A virtual wall, not a physical wall, is the key to stopping illegal immigration
When it comes to security along the U.S.-Mexico border, what’s needed is a more strategic initiative relying on 21st century technologies. And the $197 million the White House requested for border security technology is laughably insufficient. In a time of ubiquitous smartphones, autonomous vehicles, drones, artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated monitoring equipment, we have the expertise and tools to build an effective virtual wall. The United States is the richest, most powerful and technologically advanced country in the world. Why would we use a crude 15th century technology (i.e., a physical wall) when we have such a wealth of tools at our disposal?
This is something leaders from border states, as well as private sector organizations (such as the Border Commerce and Security Council), have been requesting for years—a suite of technological tools that gives us greater awareness and visibility along the border, serving as a force multiplier for Border Patrol agents to more effectively respond to attempted crossings and other illegal activity. Ultimately, border security infrastructure needs to be a deterrent, a system so vastly superior that potential border crossers know to a certainty that they will be spotted coming a mile away. A wall gives people something to climb; a network of cameras, sensors, communications tools and other equipment gives border crossers nowhere to hide.
The requested monies for building a wall could be put to better use. Imagine how much technology we could acquire with those funds. What’s needed is the political will to call for a technologically driven border security solution and the legislative grit to put real funding behind it. Absent that, the private sector, citizens and others are left with little choice but to fund their own tech-focused border security prototypes. Data from such efforts may help pierce the illusion some hold that a physical barrier alone will be anything other than a higher climb for border crossers and a massive waste of taxpayer money.
Read full article: https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/immigration/338562-a-virtual-wall-not-a-physical-wall-is-the-key-to-stopping
