Border Security Issues Brought Before Congress
EL PASO, TX. – A stunning new report on border security making waves from coast to coast and border to border.
U.S. government investigators were easily able to smuggle materials simulating a dirty bomb across both the Canadian and Mexican borders. The Government Accountability Office’s report was presented to Congress Thursday morning and it was eye-opening. Since 9/11 there have been more and more reports of terrorist operations along the border. “We haven’t had any incidents of true terror in this area of the border,” said Doug Mosier, spokesman for Customs & Border Protection.
The government report shows that four agents were able to cross the Canadian border. Three were able to cross at locations along the Mexican border. It is unknown specifically where, but the agents indicate that all the areas looked something like an area just west of the Rio Grande in Sunland Park; remote, rugged, and without a border fence. Even with a Border Patrol agent on patrol just a few hundred yards away, people are apparently unashamed of crossing illegally from Juarez into Sunland Park.
ABC-7 found a set of bike tracks starting in Mexico and continuing into the U.S. unchecked. Mosier says the biggest challenge of the border is its size with just 13,000 agents to patrol 6,000 miles of border. Mosier says the situation is improving, “This government is very much committed to providing the kind of resources that we need.” Post-9/11 priorities are shifting “We are maintaining our vigilance in that regard — we’ve got to stay vigiliant to that,” Mosier added.
The report focused on the Canadian border and says the nation’s attention has been so focused on the Mexican border that the 3,000 mile frontier with Canada is understaffed and ripe for exploitation. ABC-7 talked to local border patrol officials Thursday and they say even though the report’s findings may seem bleak, it’s important that lawmakers have an accurate picture of what they face on both borders. “The important thing is that we’re not getting neglected, we are getting the resources that we need and I think the future is bright in terms of the promises of more resources are going to be very good for this area.”
