Border securitySecurity facts about the border wall

By Robert Lee Maril

Published 9 October 2016

During this 2016 election year, there are basic security facts about the wall between Mexico and the United States that every American should clearly understand before he or she considers the merits of the policy solutions offered by our political parties. Security facts about the border wall are not always intuitive, based upon what passes for common sense, or even easily available to the general public. In contrast, abundant myths and falsehoods, regardless of how often they are repeated, are rarely based upon documented evidence produced by serious researchers. Instead, these assertions may be of part of election motives and agendas throughout the ballot from top to bottom. Americans should continue to learn more about our entire border security system in this region. These facts about our border security matter, and will continue to matter, long after this election day.

During this 2016 election year there are at least five basic security facts about the wall between Mexico and the United States that every American should clearly understand before he or she considers the merits of the policy solutions offered by our political parties. Both those who live some distance from the border wall, as well as border travelers and residents, often are unaware of the security measures in place.

Moreover, security facts about the border wall are not always intuitive, based upon what passes for common sense, or even easily available to the general public. In contrast, abundant myths and falsehoods, regardless of how often they are repeated, are rarely based upon documented evidence produced by serious researchers. Instead these assertions may be of part of election motives and agendas throughout the ballot from top to bottom.

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More by Robert Lee Maril:

CBP MVSS border surveillance system: Another border program mired in delays,” HSNW, 16 September 2016

CBP MSC vehicle contracts to Telephonic appear problematic,” HSNW, 11 May 2016

“The real cost of CBP’s failed SBInet is $1.389 billion,” HSNW, 7 March 2016

“Fixing failed SBInet: Contract delays, quality issues at CBP,” HSNW, 9 February 2016

“SBInet: dismal failure,” HSNW, 6 June 2011

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I began my first research on the U.S.-Mexico region shortly after moving to the border in 1976. In 1999, with the permission of the Border Patrol, I began studying the work of agents as they patrol the line by focusing upon the necessity of agents to make instant and high risk decisions that may have long-term consequences. I closely observed agents’ interdiction procedures, the chances they took and, equally important, the impact of their actions upon those questioned, chased, arrested, or detained. I spent two years inside the Border Patrol, meticulously collecting these data.

In 2004 I heard that a border wall — for some time named the border “fence” by CBP — was going soon to be constructed. From 2004 until 2011 I documented, in a second book published by a university press (The Fence: National Security, Public Safety, and Illegal Immigration along the U.S.-Mexico Border) the legislation and the on the ground construction of the border wall between Brownsville, Texas, and San Diego. In this study, as with the first, I relied on extensive interviews with agents, an analysis of government documents including Congressional testimony, interviews with local, state, and national politicians, in addition to interviews with the private sector, border residents, and a variety of other individuals rarely heard. Among other topics, I examined the many challenges to building a “virtual” wall, the so-called Secure Border Initiative network (SBInet).