Almost one-third of the cameras in the United States Border Patrol's main surveillance network along the southern border are currently non-operational.
This is according to a recently uncovered internal memo, which indicates how border agents are facing serious challenges to prevent unauthorized crossings. The memo, acquired in early October, underscored problems that affect roughly 150 of the 500 cameras installed on surveillance towers covering the U.S.-Mexico border. The extensive malfunctioning is attributed to "technical problems."
The memo pins the blame on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for failing to supply services for maintaining the observation systems.
The FAA will send personnel to handle the continuing problems while the Border Patrol considers replacing the FAA with a private contractor to guarantee better technical support.
"The American taxpayer has made significant investments in technology along the border, and they expect that this technology is operational," said the Border Patrol union in Laredo, Texas, which expressed concerns about the inoperative cameras.
Not clear when the cameras stopped being operational
Border Patrol's camera systems, known as Remote Video Surveillance Systems, have been operational since 2011 and are used to "survey large areas without having to commit hundreds of agents in vehicles to perform the same function."
However, as stated in the internal memo, 30 percent of the cameras were not functioning, and it is not clear when they stopped being operational.
Two Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials stated that some repairs have been made this month but that there are still over 150 unfulfilled requests for camera repairs. To help deal with Border Patrol's inability to properly surveil the border, a CBP spokesperson claimed that the agency has established about 300 new watchtowers that utilize more advanced technology.
"CBP continues to install newer, more advanced technology that embrace artificial intelligence and machine learning to replace outdated systems, reducing the need to have agents working non-interdiction functions," the spokesperson said.
Another CBP official claims that the agency is trying to fill in the gap to a significant problem that has not been properly addressed in 20 years.
The Border Patrol union in Laredo mentioned the problem recently on Facebook and it told its members that it "shares your concerns that inoperable camera towers along the border are causing serious officer safety and border security concerns."
"We hope this issue is resolved soon as the problem has been ongoing for quite some time!" the union added in the post on Friday, Oct. 11. (Related: Latest polls show majority of Americans now approve of MASS DEPORTATIONS for illegal immigrants.)
Since the beginning of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, more than 1.7 million "gotaways" have illegally crossed into the United States. But "no one knows the true number," said one CBP source who spoke with the New York Post.
"We are missing a bunch of traffic we should be detecting," said another CBP source. "Who knows what's getting by."
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Watch the video below about former acting ICE director Tom Homan saying that Vice President and border czar Kamala Harris "broke" the border.
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