of The Border Patrol is facing a massive shutdown of surveillance cameras at the southern border, with a memo reportedly warning that it is having a “significant impact” on migrant apprehension efforts, but officials They point out that other layers of security are also in place.
NBC News reported The October memo said nearly a third of the tower's cameras, or about 150 of the tower's 500 cameras, were down due to technical issues.
“Nationwide issues are having a significant impact on society.” [Border Patrol] “Operation,” the memo said.
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Remote video surveillance systems have been in use for nearly 15 years and are used to monitor border areas without the need for regular ground patrols. Agents rely on a variety of detection and surveillance systems, including AI-powered towers, helicopters, K-9s, border walls, and the agents themselves.
A Border Patrol vehicle sits near the border wall separating Tijuana, Mexico, and the United States on June 4, 2024 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
In response to Fox News Digital's questions about the report, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it is taking a multi-layered approach that includes a variety of technological advantages to enhance its capabilities.
“Old technologies like remote video surveillance systems (RVSS) have served as useful operational tools for more than 15 years, but once they reach the end of their planned lifecycle, they require extensive maintenance and upgrades. When a system goes down, CBP works to resolve the issue by updating the system with new camera optics, mobile tower systems, aerial work platforms, relocatable tower systems, or fixed systems. “We will solve the problem by completely replacing the system with a combination of observatories, allowing us to cover critical areas,” the spokesperson said.
Agents are looking at the utility of more sophisticated automated surveillance towers that use AI to track migrants and help agents find them. CBP has deployed more than 300 of these towers.
Officials say the RVSS is an old and expensive system that requires regular maintenance and dedicated staff to monitor the cameras. This is in contrast to newer systems that use AI to provide real-time alerts to agents.
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“CBP continues to introduce newer, more advanced technologies that incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to replace outdated systems, and the need to have agents with non-jamming capabilities within local command centers. We are reducing it.”
However, the National Border Patrol Council branch in Laredo, Texas, recently highlighted the problem “We share the concern that the inoperable surveillance towers along the border pose serious concerns for police officer safety and border security,” the agency said.
“This issue has been going on for quite some time so we hope it gets resolved soon,” they said in a Facebook post. “American taxpayers are investing heavily in technology along our border, and we look forward to seeing this technology put into action.”
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The report comes as border security remains a top issue in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Both presidential candidates, Republican former President Trump and Democratic Vice President Harris, have promised to provide more funding for border security, showing voters they are the stronger candidate on border security. It is said that
Polls show that Trump is generally the more trusted candidate among voters on this issue.
