EL PASO, Texas – As of this week, an eight-wheeled armored combat vehicle known as a striker has been deployed to the border for the first time in more than a decade as part of aiding customs and border protection.
Fox News was the first to exclusively see these vehicles and how the US uses them.
According to Border Patrol, the two are currently stationed in the El Paso sector and are expected to be deployed in other regions along the border in the coming weeks.
One of the strikers can see the birds' eyes at Juarez, Mexico. This is a massive smuggling corridor known for the “Gotaway” illegal immigrants who have managed to escape border patrol agents.
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Border strikers are not weaponized, the military says. (Fox News)
“It's traditionally one of the busiest regions in the country,” said Hamid Nikseresht, US Border Patrol's special operations superintendent.
Usually these strikers are used in combat and can be equipped with cannons and machine guns to fight enemies.
However, the military told Fox News they have no plans to do so because the border strikers are not equipped with weapons.
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Instead, strikers are used here, assisting Border Patrol agents with surveillance and detecting illegal immigrants.
“One of the main things it offers is surveillance capabilities,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Carlos Zamora said. “If something pops up, we call a border patrol, then they roll over and arrest us,” Zamaro said.
Strikers have infrared capabilities to see up to two miles away, detecting illegal immigrants that agents may not see.
The striker supports the Department of Homeland Security. (Fox News)
“Our aim here is to support the Department of Homeland Security in their mission, and as we do that, we have the capacity to the optics,” said Lt. Col. Chad Campbell, 1-41st Infantry Battalion. “We have both day and night optics. You can see quite a distance.”
Large military vehicles are used not only as detection but also as deterrents.
This Thursday, agents of the El Paso Sector's Border Patrol reported just 32 encounters compared to 1,134 encounters on the same day in 2024.
Regarding why these large, expensive vehicles are deployed at borders when the numbers are at the lowest in a few years, Border Patrol agents said they wanted to make sure the numbers don't rise again.
Fox News saw the deterrent and detection vehicles in person. (Fox News)
“The goal is zero,” Nikseresht said. “We're not there yet, so we're trying to do everything we can to ensure we're putting in as much resources as possible. …Is the better way to send that message far beyond anything else we have now than bringing in a 55,000-pound armored vehicle with detection, maneuverability and forced transport capabilities?”
Border Patrol agents told Fox News that the cartel had a hard time finding immigrants to smuggle across the border.
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“Let's talk about something we just heard this morning,” Nikseresht said. “They walked towards the fence as if they were ready to cross. They looked up at the hill. They saw this huge car sitting on the hill. They turned around and they left. You know that. It means the cartels are scared. That means the gangs are scared.
