1/3 of surveillance cameras not working at US-Mexico border: Border Patrol

[KARAH RUCKER]

U-S BORDER PATROL IS RAISING CONCERNS OVER A SECURITY PROBLEM IT SAYS HAS PLAGUED THE SOUTHERN BORDER FOR MONTHS.

AN INTERNAL MEMO OBTAINED BY N-B-C NEWS SAYS AROUND 30 PERCENT OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT THE U-S-MEXICO BORDER AREN’T WORKING.

THAT’S 150 OUT OF THE 500 SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE DARK WITH OUTSTANDING REPAIR REQUESTS, ACCORDING TO U-S BORDER PATROL.

WITHOUT ADDED SURVEILLANCE, BORDER AGENTS LACK A CRITICAL TOOL IN PREVENTING ILLEGAL CROSSINGS AND OTHER CRIMES.

[JULIA AINSLEY]

“BASICALLY, THE REASON THESE CAMERAS ARE SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT WHAT THEY DO TO IMMIGRANTS, OR ILLEGAL DRUGS COMING ACROSS THE BORDER, IF THEY CAN’T PUT A PERSON AT EVERY SPOT THEY ALWAYS TURN TO THESE CAMERAS. THEY SAID, LOOK, TRUMP’S WALL ISN’T NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS SURVEILLANCE.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE AGENCY SAID THE CAMERAS ARE USED TO COVER LARGE AREAS INSTEAD OF COMMITTING HUNDREDS OF AGENTS AND VEHICLES.

BUT ADMITTED THERE ARE MANY AREAS CURRENTLY NOT BEING WATCHED BECAUSE OF THE OUTAGES.

AGENTS BLAME THE PROBLEM ON OLD EQUIPMENT AND REPAIR WAIT TIMES.

THE BORDER PATROL UNION IN LAREDO, TEXAS SAID LAST WEEK IT WAS CONTINUING TO RECEIVE “NUMEROUS OFFICER SAFETY AND BORDER SECURITY CONCERNS” FROM AGENTS ABOUT THE CAMERAS.

THE UNION’S PRESIDENT WRITING ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

“WE HOPE THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED SOON, AS THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR QUITE SOME TIME! THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE TECHNOLOGY ALONG THE BORDER, AND THEY EXPECT THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY IS OPERATIONAL.”

BORDER OFFICIALS ALSO BLAME BUREAUCRACY.

THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CAMERA MAINTENANCE AND CLAIMS IT’S HAVING TROUBLE MEETING THE DEMANDS.

THOUGH IT DIDN’T SPECIFY WHAT’S HOLDING IT UP.

THE MEMO CLAIMS THE F-A-A WILL SEND REPAIR WORKERS TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER TO FIX THE CAMERAS BUT THE TIMELINE IS UNCLEAR.

A CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SPOKESPERSON ALSO TOLD N-B-C NEWS THE AGENCY HAS INSTALLED AROUND 300 NEW TOWERS WITH MORE ADVANCED TECH.

STATING, “C-B-P CONTINUES TO INSTALL NEW, MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THAT EMBRACE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING TO REPLACE OUTDATED SYSTEMS, REDUCING THE NEED TO HAVE AGENTS WORKING NON-INTERDICTION FUNCTIONS.”

EVEN WITH THE CAMERA ISSUES AT THE BORDER– ILLEGAL CROSSINGS CONTINUE TO FALL.

REACHING THEIR LOWEST POINT UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LAST MONTH.

AGENTS APPREHENDING 54-THOUSAND MIGRANTS– TWO-THOUSAND FEWER THAN JULY. 

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.