Border
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made progress during the past few years but faces numerous challenges strengthening America’s visa security, members of the House Committee on Homeland Security learned during a task force hearing last week.
“This is a critical time for our... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the committee’s ranking member, recently sent a public letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Inspector General John Roth, regarding assaults... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to address high risk travelers and strengthen visa security programs have experienced progress in some areas and challenges in others, according to a recently-published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO... Read More »
A bill authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) to address staffing shortages among U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol agents by getting rid of duplicative mandated polygraph tests was recently approved by the House Committee on Homeland Security.
McSally’s... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the port of entries in San Diego and Imperial Valley counties in California recently intercepted more than 700 pounds of narcotics and apprehended 13 fugitives with outstanding felony warrants over the past weekend.
In total,... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts into curbing subterranean, aerial, and maritime drug smuggling, stating that while the number of incidents have declined over the past five years, the department could... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Dennis DeConcini crossing at the Port of Nogales in Arizona recently stopped attempted fentanyl smuggling by a single individual.
The incident began as officers stopped a 28-year old Mexican national driving a Chevrolet SUV for a... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) introduced last week bipartisan legislation that builds on the Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010, which addresses staffing shortages of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol agents along both international U.S. borders.
The legislation... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate recently entered into a partnership with Asymmetric Technologies worth $199,814.31 to enhance small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) within Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
CBP said its use of sUAS... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents assigned to the Tucson Sector recently interdicted a human smuggling attempt at the State Route 86 immigration checkpoint near Three Points, Arizona.
The incident began as agents stopped a Chevrolet Impala sedan with two visible occupants for a... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan to expedite the modernization of the Douglas Port of Entry (POE) in Arizona, which was last renovated more than 20 years ago.
McSally also called for the construction... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed this week the Aviation Employee Screening and Security Enhancement Act, authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), which aims to strengthen security at the nation’s airports by providing enhanced screening procedures for airport and aviation... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday introduced the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act, which reserves forfeited assets from drug lords to pay for various security measures along the U.S.-Mexico border, including President Trump’s proposed border wall.... Read More »
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division recently completed a four-day immigration operation, the result of which led to the arrest of 95 undocumented migrants with criminal histories throughout the southeast Texas area.
The agency... Read More »
The Democratic members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) recently published a report detailing the potential costs for President Trump’s proposed border wall with Mexico, with a cost estimate reaching as high as $70 billion.
The report’s estimate also... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) agents stationed at the International Falls Port of Entry in Minnesota recently apprehended an individual wanted as a material witness in a homicide case.
The incident occurred on April 16 as 38-year old Abraham Roberts... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry recently arrested a 26-year old woman from Eagle Pass, Texas for narcotics smuggling.
The incident occurred on April 12 as the woman attempted to enter the United States though the pedestrian lane of the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents working at various points of entry in California apprehended 28 individuals with outstanding felony warrants over the last week, two of which were wanted for homicide.
The fugitives were wanted on a litany of charges, ranging from larceny and... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) recently seized a vessel near the southern coast of Puerto Rico carrying approximately 1,320 pounds of cocaine.
The incident began on April 12 as a CBP DHC-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft crew detected a suspicious go-fast... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released this week its electronic device search statistics for FY2017, which details the number of electronic devices the agency searched from international travelers as they passed through its various checkpoints.
In total, the agency searched 14,993... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents assigned to the El Centro Sector in California recently apprehended two individuals suspected of drug smuggling and a previously-deported sex offender later that same day.
The first incident began as agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a report assessing how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agencies have allocated resources and established collaborative mechanisms for effective border control operations.
In recent years, GAO was tasked with... Read More »
In a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing this week, representatives from the three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Joint Task Force sectors testified to the effectiveness of their current border security practices against foreign operations.
The hearing sought to examine the... Read More »
With laws and federal personnel in place, additional resources should be dedicated to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enforce the nation’s border security challenges, particularly along the southern border, said DHS Secretary John F. Kelly.
“We face diverse challenges and... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Port of Nogales in Arizona recently apprehended two Mexican nationals and a U.S. citizen in connection to three separate narcotics smuggling incidents.
The first incident began as officers stationed at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing... Read More »
Former members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection downplayed the idea that a wall alone would be enough to strengthen the U.S. southern border in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, framing it as part of a broader strategy.
Speaking at a Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs committee hearing on... Read More »
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington recently arrested 84 foreign nationals during a three-day operation that targeted at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, and immigration fugitives.
Among those detained by ICE was a... Read More »
CryptoMove, a company specializing in active defense data protection, was recently awarded a $200,000 contract from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to strengthen Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS)... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) intercepted a go fast-type vessel this week, carrying approximately 3,500 pounds of alleged cocaine.
The incident began as a CBP DHC-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft detected a suspicious vessel traveling southbound without... Read More »
Throughout the month of March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed in Cincinnati seized 83 shipments of illegal synthetic narcotics, totaling more than 290 pounds.
Included in the seizures were more than 36 pounds of furanyl fentanyl, 233 pounds of the designer date rape... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently introduced a bill that would enhance penalties for “spotters” who convey information related to the position and surveillance efforts of Border Patrol agents in order to disrupt their duties.
The bill, titled the Transnational Criminal Organization... Read More »
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming Contraband with Technology (INTERDICT) Act, which aims to reduce the flow of illicit fentanyl coming into the United States.
Cosponsors of the bill include... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) recently intercepted two vessels carrying more than 2,900 pounds of cocaine traveling in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
“This latest seizure provides a glimpse of the vigilance our experienced aircrews exhibit when... Read More »
During a Senate Homeland Security Committee Hearing this week, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) received support from U.S. Border Patrol for enhancing security along the northern U.S. border with Canada.
The hearing comes in the wake of President Trump’s request for 5,000 additional border agents... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) new Presidio Port Director Michael Neipert was sworn into office during a formal change of command ceremony earlier this week at the Presidio Activity Center.
As the new port director, Neipert will oversee operations in combating the flow of illegal... Read More »
