New Security Measures Implemented Along the Southwest Border

With the deployment of an Unmanned Aerial Systemnumber of personnel assigned to border enforcement
(UAS) in Texas, the US Department of Homelandsecurity task forces. In addition, they have also
Security (DHS) unmanned aerial capabilities covers theincreased the number of Immigration and Customs
whole of Southwest Border. The region under borderEnforcement officers working along the U.S.-Mexico
security extends from the El Centro Sector inborder, and the number of border liaison officers have
California to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, therebyincreased by four times. The UAS efforts are just the
providing critical aerial surveillance assistance tolatest steps that have been directed to the southwest
personnel on the ground. The Progress Achieved byborder. The Border Security is now better staffed than
the US Department of Homeland Security till date isat any time in its 86-year history. The US Department
commendable. Illegal border crossings have significantlyOf Homeland Security and the General Services
reduced as a result of increased border security alongAdministration (GSA) are also directing more than
the southwest border. The recent passage and signing$400 million in Recovery Act funding to the Southwest
of Southwest border security supplemental legislationborder. Over the past 17 months, Customs and Border
provides critical additional capabilities to reduce the illicitProtection (CBP) has deployed additional
trafficking of people, drugs, currency, and weapons inZ-Backscatter Van Units, Mobile Surveillance Systems,
the South west border. The Southwest Border InitiativeRemote Video Surveillance Systems, thermal imaging
was launched in March 2009. Since then, the U.S.systems, radiation portal monitors, and license plate
Department of Homeland Security has doubled thereaders to the Southwest border.