It is a great honor working together with your department in conducting this research and coming up with solutions, and strategies that fit to be put in place in improving border security. Upon completion of the research, I made a detailed report containing the findings and recommendations.
The report contains information on the findings as well as recommendations on the measures that need to be put in place in improving border security. There are two key recommendations made in the report which are; increasing the number of security personnel on the border points as well as increasing the border check point. The report provides improvements that can be made on the existing border points and how technology can be integrated in our border points.
Any questions or adjustments to the report are highly welcome.
Problem Statement5
Statement of the Purpose..7
Literature Review..7
Recommendations10
Conclusion.11
References.12
INTRODUCTION
The Department of Customs and Border Protection is one the most crucial department in any Country and a key organ in the Department of National Security. Unless the borders are safe, safety within the nation cannot be guaranteed. Concerns about the rising crime levels such as terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and other international crimes have raised the public concern on the state of the nation’s borders. Border security has also resulted to diplomacy wrangles among bordering nations with due to suspicions of spying activity and illegal trade. Illegal immigration along the border points has also raised questions on the safety of the border points. This is an issue that cannot just be addressed in isolation; there are other issues such as trade and also the rate at which commerce is increasing.
The request and approval to carry out a research on the state of border security and how to improve it has come at the right time when there is a need to address security issues in the country. This report focuses on changes that need to be made on the existing measures put in place to enhance border security. It also provides new measures and strategies which can be serving well in improving the state of border security. The current security personnel on the border points have been accused of corruption which has attributed to serious security problems on the border points. The report focuses on two key areas that security organs need to focus on to improve security on the border points. Integrating technology, which enhances interagency collaboration on border points, is one of the key recommendation, as well as increasing the number of security personnel who monitor border points. Technology has improved how security organs operate and reduced the repose time taken. In terms of personnel, they should be members from different security organs; there should be a team that carries out a 24 hour surveillance of all the border points.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The existing security measures operating within the border points have been identified to be effective in terms of maintaining high level security on the border point. With the increasing crime, border insecurity is a significant contributor to internal insecurity. Border points are on the dry and wet land which makes monitoring more challenging. There are also emerging security threat such as terrorism which the current security systems are not able to handle in the right manner. Criminals have also been able to influence the operations of border security by giving out bribes to corrupt border personnel. The security levels have been in existence for many years and any person who does a research on them can be able to identify its weaknesses making it vulnerable to all type of crime. Lot of activities take place along the border points, with increased globalization, which has been brought about by tourism, trade and also job seeking, the current security plans cannot handle the increasing need for improved border point security. There is a need for the government to stay ahead in the fast evolving world; there is always a new threat in waiting which puts global security at risk.
Some of the areas, where increase in crime has been attributed to weak border security include.
1. Drug Trafficking
Illegal drug trafficking is a crime that the government has tried to deal with for many years. However; those dealing in this crime have made their operations more sophisticated. It has become a complex organized crime with networks that are becoming hard to investigate.
2. Illegal works and business.
Illegal business operations and even employees have a negative effect on the economy development. Some of the businesses create a “shadow” economy which affects legitimate trade with unfair market competition. Illegal workers pose a threat in the job market making it difficult to make economic plans within the job market.
3. Terrorism
After the 9/11 attack in the US, the t people were able to realize the impact that terrorism has on economic, political and financial growth. Terrorists operate best in areas with weak border points; their networks operate within this points, and this is an issue that existing security measures on the border points might find challenging.
4. Illegal Immigration
Immigrants are finding it easy to pass through border points by using a fake identity, this is hard to detect since the existing security mechanism does not feature identity detection, which is integration of modern technology.
5. Smuggling of goods.
Globalization has made it easier for goods to move from one nation to another which promotes trade, however, there are goods that enter the country illegally, and these goods are not taxed while some of them do not meet the required market standards.
These are some of the challenges and problems that the existing security measures are not able to handle effectively. Failure to address these challenges has had negative economic, political, social and financial impacts on the country.
STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to carry out a research on the loopholes that exist on the security on within the borders. After the research, the required measured that can be put in place to improve the security level on the border points are identified and recommended in the report. The recommended security measures will also improve the operations on the border points, the current security measures cost traders and businessmen a lot of time as goods are being checked, the new measures will reduce the time spent on the border point checkup points. Once the measures have been put, they will also improve internal security in the country. Security organs will be able to have a 24 hour monitoring system on the border points making. The new measures incorporate. Once border security is improved, it will also improve the relationship with other nations since legitimate trade will take place (Latham, 2010).
LITERATURE REVIEW
There are studies which have been done in the past which concentrate on the proposed security measures recommended in the report. Increasing the security personnel as well as integrating technology in monitoring and controlling border points has been an issue addressed in different research papers and web sources. The information in this section was mainly found out from secondary sources most of which were published articles on security journals such as The Homeland Security Affairs, which is a journal that addresses key security measures put in place by the American Government; border control is one of the key issues addressed in the journal. The internet also provided key information on issues on border point security. Many researchers have posted their research on the web; some of the researches have been done by security analysts and experts. There are also website blogs posted that address issues on border security and the modern challenges facing border security. When carrying out the research, the key objective was to identify measures that would work in the long run. A short run solution would not be the best since there would be new challenges emerging and the department cannot keep on dealing with the same issue.
One of the key internet documents that addresses border security is an article by International Organization for Migration. It provides the challenges faced in border security and the measures that need to be implemented to tackle these challenges. The article focuses on the events of 9/11 and how they have influenced border security. This article has identified the best solutions that need to be out in place to control border security. Joined up technology, identity management and inter-agency cooperation. The article stressed more on the need to prevent any security issues that may arise due to border insecurity rather than handling the problem when it has already occurred. Some of the areas identified include;
1. Electronic Authority to Travel (ETA): There are cases when one does not require a visa travel; this poses key challenges in verifying personal information. Criminals use this gap in the security measures to develop fake documents and end up accessing entry through the border points. ETA is an electronic visa which the government organs use to verify biographic information on major border points. This technology was developed after investigations showed how drug dealers and terrorist enter different countries. Individuals who are suspected to be engaging in any criminal acts are required to apply for travel documents personally, and their personal is distributed to all security organs internationally.
2. Maintaining a passenger’s database also offers a solution in improving border point security. This information can be accessed in case there are any suspicions on the passengers. It is possible to monitor the people entering the country and what activities they are engaging in during their stay.
3. Border Policing: Border policing is crucial in improving security as well as reducing the time people spend on border point checks. This can be done by integrating different security measures such as installation of surveillance systems. In the modern world surveillance has now gone a notch higher; satellites are now being used in monitoring security across border points. The surveillance systems can be used in monitoring people’s movement across border points; they also work even on the marine border points. Activities taking place on airports can also be monitored.
Border policing also involves the installation of x-ray scanner on border points, airports and also railways stations. Biometric scanners, which can be able to verify personal information based on the information distributed on the international database are also useful in border patrol. These systems also monitor drug monitoring and also human trafficking-ray scanners also monitor freight movement as well as detecting any illegal goods entering the country. Security organs operating in different countries need to work in collaboration; this is possible through the inter-agency operation as discussed in the article.
Homeland security offers wide information and gives the recommendation that need to be used in improving border security. The article gives insists on the need to prevent any security threats caused by weak border points from taking place. After the 9/11 attack, the American government launched various security measures. There were operations aimed towards preventing illegal migration in the US (Kamien, 2005). Several operations such as operation Gatekeeper and operation Hold the Line led to the arrest of illegal immigrants in the US. A border patrol agency was put in place to monitor the movement of people and goods along border points. Border screening was also implemented with devices that screen personal information being installed on the border points. The US also introduced the Patriot Act, which led to the arrest of illegal immigrants. Security personnel working on the border points received vigorous training on how to carry out their operations (Hochman, p, 74-63, 2005).
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the information provided in the report based on previous studies, I recommend that increasing border patrol personnel and integrating technology be the key strategies for improving border security-ray scanners and modern surveillance on border points will provide 24 hour surveillance on all border points. Satellite surveillance provides clear information, which can be sent to all security agencies. This will promote inter-agency operations and also investigations into issues related to border security. Technology also proves scanners for biometric information, which is vital in carrying investigations. It also saves time that people spend on border points as they await security checkups. Increasing the personnel working on border points makes border patrol more effective. New patrol units such as anti-terrorism patrol units, drug patrol units and human trafficking patrol units make it easier to monitor border points. With an increasing number of people moving in the country for different reasons, personnel working on the border points are under pressure which compromises the quality of their work, increasing the personnel working on these points will reduce the pressure.
CONCLUSION
National security plays a crucial role in the growth of any economy. Security threats on the border points pose key challenges in the country. Implementing the recommendations given in the report will have a positive impact on national security and promote national growth. The recommendations will also need to be monitored and evaluated after a period of five years to determine whether they are effective. After the approvals are approved, the next step would be laying down a task force that would work on implementing the recommendations.
References
Hills, A. (2006). The Rationalities of European Border Security. European Security, 15(1), 67-88.
Hochman, J. L. (2005, January 1). Border planning for the 21st century: multiagency partnerships, innovative strategies, and new technologies are improving the safety, efficiency, and security of overland ports of entry.. Public Roads, 2, 74-63.
Kamien, D. G. (2006). The McGraw-Hill homeland security handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Latham, R. (2010). Border formations: security and subjectivity at the border. Citizenship Studies, 14(2), 185-201.
Magnuson, S. (2008, April 1). Border Patrol may get bigger personnel boost.(SECURITY BEAT: HOMELAND DEFENSE BRIEFS). National Defense, 1, 22.
Magnuson, S. (2012, June 1). Border Patrol to Stand Pat When It Comes to New Technologies. National Defense, 1, 32-34.
Neto, B., & Garcia, M. J. (2009). Border security barriers along the U.S. international border. New York: Nova Science.
Paulus, J., & Asgary, A. (2010). Enhancing Border Security: Local Values and Preferences at the Blue Water Bridge (Point Edward, Canada). Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 7(1), 45-51.
Plugging the gaps in border security: hearing before the Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Border Security of the Select Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, first session, October 16, 2003. (p. 94). (2005). 3. Washington: U.S. G.P.O. :.
Proposals for improving the electronic employment verification and worksite enforcement system: hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Repre. (2007). Washington: U.S. G.P.O. :.
Stana, R. M. (2003). Homeland security challenges facing the Department of Homeland Security in balancing its border security and trade facilitation missions : statement of Richard M. Stana, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, before the Subcommittee on Infrastruc. Washington, D.C.: U.S. General Accounting Office.
Strengthening enforcement and border security: the 9/11 Commission staff report on terrorist travel : joint hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship and Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security o. (2005). Washington: U.S. G.P.O. :.
Technology Important For Border Security, Napolitano Says.. (2009, January 29). C4I News, 1, 15.
Technology assessment using biometrics for border security.. (2002). Washington, D.C.: U.S. General Accounting Office.
