillance Systems, Remote Video Surveillance Systems, thermal imaging systems, radiation portal monitors, and license plate readers to the Southwest border. That's in addition to the interdiction work of our 20,000 Border Patrol agents. The best way to secure America’s southern border is a wall. Protecting the nation's borders—land, air, and sea—from the illegal entry of people, weapons, drugs, and contraband is vital to our homeland security, as well as economic prosperity. How many illegal entrants are caught? The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its many partners across the federal government, public and private sectors, and communities across the country and around the world have worked since 9/11 to build a new homeland security enterprise to better mitigate and defend against dynamic threats, minimize risks, and maximize the ability to respond and recover from attacks and disasters of all kinds. Over the past several years, DHS has deployed unprecedented levels of personnel, technology, and resources to the Southwest border. — President Obama, November 20, 2014. It is past time for the United States to turn away from costly and haphazard efforts to secure the border and instead focus on reining in the costs of border enforcement. I was born into human trafficking and drug running in 1957; was rescued from it by Intelligence Insider Mark Phillips in 1988; and together, we blew the whistle on it for decades. Natural barriers make up a large portion of the border. Sorry, I meant a fence. One such effort is … At-sea presence deters potential threats, provides mobile surveillance coverage, increases warning time, engages smugglers at the earliest point possible, and enables USCG to address potential threats before they can cause harm to the United States. Illegal aliens compromised the security of our Nation by illegally entering the United States or overstaying their authorized period of admission. The troops will help secure the border from illegal immigration, a decision that will protect the American people from foreign and domestic threats. In 2010, Presidents Obama and Calderon issued a. Nearly 20,000 Americans serve in the U.S. Border Patrol. Illegal immigration attempts, as measured by Border Patrol apprehensions, have decreased 36 percent in the past two years, and are less than one third of what they were at their peak. ", Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative WHTI. We believe there is nothing wrong with making sure the people entering our country who don't want to harm us. The southern border is the primary arrival zone for the majority of illegal drugs smuggled into the U.S. according to the, Mexico is the largest supplier of methamphetamine to the U.S. according to the, More Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017. In Congress, Greg worked with President Trump to secure our borders. The process of immigrating to the United States must be done lawfully. America First Policies believes the illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and people across our porous borders is wreaking havoc on our communities. This includes protecting our southern border with a wall to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling; putting an end to sanctuary cities; and deporting illegal aliens with criminal records. At the same time, DHS has made critical security improvements along the Northern border, investing in additional Border Patrol agents, technology, and infrastructure while also strengthening efforts to increase the security of the nation's maritime borders. Kidnapping is rampant. Secretary Napolitano and her Mexican counterparts have signed numerous bilateral agreements and declarations to deepen cooperation and collaboration in the areas of enforcement, planning, information and intelligence sharing, joint operations, and trade facilitation along the Southwest border. Or is it more border patrol agents? Protecting the nation's borders—land, air, and sea—from the illegal entry of people, weapons, drugs, and contraband is vital to our homeland security, as well as economic prosperity. There are three major reasons America needs to protect and secure its borders: security, health, and American jobs. www.heritage.org/immigration/report/the-human-tragedy-illegal-immigration-greater-efforts-needed-combat-smuggling, cis.org/The-Cost-of-a-Border-Wall-vs-the-Cost-of-Illegal-Immigration, cis.org/Map-Sanctuary-Cities-Counties-and-States, https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp-enforcement-statistics, https://cis.org/Bensman/Middle-Eastern-Migrants-Part-Caravan, https://www.dhs.gov/news/2018/11/09/dhs-myth-vs-fact-asylum-proclamation-and-rule, https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/testimony/drug-trafficking-violence-in-mexico-implications-for-the-united-states, https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report/2017/iceEndOfYearFY2017.pdf, www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/house-immigration-crackdown-n778141, www.politico.com/story/2017/07/05/trump-travel-ban-poll-voters-240215?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20170705_ADM_west-wing-read, www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/07/24/illegal-immigration-is-not-victimless-crime-ice-acting-director-says.html, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/border-security-is-tougher-than-ever-dhs-report-finds/2017/09/18/5d198328-9a46-11e7-a527-3573bd073e02_story.html?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.add2503a73fe, https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/17_0914_estimates-of-border-security.pdf, https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/415027-trump-is-right-on-the-national-security-threat-from-caravans, https://cis.org/Andrew-Arthur-Explains-New-Asylum-Rules, https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/415858-caravans-absurd-lawsuit-against-trump-treads-dangerous-territory, https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/jarely-parada-president-trumps-immigration-agenda-is-actually-very-pro-hispanic, The net fiscal cost to taxpayers of the estimated 10 million adult illegal immigrants in the United States, if they were to receive amnesty, would be roughly. CBP now screens 100 percent of southbound rail shipments for illegal weapons, drugs, and cash, has expanded Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) coverage to the entire Southwest border and completed 650 miles of fencing. Along the Southwest border, DHS has increased the number of boots on the ground from approximately 9,100 Border Patrol agents in 2001 to more than 17,700 today. Repeat offenders are then given a, Hundreds of thousands of individuals illegally cross the border. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deployed a quarter of all its personnel to the Southwest border region – the most ever- doubling the number of personnel assigned to Border Enforcement Security Task Forces which work to dismantle criminal organizations along the border; increasing the number of intelligence analysts focused on cartel violence; and quintupling deployments of Border Liaison Officers to work with their Mexican counterparts. Sign up for our newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest America First news and information. Federal law enforcement agencies need the best possible visibility of what is crossing the border. Strengthening our border posts. Together, these efforts have provided a strong foundation to protect communities from terrorism and other threats, while safeguarding the fundamental rights of all Americans. "Secure Our Borders" is an ACT for America activism campaign focused on raising awareness to the issues surrounding our country's national security. Secure Our Borders “Immigrating to the United States must be done lawfully.” ~ Jeff Jordan. All Rights Reserved. The Border Patrol is better staffed today than at any time in its 87-year history. This report outlines the security-related challenges that borders are intended to address—including terrorism, human smuggling and trafficking, illegal migration, and drug trafficking—and, in turn, the perverse consequences that tighter border enforcement can generate. (Video: Joce Sterman and Alex Brauer, Sinclair Broadcast Group) SAN ANGELO, Tx. The Border Patrol, in turn, will be able to focus more of its resources on stopping criminals and potential security threats and on interdicting the flow of illegal drugs across the border. Over the past two and a half years, DHS has seized 75 percent more currency, 31 percent more drugs, and 64 percent more weapons along the Southwest border as compared to the last two and a half years during the previous Administration. Border security is one of the most important national security issues that ACT For America is helping to enforce. He will ensure our values are squarely at the center of our … And the DA will secure our borders and stop illegal immigration by: Arresting, detaining and deporting those who repeatedly enter our country illegally Ensure undocumented immigrants are regularised or assisted in leaving the country if they do not meet the criteria for remaining in the country. Of the 110,568 illegal aliens apprehended from January 20 to September 30, 2017, 92 percent had a criminal conviction, a pending criminal charge, were an ICE fugitive, or were processed with a reinstated final order of removal. Wire, chain link, fencing, and wire mesh have been erected across nearly, An alien who crosses the border once is given a misdemeanor. Immigration is a pillar of our national identity, but the rule-of-law is the foundation upon which that and all other pillars stand. And over the past six years, illegal border crossings have been cut by more than half." Read the Implementing 9/11 Commission Recommendations, Progress Report 2011, Legal Immigration and Adjustment of Status Report, Implementing 9/11 Commission Recommendations, Declaration on 21st Century Border Management, "Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. "My administration has done more than any administration in history to secure our southern border," Mr Trump said in June during a visit to the wall. He will enforce our laws without targeting communities, violating due process, or tearing apart families. Secure borders are essential to our national sovereignty. He will secure our border, while ensuring the dignity of migrants and upholding their legal right to seek asylum. "We must follow through on the broken promises of the past to secure our borders and enforce our laws," said Sen. Marco Rubio. President Obama authorized the temporary deployment of up to 1,200 additional National Guard personnel as a bridge to longer-term enhancements in border protection, and law enforcement personnel from DHS to target illicit networks' trafficking in people, drugs, illegal weapons, money, and the violence associated with these illegal activities. The Spotlight on America team got a rare inside look at how this eye in the sky is helping to secure the border. In 2012, the Border … The wall would stretch across a vast expanse of desert between ports of … It is deeply unfashionable to claim that immigration is a threat to our culture, as, after all, almost all American… Not only is this a great policy decision, but it’s a strategic one that puts America first. Wire, chain link, fencing, and wire mesh have been erected across nearly 700 miles of the border. Each year, thousands are held for ransom, enslaved or … As Governor, Greg will continue to do the same. Illegal flow of drugs, weapons, and people across our borders wreaks havoc on our communities. Oct 25th, 2018 2 min read. All of these efforts that have accumulated in the name of security, however, do not necessarily measure border security properly, or make the border more secure. Official website of the Department of Homeland Security. It is essential to verify visitors' identities … Members of the gang travel to the U.S. southern border from countries such as Honduras and El Salvador. And I began by doing what I could to secure our borders. Fact: Asylum Proclamation and Rule,” November 9, 2018, https://www.dhs.gov/news/2018/11/09/dhs-myth-vs-fact-asylum-proclamation-and-rule, National Institute of Drug Abuse, “Overdose Death Rates,” August 2018, https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates, Kevin L. Perkins and Anthony P. Placido, Drug Enforcement Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Testimony to U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control,” May 5, 2010, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/testimony/drug-trafficking-violence-in-mexico-implications-for-the-united-states, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “Fiscal Year 2017 ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Report,” December 13, 2017, https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Report/2017/iceEndOfYearFY2017.pdf, Dartunorro Clark, “House Passes Kate’s Law, Defunds Sanctuary Cities,” NBC News, June 29, 2017, www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/house-immigration-crackdown-n778141, Steven Shepard, “Poll: Majority of Voters Back Trump Travel Ban,” Politico, July 5, 2017, www.politico.com/story/2017/07/05/trump-travel-ban-poll-voters-240215?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20170705_ADM_west-wing-read, Matt Richardson, “‘Illegal Immigration Is Not a Victimless Crime,’ ICE Acting Director Says,” Fox News Channel, July 24, 2017, www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/07/24/illegal-immigration-is-not-victimless-crime-ice-acting-director-says.html, Nick Miroff, "Border security is tougher than ever, DHS report finds," Washington Post, September 18, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/border-security-is-tougher-than-ever-dhs-report-finds/2017/09/18/5d198328-9a46-11e7-a527-3573bd073e02_story.html?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.add2503a73fe, "Efforts by DHS to Estimate Southwest Border Security between Ports of Entry," U.S. Department of Homeland Security Report, Office of Immigration Statistics, September 2017, https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/17_0914_estimates-of-border-security.pdf, Governor Jan Brewer, “Trump is right on the national security threat from caravan,” The Hill, November 5, 2018, https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/415027-trump-is-right-on-the-national-security-threat-from-caravans, Andrew Arthur, “Andrew Arthur Explains New Asylum Rules,” Fox News, November 10, 2018, https://cis.org/Andrew-Arthur-Explains-New-Asylum-Rules, Sandeep Gopalan, “Caravan’s absurd lawsuit against Trump treads dangerous territory,” The Hill, November 9, 2018, https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/415858-caravans-absurd-lawsuit-against-trump-treads-dangerous-territory, Jarely Parada, “President Trump’s immigration agenda is pro-Hispanic,” Fox News, November 14, 2018, https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/jarely-parada-president-trumps-immigration-agenda-is-actually-very-pro-hispanic. This campaign is about the following issues: Among the 105,736 criminal aliens with criminal convictions, 57,503 had been convicted of dangerous drug offenses. Give Border Patrol the proven sensor and communications technology it needs, where it doesn’t raise civil-liberties concerns for border-zone residents.