DHS Increases Use of Drones on Southern Border
EmailABC News' Jason Ryan reports:
Tomorrow the Department of Homeland Security will be expanding their use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) along the Southwest border to provide support and reconnaissance to Border Patrol Agents with the arrival of a new Predator-B aircraft upping Customs and Border Protection’s fleet of drones to seven aircrafts. As violence flares in Mexico’s drug war, DHS recently highlighted their efforts to secure the border noting that DHS has deployed historic levels of personnel to the Southwest border and that they have increased southbound inspections of vehicles and railcars to intercept cash and weapons that flow south to the cartels.
A press release issued late on Monday by DHS noted, “Since [March 2009], the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has doubled the number of personnel assigned to border enforcement security task forces; tripled the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers working along the U.S.-Mexico border; quadrupled deployments of border liaison officers; and begun screening 100 percent of southbound rail shipments for illegal weapons, drugs, and cash.”
The Obama administration has also recently authorized and provided funding for the deployment of up to 1,200 National Guard troops to assist agents on the border, but only as skeleton crew has reported for duty and is operational at this time. Military officials say they expect to have all 1,200 troops in place by the end of September.
As more boots on the ground are deployed the roll out of the additional Predator will provide high tech air support capability which officials view as a valuable asset to provide surveillance on huge swaths of desert and remote territory. The craft can stay airborne for 30 hours and fly up to speeds of 250 knots loaded with sensors that track multiple targets ranging from drug smugglers to illegal immigrants.
Tomorrow the new Predator-B will be flying from an operations center in Sierra Vista, Arizona to be stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, where it will be outfitted and readied for operations that will begin in the next few days. The craft will be on display at an official ribbon cutting ceremony slated for next Wednesday. With the Texas Predator-B becoming operational CBP officials say they will have complete aerial coverage of the southern border spanning from Texas on the Gulf of Mexico to eastern California. The Predators are not permitted to fly over dense population areas like those in western California.
CBP’s Office of Air and Marine operate the Predators and have steadily been increasing the use of the aircraft since one of the $14 million Predator’s crashed in May of 2006. DHS had none in service for 9 months after the crash but have been bringing more online since then. Predators patrol the southwest border from bases in California, Sierra Vista, Arizona and a maritime version of the Predator, called a Guardian, that flies out of Cape Canaveral on missions looking to interdict drug smugglers and support Coast Guard operations off the coast of Florida. Customs and Border Protection also flies two Predators out of North Dakota to patrol the vast expanses and prairies on the northern border as well.
Custom’s Air and Marine officers fly the aircraft from their local bases but technology also allows them to be operated from remote locations so officers in North Dakota can operate the aircraft in the Southern border if needed. This is often done in training missions according to officials. Recent congressional funding has also slated the funding of two additional Predators, which would bring the fleet to nine UAS platforms, but those are not expected to come online until 2012, according to DHS officials.
Gulf of Mexico to Become Gulf of America? 
Can Mitt Romney Win Conservatives Back?
Hmmmm… perhaps we can do a border security thing as stimulus as we move into greater and greater gridlock.
(Polls show support for additional stimulus, small business aid, job creation and even EPA regultation)
In regards to the many efforts made by DHS to boost homeland/border security, no matter what, Republicans will complain and distort. Better to fearmonger, lie, divide and find ethnic scapegoats and pursue scorched earth.
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
How about armed Predator drones? Then we’re not needing to risk the lives of our forces.
Posted by: lfrichar | August 31, 2010, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
True blue isn’t being so true. —–Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% of Americans favor providing federal bailout funds to states with serious financial problems. Fifty-eight percent (58%) oppose giving bailout money to financially troubled states.
On top of that, 56% of Americans oppose the passage of another economic stimulus package this year. While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional Democrats are hoping to spend more to combat unemployment, just 33% favor another stimulus plan.
Posted by: lfrichar | August 31, 2010, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
Recent Newsweek poll:
“Which ONE of the following do you think should have the higher priority for policy-makers in Washington RIGHT
NOW… (READ AND ROTATE 1-2)?
37 Reducing the federal budget deficit (or)
57 Federal spending to create jobs ”
(Not the first time, this type of question has been asked by a pollster, and Americans indicated support for federal spending to create jobs; look it up.)
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
30 new agents is all that are going to arizona. what the heck is a drone going to do? we are wasting our time energy and lives until the dems are gone in november.time for another vaction
Posted by: catman | August 31, 2010, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
They delayed as long as they possibly could.
The Dems refuse to enforce the law. Obama refuses to honor his oath of office.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | August 31, 2010, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
true blue — Read your own poll. That is for what pollsters want as higher priorities for our politicians. You are spinning it to be support for another stimulus? WOW. True blue spin.
Posted by: lfrichar | August 31, 2010, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
true blue; It’s OK with me if they (Pelosi and company) spend YOUR money.
Posted by: LongT | August 31, 2010, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
lfrichar, I read pollster and real clear politix, so I’m doing fine. I also suspect all your links will be scrubbed. One question: Why so many old polls? Compare the way the questions are asked, and think about it– what I posted, what you posted and maybe you’ll see why I stick by my assertion that polls show support for additional stimulus, small business aid, job creation and even EPA regultation . If you still can’t understand my statement in relation to polling that’s your cross to bear. In the end, who cares, right? I see very little worth in going to great lengths to argue about polls. Polling doesn’t make a certain position correct or incorrect. Opposition to health care reform legislation is rising again, and that’s a ridiculous position. People oppose the NYC mosque and that’s another ridiculous position. Most Republicans think something insane about Obama being a Muslim plant– or some crazy thing. I just skimmed that one. I’m surrounded by cons– can’t get too worked up or I’ll say something aloud and spend the entire day hearing crazy diatribes.
there are only so many hours in a day.
I’m rereading Gone with the Wind, after not having read it many years, and I think about the Cause– which is so like the cause of so many today– states rights, slavery, cotton. Nowadays it would be states rights, nativism, inequality and oil.
Anyway, I digress…
I just commented back because you seemed to have a problem with my trueness. Thought I’d point out that you calling me a liar, more or less, was uncalled for, but, you’re digging in and you know what, in the end, who cares what yo think. For all I know you’re one of those who’s been glamored by the Cause.
I remain unglamored, clear-eyed and true blue.
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
It’s OK with me if they (Pelosi and company) spend YOUR money.
Posted by: LongT |
On border security as stimulus? Border security isn’t one of your top priorities? See no potential for using it to create jobs somehow?
Oh well. Just a thought.
I’d prefer infrastructure and alternative energy as stimulus, but what are you talking about?
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Posted by: catman |
In your world, what will happen when the Dems are gone? (you’re predicting the Dems will be completely gone????)
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
true blue…dems wont be completly gone and i will support them when we get a republican pres in 2012.Majorities never work and newt gingrich made clinton succesful. i am hoping that a republican house and senate will make obama succesfull.then we all will be successful.in the mean tine nothing good will happen until november and business knows it.
Posted by: catman | August 31, 2010, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
Posted by: catman |
I thought you were claiming something specific would occur on the border security front– something you’d support. But it looks like it was just general political brouhaha, maybe (??)
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
true blue — Oops, I simply responded to your idea of people supporting a 2nd stimulus. I guess you are all for maxing out our government credit cards? Also, the question remains on whether we can spend ourselves through this recession or run out of money and fall deeper into a depression. Not spending more money gives us a little wiggle rooom as we are not maxed out and our economy can bounce back on its own after we hit bottom. But seeing as you are reading, I will let you get back to your book. I stand by my proof that Americans (and Democrats in Congress) are against a 2nd stimulus. I didn’t call you a liar, I just presented information that proved contrary to your claim. Which showed your claim wasn’t so true (exactly as I posted). Hope you have a nice day.
Posted by: lfrichar | August 31, 2010, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
I simply responded to your idea of people supporting a 2nd stimulus.
—-
And I said polls show support for additional stimulus, small business aid, job creation and even EPA regulation. That is correct. On multiple polls, people have said jobs are the number one priority and that they support federal spending toward that goal, and prefer federal spending toward that goal than a range of other things. How you choose to skew my statement and the poll question I posted — and the results– is entirely up to you.
I remain unglamored by the cause, and unswayed by distortion and straw men.
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
lfrichar, how funny that reading is such a thorn in your side.
I said polling shows people support additional stimulus. Even you admit Rasmussen says nearly a quarter of Americans support bailing out states, which is one form of stimulus. And that’s Rasmussen’s robocalls, an unpopular form of stimulus, and no follow up. Then, from there, if you look at polling on jobs bills, small business, unemployment extensions and the Newsweek question I mentioned below, there is no question I am accurate. You’re the one who seems stuck in framing it one and only one possible way.
This polling issues seems excessively important to you, but the fact remains that you’re not thinking. You’re reciting.
Perhaps, reading would widen your paradigm and the way you look at things?
Posted by: true blue | August 31, 2010, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
I’d prefer infrastructure and alternative energy as stimulus, but what are you talking about?
—
Better tell Harry Reid.
Posted by: Al G. | August 31, 2010, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
Yes record them breaking the law… Without bothering to actually STOP them from breaking the law… THAT will fix the damn problem… NOT!
More waste of taxpayer money… (Yee-Aww!!!)– Howard Dean moment.
Posted by: CBA | August 31, 2010, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
Drones seem like a great idea, since they can monitor large areas and alert agents where illegals are entering.
Hey, far-right bashers, Bush ignored the illegals problem for 8 years, 6 of which Repubs controlled Congress, so what was his excuse to do nothing?
In a nutshell the Repub party is about supporting big business and corporations. The massive influx of illegals has lowered the wages for many unskilled jobs. One example: chicken processing paid $19 hr 20 years ago, now it pays $9. That’s a lot of extra profit. That’s why Repubs will talk about fixing the illegal immigration problem but they did nothing when they had control.
Obama has had a lot on his plate, two wars, a serious recession and the banking failure leading to a world-wide recession. I have every confidence he will deal with the illegal immigration problem more than Bush did.
Posted by: Lydia | August 31, 2010, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
$113 billion is spent on marijuana every year in the U.S., and because of the prohibition *every* dollar of it goes straight into the hands of criminals. Far from preventing people from using marijuana, the prohibition instead creates zero legal supply amid massive and unrelenting demand.
According to the ONDCP, at least sixty percent of Mexican drug cartel money comes from selling marijuana in the U.S., they protect this revenue by brutally torturing, murdering and dismembering thousands of innocent people.
If we can STOP people using marijuana then we need to do so NOW, but if we can’t then we need to legalize the production and sale of marijuana to adults with after-tax prices set too low for the cartels to match. One way or another, we have to force the cartels out of the marijuana market and eliminate their highly lucrative marijuana incomes – no business can withstand the loss of sixty percent of its revenue!
To date, the cartels have amassed more than 100,000 “foot soldiers” and operate in 230 U.S. cities, and the longer they’re able to exploit the prohibition the more powerful they get and the more our own personal security is put at risk.
Posted by: Jillian Galloway | August 31, 2010, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
THAT’S GREAT!
1. STOP THEM FROM ENTERING.
2. SEND THE ILLEGALS BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO START PROTECTING AMERICAN CITIZENS!
WE NEED TO REPLACE THE LIBERALS IN CONGRESS.
Posted by: GOD HELP US ALL! | September 1, 2010, 7:26 am 7:26 am
As for the security of our borders.. Its refreashing that at least some of the tax payers dollars are being put to work here at home.
also the recon from such an event could prove valuable.
!!!!!important note!!!!!
Imagration Laws Exist For a very important reason!! all the way down to the blue collar America, The ability to live and maintain a quality life.
people! how many of our dollars must be exported? work here spend here!!
USA
Posted by: Ryan G. | September 1, 2010, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Great article!
Posted by: inGraphis | February 18, 2011, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm