Investing in Border Technology: a Pathway to Enhanced Homeland Security

Steel and concrete walls create formidable obstacles on our southern border, but they are not impenetrable. We’ve seen that even the best-designed barriers can be bypassed or breached, especially without vigilant overwatch from the trained eyes of border security and enforcement agents. Today’s technologies hold immense potential to create a smarter infrastructure that will allow us to efficiently and effectively gain full control of our nation’s borders without the need to rotate reinforcing battalions and brigades of military troops. This requires a strategic investment in cutting-edge solutions that will strengthen frontline capabilities, empower and protect the law enforcement community, enhance operational success, and pave the way for a more proactive and coordinated border strategy. Now is the time to advance this vision.  

The recent bipartisan passage of the Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act in the House is a promising sign. The legislation aims to fast-track the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) integration of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, fiber-optic sensing, and nanotechnology to improve border security operations. If enacted, it could help transform border security into a modern, proactive, integrated, and data-driven operation.  

Lessons from the field 

Securing 1,954 miles across unforgiving and diverse terrain along the southern border with Mexico is no easy feat. Having spent many months in various roles throughout my career there, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges, complexities, and dangers faced by those safeguarding our country’s sovereignty. Most recently, in my first 120 days as the 55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), I was tasked with completing a 70-mile stretch of border wall infrastructure that would fulfill a 450-mile commitment we made to the President of the United States. This herculean effort was initiated, led, and substantially advanced by my predecessor, Lt. Gen (Ret.) Todd Semonite, and an exceptional team of highly skilled engineers and contractors. While USACE and its industry partners successfully finished construction along those high-priority sectors, we barely scratched the surface when it came to integrating advanced technology. Today, only a small portion of the border is equipped with tools like fiber-optic-enabled cameras, pedestrian and vehicle traffic sensors, and tunnel detection systems, which are essential for real-time situational awareness, proactive decision-making, and reducing reliance on manpower alone. 

I was pleased to hear DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s announcement about resuming border construction in Arizona. I trust the teams carrying out this work will continue to build on the proven design developed in collaboration with the border security enforcement community and agents who have a clear understanding of what works and what doesn’t to drive effective solutions. A smarter border goes beyond rudimentary barriers made with steel bollards and razor wire—it incorporates carefully considered features like see-through structures for enhanced situational awareness and strategically measured height to meet operational needs. However, physical structures alone are not enough; they must be complemented by a robust layer of technology. 

Technology offers a path to smarter, safer, and more humane border enforcement. It gives us the tools to not only address current challenges but to anticipate and adapt to future ones.  

Deploying a pervasive and persistent network of sensors along the border would produce a wealth of data that provides crucial situational awareness for a more effective and efficient incident response, optimized resource allocation, and improved operations. For example, advanced camera systems, enhanced by nanotechnology for superior low-light performance and wider fields of view, can provide command centers with a live operational picture at various points of entry and along key surveillance perimeters. Furthermore, nanotechnology can make these systems less visible and hard to detect to ensure comprehensive monitoring without easy compromise. Consequently, agents can be deployed precisely where they are needed and arrive on the scene knowing what to expect, thus minimizing the dangers they face in the field. 

Integrating a suite of advanced solutions into the border infrastructure is key to establishing a modern, unified, and interoperable border security system capable of eliminating the silos that currently hinder information sharing among the federal, state, and local agencies supporting border security. This is particularly critical given that 80% of law enforcement jurisdictions are rural and most lack access to the federal tools, intelligence, and fusion outputs needed to effectively address border-related threats. Networked grids with embedded smart sensors can collect and share real-time data on movement, environmental conditions, and potential threats across vast stretches of the border. Robust data transmission pathways, including fiber-optic communication systems, can ensure this information is relayed securely and without delay to centralized command centers. Integrated communication nodes would further enable seamless connectivity between agencies, allowing for the rapid exchange of actionable intelligence. Centralizing data generated by these technologies would ensure everyone can access a common operational picture, improve interagency coordination, streamline decision-making, and reduce redundant efforts. 

Predictive analytics powered by AI can analyze patterns in data to identify and address threats before they escalate. Agencies can shift from reactive responses to proactive strategies, always staying one step ahead. Imagine a system that not only alerts agents to an incident but also predicts the most likely routes traffickers or unauthorized individuals might take, giving law enforcement a critical advantage and improving operational outcomes across the board. 

Securing the future 

The current drastic decline in southern border crossings is a positive development, but it should not lead to inaction. Sustained investment in advanced technologies remains crucial to ensure sustained operational control of our country’s borders.  

The smart border concept isn’t new. It’s been talked about for decades, with some progress made along the way. We’ve built a foundation, invested considerable resources, and made meaningful strides. Now, we must take the next step to supercharge that progress and give agents on the ground the modern tools they’ve been asking for: Solutions that will allow them to do their jobs more effectively, efficiently, and safely.