Border Patrol agents in the El Paso Sector are utilizing a multi-layered enforcement strategy to combat illegal immigration across the southern border. This approach includes the use of barriers, technology, and other forms of enforcement. The border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico, consists of a mixture of fencing built during the Obama administration and Trump-era bollard walls. Agents generally prefer the bollard fencing, as it is harder to cut through. However, critics note that barriers alone are not a fix, as they can be cut through and migrants have been observed using makeshift ladders and ropes to scale the barriers.
Due to the difficult terrain, wall construction is not possible along certain parts of the border. In these areas, autonomous surveillance towers play a crucial role. The Biden administration has emphasized the importance of technology, with 24 autonomous surveillance towers deployed in the El Paso Sector and more than 50 in the neighboring Big Bend Sector. These towers, running on renewable energy, scan the environment with radar and use artificial intelligence to track groups of migrants moving along the border. This technology allows agents to plan and respond before migrants even reach U.S. soil.
In addition to surveillance towers, Border Patrol agents also rely on helicopters from CBP’s Air and Marine Operations and K-9 units for assistance in apprehending illegal immigrants. The K-9s are specially trained to track down migrants and smugglers and can also help subdue violent individuals. CBP’s Air and Marine Operations provide aerial surveillance, scaring off potential migrants planning to cross and aiding in rescue operations when needed. The Biden administration’s fiscal 2025 budget includes additional funding for staffing and AMO support to enhance border security efforts.
The deployment of rescue towers in the El Paso Sector allows migrants to call for help by pressing a button that triggers a blue light visible to agents miles around. The towers serve as a warning to migrants in danger, helping to prevent tragic incidents such as individuals being dropped off over the wall by smugglers. Border Patrol agents in the El Paso Sector have rescued over 300 migrants in fiscal 2024, but there have also been 34 migrant deaths. The collaboration between local authorities and CBP in New Mexico has been effective in combating illegal immigration, with state law enforcement coordinating with Border Patrol to stop illegal immigrants coming across.
Overall, Border Patrol officials believe that the multi-layered enforcement strategy is working, as evidenced by a sharp decrease in apprehensions over the last year. The El Paso Sector saw 427,471 apprehensions in fiscal 2023, but this number has decreased to just over 150,000 in fiscal 2024. Agents have also dismantled over 136 stash houses and apprehended over 1,377 smuggled migrants through their interdiction teams in fiscal 2024. The collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities, combined with a mix of barriers, technology, and other forms of enforcement, has proven effective in disrupting cartel smuggling operations and preventing illegal immigration into the U.S.
