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Bayli Johnson
Mr. Campopiano
Government 1
21 October 2014
Drones to Secure The United States Southwest Border
The United States is a free first world country with unalienable rights that many other
countries do not have the privilege to uphold. For other countries, America is a beacon of hope
and with that comes negativities. Many wish to immigrate into the United States, while others
want to destroy it. The United States must be prepared to protect and secure its borders at all
times. The United States Customs and Border and Patrol (CBP) was created to secure this
country from unwanted disease, terrorism, drugs, weapons, and illegal immigrants (The Untied
States Customs and Border Patrol). With insufficient funds, staff, and lack of technology, CBP is
unable to fully secure this Nation (Miller, 11). There are an estimated 11 million illegal
immigrants living in the America, of those 78,000 are from terror-supporting or terror-friendly
countries (Malkin, 98). This Country has its doors open to attacks. In 2005, CBP took the first
major step to protect the United States by employing their first Predator drone, an unmanned
aerial vehicle, on the Southwest Border (U.S. Customs and Border Patrol). Over the next few
years CBP has increased this number and added 9 more Predator drones to the Southwest Border.
This has helped but with more Predator drones the United States could be further safeguarded.
CBP needs more money to add Predator drones along the U.S.-Mexico border; they must focus
their attention along the Southwest border because of its vulnerabilities to illegal immigrants,
arms dealers, and drug smugglers. An astounding 81 percent of illegal immigrants come from
Latin American countries (Miller, 12) and most illicit drugs available in the U.S. are smuggled

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into the Country across borders with Mexico (Drug Movement Into and Within the United
States). This flaw in the Southwest border must be stopped through adding Predator drones. The
United States should increase the number of Predator drones along the Southwest border by 10
because Predator drones can surveil for long periods of time, reduce the number of miles CBP
agents have to patrol, and provide pinpoint locations of drug and human traffickers.
Drones have made many technological advances. One major advantage of Predator
drones is their flight time. They can fly more than 30 hours without refuel compared to a
helicopters flight time of just over two hours (Haddal). That is almost 15 times more of flight
time that is being utilized. The UAVs (drone) ability to loiter for prolonged periods of time has
important operational advantages over manned aircraft. The longer flight times of UAVs means
that sustained coverage over a previously exposed area may improve border security,
(Bolkcom). Currently, helicopters are CBP current main method of transportation to surveil the
border and are clearly not the best choice. Predator drones provide the unique opportunity to
CBP that would help secure the Southwest border and benefit Border Patrol agents.
CBP cannot adequately secure all of the Untied States borders. Predator drones can
minimize the number of miles border patrol officers must patrol. CBP maintains front-line
homeland security operations, supporting 21,186 Customs and Border Protection officers and
21,370 Border Patrol agents to facilitate legitimate travel and movement of goods while
strengthening border security, (Department of Homeland Security). Border Patrol agents arent
just specifically patrolling borders. They must focus on legitimate travel of people and goods.
Border Patrol is mandated to policeU.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders, but also an area
up to 100 miles inland from these borders, (Border (In) Security and the Unknown
Unknown). By implementing more drone usage, Border Patrol doesnt have to worry about the

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1,933 miles of U.S.-Mexico border (U.S. Census Bureau) to patrol because they can utilize
drones abilities to Patrol. Predator drones will reduce Border Patrol agents patrol and give them
needed time to focus on other jobs.
Predator drones hold technology that can fix border control faults. In fact, such
technology can find locations of drug and human traffickers. Predator drones have radar systems
that can reveal images from the height of about 25,000 feet (Drones and Border Patrol) and
electro-optical sensors that can identify an object the size of a milk carton (Haddal). Imaging
radar can produce high-quality pictures at night. Synthetic aperture radar provides images in
multiple weather conditions and can identify changes in landscape (McDonnell). This can
provide Border Patrol information such as footprints and tire tracks (Haddal) which will show
them routes taken by human and drug traffickers. All of this information is used with real-time
imagery so officers can be informed immediately when problems arise. Predator drones have
already helped Border Patrol seize more than 22,000 pounds of marijuana and helped apprehend
5,000 illegal immigrants (Haddal). With more drones and this advanced technology, Border
Patrol agents can continue to pin point locations of drug and human traffickers.
There are many reservations about using Predator drones along the Southwest border, let
alone adding 10 more. Most do not know the basic facts and advancements that have been made
to drones. A common fear of Predator drones is that they are unmanned- that they are flown by a
program and can easily lose control and harm innocent people. Although Predator drones have
no pilot on aboard, a person instead controls them on the ground (Drones). Pilots have control
over Predator drones, but in the safety of a control room. Some complain that drones are
inconsistent and will continue to have their current flaws. However, each year, $6.4 billion is
being spent on developing drone technology around the world (Palermo). Governments, private

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securities, and laboratories are investing time and money to continue drone development. $6.4
billion dollars is a growing number with each year. With constant technological advances drones
are a great investment for CBP. Predator drones will improve the United States security.
The United States should increase the number of Predator drones along the Southwest
border by 10 to further secure this country because Predator drones can surveil for long periods
of time, reduce the number of miles CBP agents have to patrol, and provide pinpoint locations of
drug and human traffickers. Predator drones might seem like a startling approach to securing our
borders, but more methods need to be taken to secure our country. American citizens are
suffering desperately as a result of the (governments) failure to deter illegal entry or to stop this
population and immigration explosion, (Miller, 45). The government must take advantage of
existing technology to aid Americans. Predator drones have this technology that is better than
anything else CBP currently use and tremendously aids Border Patrol officers work loads.
Predator drones have been proven to assist in protecting the United States and need to continue
to be utilized.

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Works Cited
Bolkcom, Christopher. Homeland Security: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Border Surveillance.
Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, 2008. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.
Border (In) Security and the Unknown Unkown Public Political Ecology Lab. N.p., 14 May
2014. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.):n.pag. Web. 8 Sept. 2014.
Drones. LiveScience. TechMedia Network, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
Drones And Border Patrol. Border Patrol Drones. N.p.,n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
Drug Movement into and Within the United States. Unclassified. N.p.,n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.
Haddal, Chad C., and Jeremiah Gertler. Homeland Security: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and
Border Surveillance (2010):1-7. Congressional Research Service, 8 July 2010. Web. 13
Oct. 2014.
Malkin, Michelle. Sticker Immigration Policy Is Essential to the War on Terror. Illegal
Immigration. Ed. Margaret Haerens. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2006. N. pag. Print.
McDonnell, Thomas M. Sow What You Reap? Using Predator And Reaper Drones To Carry Out
Assassinations Or Targeted Killings Of Suspected Islamic Terrorists (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
15 Oct. 2014.
Miller, Debra A. Illegal Immigration. San Diego: ReferencePoint, 2007. Print.
Palermo, Elizabeth. Drones Could Grow to $11 Billion Industry By 2024. LiveScience.
TechMedia Network, 29 July 2014. Web. 8 Oct. 2014.
Table 363. U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico Border Lengths. (n.d.): n. pag. Statistical Abstract of
the United States: 2012. U.S. Census Bureau, 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.

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Unmanned Aircraft System MQ-9 Predator B. N.p.: n.p., n.d. U.S. Custom and Border
Protection. Department of Homeland Security, 7 Oct. 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.