The History and Evolution of Border Security - Research Paper Example

HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF BORDER SECURITY The evolution and history of United States border security controls started taking effect approximately in the past 90 years. Since, the practice of border security controls has taken over and dominated over much of the American colonies and allied territories. The most widely known border security controls were the ones that involved the mobile uniformed law enforcement Border patrol under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a mechanism of conquering and preventing practices of illegal migration and enforcing U.S. regulations such as trade and customs. The purpose was entirely to protect and secure the borders between inspection stations. It was officially brought about, validated and instituted on 28th May 1924 under an act congress. To a large extent, several changes have gradually taken effect in the aspects within which it operates.1. The earliest origin of Border security is recorded to have started taking root in the early 20th century. During this time, Mounted watchmen of the U.S. Immigration service were taking border patrols in an attempt to control and put to stop prohibited immigrants from crossing into the U.S. territory. The attempts of these officers were however inconsistent as they only executed their duty when resources were availed and were also carried out their operations in limited numbers. History has it that, in their limited number, the Mountain Guards operated out of EL Paso, Texas and also patrolled as far as California in carrying out efforts aimed at limiting the crossing of illegal Chinese immigrants. These happenings began in the periods between 1903 and 1905. Much later at around 1915, the congress empowered and approved a different group of Mountain Guards who were then referred to as Mountain Inspectors. The authorization of the operations of this group came along with increased resources such as patrol horses, boats and even cars. In addition, the Mountain Inspectors had a wider arrest power. The Inspectors were basically immigrant surveillance personnel authorized to an inspection station to watch over Chinese immigrants trying to evade Chinese exclusion laws2. After some time, it was realized that customs violations and security were apparently of significance and more vital than countering illegal immigration of aliens or the Chinese into the U.S. Additionally, government administration with the authority of countering illegal immigration of people and illegal goods getting into and out of the U.S. realized that their operations are fruitless without inspection and border enforcement laws. The number of illegal immigrants into the U.S. even went higher when the U.S. later imposed higher literacy requirements and customs charge. This laid a basis for the constitutional amendment on the limits of legal immigration into the U.S. by the Immigrations act 1921 and 1924 therefore broadening the focus towards border law enforcement. At this point, the U.S. operations on Border law enforcement became very significant, translating into the Congressional passage of Labor Appropriation Act of 1924 making official the U.S. Border law enforcement patrol aimed at securing the borders. In 1925, the operations and duties of the U.S. Border law enforcement patrol was spread out to the seacoast and more personnel were rapidly given the role as seacoast patrols. The officers were better equipped with operational machinery such as revolvers, horses, and badges for identification and were in charge of control over smuggling along the Canadian and Mexican borders.In December 1994, the first Border Patrol training academy was opened at the Camp Chigas, El Paso. Later in 1935, the Border Patrolstarted using motor vehicles with radios but horses were still preferred for the uneven topography. In 1940, the number of Border Patrol officers increased considerably because Immigration law shifted from the department of Labor to the department of Justice. The number even became bigger after the Second World War as patrol officers were used during the war to provide for closely monitored control along the border, guarding alien detention camps, and assisted in searching for axis saboteurs. It was at this time that the use of aircrafts demonstrated to be very essential and effective in carrying out patrol operations3. The border patrol operations then started expanding with time when it was realized that there was increased illegal immigrations and security concerns. Related cases of main concern were the Cuban missile crisis of the early 1960s, aircraft hijacking and drug smuggling. As this continued, in the late 1980s, the U.S. witnessed inflated illegal migration hence making the border patrol to respond by increasing the number of officers and embracing the use of modern technology such as the use of radars, seismic sensors and computing systems. With this in place, the patrol agency was able to invest their operations into other related areas and started working on cooperation initiatives with other states. Later in the 1990s there were proposals of coming up with administrative measures with a strategic plan to support border security. What followed is the 1993 study commissioned by the office of National Drug Control Policy which confirmed that the southwest border was “being overrun”. The study pointed out that close to 6,000 illegal immigrants attempted to enter the U.S. every night along a 7.5 mile stretch of the San Diego border4. The study’s findings also noted that drug smuggling was a major threat along the southwest border. In response to this, the USBN stated establishing its first National Strategic Plan in 1994 due to the concerns about increasing number of illegal immigrants’ entry into the U.S. After, the NSP came up with a new strategy of maintaining control over the borders by employing USBN operations and resources on the areas experiencing greatest legal entry of people and goods. The NSP increased its resource capacity by adding more patrol officers, and use of aircrafts, equipments, technology and tactical infrastructure. It used main operation strategy as “Prevention Through Deterrence” which was a way of mobilizing USBP resources and operations to deter the entry of illegal immigrants rather than arresting them after entry into the U.S5. In 1996 the house and senate committees gave a directive to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to hire more patrol officers with investigative specialization. The Phase one of NSP had programs such as “Hold the Line” in El Paso, Texas and Operation gatekeeper in San Diego, California. Additionally, apart from increasing special investigative patrol officers in the line of duty, the operations employed landing mat fencing, and the use of sensors and cameras for detecting illegal immigrants6. The second phase focused on spreading out of Operation safeguard in 1999 in Tucson, and Operation Rio Grande in 1997 in McAllen and Laredo areas of Texas with an increased concentration on securing the northern border. The third phase of the NSP involved the rest of the regions of southwest border in addition to the coastal waters around Florida and Puerto Rico. The Border Safety Initiative (BSI) for instance, was formed in 1998 with an endeavor of cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico government on border patrol operations. It focused on limiting the dangers involved in crossing the dangerous southwest border7. As part of its operations, it issued radio and television advertisements and circulated posters to educate about the risks involved with crossing the border. The Border Safety Initiative had four main areas to address. They were prevented, search and rescue, tracking, and identification. The prevention aspect had a purpose of emphasizing on cooperation with the Mexican counterparts in the fight against illegal border crossing, search and rescue deployed rescue teams to carry out search and rescue operations, tracking was used for tracking purposes and finally, identification entailed putting in place measures that could help both counterparts identify dead illegal immigrants while seeking to cross the borders8. In the wake of 9/11, border patrol reorganized its priorities to direct more stress on protection against terrorism and terrorist crossing the border. As security efforts were beefed up, it became clear that terrorist and other criminals may attempt to make more illegal entries through the legal entry points into the U.S. In response to this challenge, the border patrol agents in collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICEs), Anti-smuggling Units and Customs Border and Protection (CBP) emphasized on intelligence and surveillance operations against smuggling practices and illegal human trafficking. The BP also coordinated and shared intelligence with Mexican and Canadian authorities along the southern and northern borders to heighten emphasis on preventing terrorist entry into the U.S9. After terroristic attacks later in the U.S. September 11, 2001, homeland and border security became a major concern. This move pushed the government and lawmakers to re-evaluate how territorial borders could be effectively secured and kept under close watch. On March 1 2003, Department of Homeland Security was set up while the U.S Border Patrol merged with the U.S. Customs and Border protection which is also a constituent of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In March 2005, after several evaluations border patrol revealed its current strategy which provided for greater stress on prohibiting entry of terrorists into the U.S. It had five core objectives that include putting in place laws that allow apprehension of terrorists and their weapons as they attempt to cross illegally; prohibiting illegal entries through improved enforcement; detecting, apprehending, and prohibiting human, drugs and contraband smuggling; use of advanced detection technology; and reduction of crime in border communities therefore bettering the quality of life and economic vitality of those regions. To date, the U.S. Border Patrol continues with its efforts to control and protect its borders. It has also made a move towards implementation and use of modern technology and computing systems to enforce Border Patrol laws.In addition Border patrol is on the move of cooperating with neighboring countries and allied nations towards boosting the security of territorial boundaries. This has also influenced the tools used today in worldwide border security. Worldwide databases have been created over the years, advanced communication systems and use of biometric travel documents. This has improved cooperation among states in the world in the fight of border security. In terms of cooperation, the U.S. and the E.U. (European Union) along with the military and patrol guards of other states in the world carry out well coordinated activities aimed at putting the continent at a safer place. Close to all states in the world have joined together and operate under international law as a way of ensuring that each and every state border is secure. In every member states there are surveillance departments for instance the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the Interpol located in every member state to aid in prompt, reliable coordination and communication among countries on issues pertaining to border security. The surveillance teams are as well-equipped and staffed with sophisticated gadgets and trained specialist in the field of international security respectively. With this in place there has been constant improvement of the technology used by the surveillance tools with special focus on border security. In the contemporary world, the chief aim of border security management is to quickly and precisely identify potential security threats, criminals, smuggling of drugs and contraband goods, acts of terrorism and piracy, and weapons of mass destruction. This is done through a rigorous checking and identification processes at the several entry points of various states and border points. The border security of the contemporary world has sharply been fueled by the rising number of international travelers, tourism and international jobs along with technological advancements. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) for instance estimated that by 2011there number of international travelers would be 980 million, with an expected increase to 220 million in the next five years. Basing this in connection to the origin and history of border security in the U.S. it can be noted that immigration was one of the deepest concerns why it established border patrol system. In today’s world therefore, these huge numbers of traveler stogether with political, social and economic needs demands for an effective and reliable border management operation system that ensures border security by only allowing legal crossings. Furthermore, it has become a concern because today, the biggest threats to nation states are from unknown non-state actors10. As U.S. continues with the fight against border security today, it is important to realize that it comes along with a lot of challenges. These challenges which have been witnessed continuously are what have contributed and constituted to the continued evolution of border security not only in the U.S. but also the rest of the world. The rest of the world’s states also exercise and practice their own territorial sovereignty by establishing policies and legislating laws that require immigrants or international travelers such as Diplomats, Tourist or International workers to pass via authorized entry points. Additionally, these states have set up border and coast patrol guards to ensure immigrants, international travelers and goods brought from foreign international states enter into the distended state through the authorized point of entry where inspections can be done. This operation is generally aimed at preventing unlawful entries, terroristic activities and smuggling from taking control of the state11. The whole issue of border security basing it beyond the U.S. is essentially used to create order and tranquility in the world. It was developed in order to ensure that there exists the realization and recognition of political, economic, and social choices. This is because the practices of boarder security enhance nation-building and sovereignty of states. Looking at for instance international borders, they define certain policies and rules that keep the world cooperates and driven towards peaceful coexistence and respect to the dignity of humanity. Apart from looking at the history and evolution of border security, it is also important to reflect on the roles of border security and the major challenges that have kept border security evolving. Today some the chief roles played by border security is defense of illegal immigration, the spread of terroristic activities and smuggling. The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) principal mission for example, is to detect and protect the entry of terrorists, weapons of mass destructions, illegal entries into the U.S., drug smugglers and criminals. During the past few years in the U.S. the numbers of officers have continued to be deployed into the USBP as a result of congregation concerns about illegal immigration, prevention of terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. These challenges experienced therefore tend to shape the evolution border security. U.S. for instance, after the Terroristic attack in September 11, 2001, border enforcement and homeland security was given more resources for beefing up security such as the use of high speed helicopters, remote control aerial phones fixed with cameras, electronic sensors detecting heat sound and vibration, the addition of more special force units, special detection devices, infrared devices, radar, and satellite surveillance. Hence this was an exemplary use of technology as a way of maintaining border security12. To date, border security is still taking shifts. In fact now technological advancements have been very significant in helping states meet the bottlenecks of border security. At border posts and major points of entry today, technological advancements have ensured that biometric travel documents are scanned and validated to confirm legitimacy. The biometric documents are also used to confirm any acts of criminal from the computerized database systems at the border points. Biometric documents are hence used to meet some of the challenges that today’s border security operations and personnel encounters. In addition, states use satellite watch towers to monitor the space invasion and security within its jurisdiction. Along the coastal line there are demarcated border lines that are also monitored for the purposes of marine border security. It is also important to note that however much these efforts of fighting border security may be in place, their effectiveness can only manifest if there is interstate cooperation. This is because the inspections at the entry and border points have to be cross-checked with other parts or states of the world. The existing cooperation among states and beefing up border security operations has therefore ensured the world collectively works in the fight against international crimes. 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