Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera challenged the US authorities with the construction tunnels on the border to cross cocaine and other drugs , but criminal organizations also learned that lesson and have continued to develop increasingly sophisticated crossings, not only for the crossing of drugs, but also also of immigrants.
In response, the Customs and Border Protection office ( CBP ) promotes a multi-year project to use the best technology of the moment , in order to quickly detect crossings. The plan is part of a legislative reform and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) revealed that at least $ 2 million is required for planning alone.
In almost 400 migrants crossed through a small tunnel in Yuma, Arizona, reported then the president of the National Border Patrol Council, Brandon Judd.
“It’s the biggest I’ve ever heard of,” Judd told CNN.
Last August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the discovery of a sophisticated tunnel in Mexicali, Baja California , and although the authorities did not reveal which criminal organization built the infrastructure to 22 feet below ground (about six meters or about three floors of a building), the reports from the DEA and the United States Congress locate only two cartels that control the area: Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
“The two most big, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nu eva Generación (CJNG), show signs of expansion in Mexico “, highlights the US drug agency.
On 23 February of this year, CBP published a report on tunnels, originated from the Executive Order 13767 of January 2017, by President Donald Trump, “Improvements in Border Security and Immigration Law Enforcement.”
The agency took four years to report the challenges it faces for the detection of tunnels and their eventual blocking, which requires advanced and constantly updated technology, but at the time of the report it was implementing some actions with more than $ 700 million dollars allocated.
“ (CBP) has implemented a series of new tools and technologies that have enhanced Border Patrol enforcement capabilities and efficiency along the Southwest border e ”, indicates. “However, these updates are incomplete, as CBP has implemented about 28 percent of planned surveillance and underground technology solutions, even after receiving more than $ 700 million in funding since fiscal year 2017″.
The problems faced were: change of priorities, construction delays, lack of available technological solutions and financing limitations.
“Consequently, most sectors of the Southwest Border Patrol still rely predominantly on outdated systems and infrastructure with limited capabilities ,” the agency states.
What’s next
Last June, Republican August Pluger (Texas) introduced the bill “Defense against illegal border crossing” or HR, 4209 , which establishes the guidelines for CBP to develop and implement a “strategic plan.”
“(Considering) criteria… to prioritize the identification, violation, evaluation and repair of illicit cross-border tunnels ”, He points out. “Promote the use of innovative technologies to identify… and remediate tunnels.”
It also includes processes to share the location, operations and technical information of the crossings for each sector of the Border Patrol, in order to train field personnel.
Pluger also indicates that the agency should establish the required technological needs , as well as additional specialized staff.
Upon requesting additional funds, the CBO needed to submit a fiscal impact report, which it released last week.
“CBO estimates that CBP would spend $ 2 million during the period 2022 – 2026 for i to implement the bill “, he limits in the brief report.
It is not clear how the allocation of funds will be , but the budget project for the fiscal year 2022 proposes $ 1, 200 million dollars for investments in port and border security, which includes investments in security personnel and technology.