1. Examine the current status of the U.S. Border Patrol along the Mexican border.
2. What makes the duties and responsibilities of this position one of the most important and dangerous of any law enforcement position in the country?
3. What measures could be implemented to make the border a safer and more secure environment for all U.S. Citizens?
Prepare a 2 - 3 page, well-constructed essay, using APA style formatting, to discuss these questions.
Abstract
This paper will focus on the inherent dangers that are experienced along U.S.-Mexican Border as well as what improvements can be implemented to better ensure a safety net for all U.S. citizens.The importance of the U.S.- Mexican BorderMeasures that can be implemented to make the border safer and secure for all citizens have been elaborated. The border is dangerous as border agents are faced with illegal immigrants, drug cartels, as wells supporters of the armed criminals, human traffickers, assaults in form of rock throwing and drug cartels. It is important as it is a major point for human and drug smuggling in addition to economic significance to both countries. Measures to make it safe and secure are; more participation, use of technology, increasing manpower, involvement of private sector and inclusion of community policing.
The US-Mexico border holds a great importance when it comes to national security. In this regard the Border Patrol Agents plays an important role. With that said the Border Patrol Agents are faced with many challenges such as, illegal immigrants, drug smuggling and human traffickers. In order to protect the U.S. Mexico Border, Although, all these situations can be handled by investing time, effort, funds for new technology and effort to improve the border.
Importance
The US-Mexico border is and International limit isolating USA and Mexico. The length of the limit is 3,145 kilometers (1,954 mi), barring the sea limits of 29 km (18 mi) in the Pacific Ocean and 19 km (12 mi) in the Gulf of Mexico. Outskirts are the chain associating two nations fringes are the entering and leave purposes of all movement, merchandise and people. In such manner, the US-Mexico outskirt is the most essential fringe with around 350 million lawful intersections being made every year, a huge number of kilograms of unlawful medications and other stash carried and a huge number of vagrant's casualties of human trafficking the US-Mexico fringe has been a risk for the national security. In this situation the obligations of the US-Border Patrol turn out to be essential. The importance of this can be understood by analyzing the past events happened at the US-Mexico border have how it has affected the homeland security of USA. Illegal immigration leads to many problems which have been a cause of unrest and violence in the US.
Without any information such as fingerprints, Images, family background, bank accounts these immigrants are like aliens roaming in the states. The vulnerability to crime, sub-standard pay and escaping worse conditions in their homes increases. In addition to that many costs such as medical care, social services, jobs provided by the government is invested and is lost cause, along with the illegal population the rate of criminals and terrorism also increases. The second big issue is the smuggling of drugs such as cocaine, crystal meth etc. 90 percent of cocaine enters the U.S. through the Mexican border. Significantly more, these cartels likewise make 80 percent of the precious crystal meth sold in America, 14 percent of the heroin and an enormous measure of cannabis. American dollars are basically subsidizing drugs wars which brought about the passing of more than 34,000 individuals in the previous four years and are halfway in charge of the circumstance. (McNeill, 2009) A measure of the U.S. to help Mexico would be to battle against the bootleg market, in light of the fact that the war on medications is driven by the rationale of benefit and for this they have to offer medications on the underground market. All these critical conditions underline the importance of the US border Patrol and their responsibilities.
Suggestions for Improvement
However, certain steps can be taken to ensure the US-Mexican Border becomes more secure environment form illegal activity promising a safe zone for U.S.citizens. The areas that can be improved upon from the current safety mearusers that are laid in such as camera's , from all the illegal activity which does safer and a safer environment for all the US citizens by increasing giving smart security to the border. Currently the system used for this purpose is cameras, dogs, walls but there is always a room for improvement. A simple example to improve the quality of search and for introducing a smart search approach is The Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST). It is a task force joined by different modules joined together such as U.S federal, state, local law enforcement with Mexican law enforcement to share information and collaborate on matters such as border crime. Similarly by increasing the man force butA few critics contend that the U.S. should spend more cash on innovation and less on labor referring to the expense of employing and preparing new operators. Preparing one new operator at the Border Patrol Academy was evaluated to cost $14,700 in monetary year (FY) 2006. (Mexican drug war is also an American issue, 2012) While the expense of preparing new specialists is high, Border Patrol specialists are helpful for an assortment of missions, including drug prohibition, capturing displaced people, forestalling demonstrations of terrorism, and guaranteeing the free stream of business over the ports of section exercises that can't be taken care of only by innovation. In addition to these some of the suggestions include, Improvement of US Mexico Relationship, Expand DHS Border Enforcement Security Taskforces (BEST), Provide full funding for the Coast Guard.
References
15 Steps to Better Border Security: Reducing America's Southern Exposure. (n.d.). Retrieved August 16, 2016, from https://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/03/15-steps-to-better-border-security-reducing-americas-southern-exposure
St, J. (2012). Mexican Drug War is Also an American Issue. Retrieved August 16, 2016, from https://mic.com/articles/8584/mexican-drug-war-is-also-an-american-issue#.SG6KAn6yC
Horwitz, S. (2012) U.S. Cities become hubs of Mexican drug cartels. Accessed: (16 August 2016)Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-sec urity/us-cities-become-hubs-of-mexican-drug-cartels/2012/11/03/989e21e8-1e2b-11e2-9cd5-b55c38388962_story.html.
Securing our border on federal lands: Problem overview (2016) Available at: https://naturalresources.house.gov/info/borderoverview.htm (Accessed: 16 August 2016).