Está en la página 1de 6

El Paso Sector I-1A

Deployment Analysis

Location: East of Columbus, New Mexico – One half mile east of COL POE and
continuing east 2.56 miles.

Key Issues/Constraints:
• The I-1A project begins half a mile east of the Columbus, New Mexico Port of
Entry and runs 2.56 miles east.
• The Columbus Port of Entry links the towns of Columbus, New Mexico and Las
Palomas, Chihuahua. It is the only 24 hour Port of Entry in New Mexico.
• The town of Las Palomas has historically been the foremost staging area in the
central Chihuahua region. The town has a standing population of about 5,000 and
provides the only commercial infrastructure in the 180 miles between Ciudad
Juarez, Chihuahua and Agua Prieta, Sonora.
• Immigrants travel from all areas of Mexico to the town of Las Palmas to facilitate
their illegal entry into the United States. (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

More than 600 transients a day have been observed arriving


by bus in previous years.
• The vanishing point across the project area is measured in minutes, as illegal
entrants can quickly access the nearby urban infrastructure such as apartments,
businesses and vehicles around the Port of Entry in Columbus, New Mexico.
• New Mexico Highway 11 is a direct route from the Port of Entry to Interstate 10
and can be driven in less than 30 minutes.
• NM Highway 9 parallels the border across the entire Deming area of
responsibility and provides quick egress from the immediate border area.
• Groups that cross in the project area can make it to a vehicle on Highway 9 or to a
house in Columbus, NM is less than one hour.
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

Nature of the Threat:


• The 2.56 mile project is contained in Zone 11 of the Deming AOR. Though the
zone is larger in scope than the project area, the statistics indicate the level of
activity in the vicinity of Las Palomas. FY 2007 statistics for Zone 11 show
5,316 entries and 3,667 apprehensions. The numbers were at record levels in FY
2005 with 28,146 recorded entries and 18,874 apprehensions.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 1


• The town of Las Palomas has undergone a major increase in border violence as
rival crime organizations compete. Since April 2007, there have been 58 known
violent events related to the small town. This has resulted in at least 36
assassinations, 14 kidnappings and 8 significant injuries.
• Some participants have escaped the violence by entering the Columbus Port of
Entry, some with multiple gun shot wounds or dead on arrival.
• It is a constant concern of the Deming station that a gun-battle in progress will
spill over onto United States soil and necessitate immediate action by the Border
Patrol.
• Recently, the entire Las Palomas Police Department abandoned their positions
due to threats on them and their families. This has forced the Mexican military to
deploy troops to secure the town.
• The military deployment has presented the Deming station with other
unanticipated concerns. On May 22, 2008 a Deming agent confronted seven
armed Mexican soldiers in the United States within the project area. There were
other soldiers parked in two military HUMMV vehicles nearby on the border
road, one manning a mounted machine gun.
(b) (7)(E)
Formatted: Highlight

• As neighboring segments of the U.S. Border come under higher levels of control,
the potential for the rampant cross-border traffic of previous years remains a
threat.

Alternatives Analysis:
• Baseline - (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

• Sensors – Standard ground sensors are currently being utilized on the most
frequented routes of travel. (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

Much of the project area is very flat open desert. (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o It is estimated that adequate coverage of the exposed 2.56 miles of the


project area would require 193 ground sensors.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 2


o The total cost of this deployment is estimated at $3,500 to cover 70 linear
feet, which would bring the cost to $878,592 (including three year
maintenance costs).
o The Sector Chief anticipates the deployment of additional sensors
combined with the current deployment baseline will facilitate increased
detection capabilities, but will not significantly enhance identification,
classification or response requirements. Sensors also do not provide the
persistent impedance requirement needed for this segment.

• Cameras – (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight


The cameras provide
surveillance capability, but offer little or no deterrence. As the cameras are
spaced nearly three miles apart, adding one new camera site would greatly
enhance Deming’s ability to cover the project area.
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o The Sector Chief anticipates the deployment of cameras / radar towers


combined with the current baseline deployment will facilitate increased
detection and identification capabilities, but will not enhance the
persistence of impedance that the pedestrian fence will provide.

• Mobile / Tower Surveillance Radar - Surveillance Radar would provide


tracking and detection capability, (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

(b) (7)(E)

o The estimated cost for the Mobile Surveillance Radar is $850,200


(including three year maintenance costs).
o The Sector Chief anticipates the deployment of Mobile / Tower
Surveillance Radar combined with the current baseline deployment will
facilitate increased detection and identification capabilities, but will not
enhance the persistence of impedance that the pedestrian fence will
provide.

• Border Patrol Agent – Border Patrol Agents are capable of detecting entries,
identifying and classifying the threat and responding to intrusions, but can be
overwhelmed by the number of vehicles and pedestrian entries they are
challenged with.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 3


(b) (7)(E)
Formatted: Highlight

(b) (7)(E)

o The Sector Chief anticipates the deployment of the additional 360 agents,
combined with the current baseline deployment, will enhance detection,
identification, classification and response requirements, but would be
deficient in the ability to execute and sustain when compared to the
pedestrian fence.

• Vehicle Fence – The deployment of vehicle fence in the project area would not
deter or impede illegal cross-border pedestrian traffic but would provide
impedance to illegal cross-border vehicular traffic.
o Vehicle fence is estimated to be $2.2 million per mile, which would total
$7,321,600 (including three year maintenance costs) to cover the exposed
2.56 miles of the project area.
o The Sector Chief anticipates the deployment of the vehicle fence
combined with the current baseline deployment will not enhance
detection, identification, classification or response requirements.
• Pedestrian Fence – The proposed I-1A fence project would deter and impede
pedestrian and vehicle entries. The fence would allow much greater response
time to agents when activity is detected. The structure will deter illegal entrants
who are not physically capable of negotiating the obstacle and slows those
possessing the physical ability to climb the barrier.
o It is estimated that the pedestrian fence for the 2.56 miles of the project
area would cost approximately $4 million per mile, which would total
$10,349,016 (including three year maintenance costs).
o The Sector Chief anticipates the deployment of the pedestrian fence
combined with the current baseline deployment will enhance detection,
identification, classification and response requirements. In addition, the
pedestrian fence provides the necessary persistent impedance requirement
that facilitates long term sustainability.

• Best Technology Combination – An analysis of technology components was


conducted to determine what combination would be most cost effective. Based
on the evaluation conducted by Field Commanders and the Sector Chief, the most
cost effective combination of technology mix for the I-1A segment was
determined to be the baseline ground sensors combined with mobile ground
surveillance radar and cameras.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 4


Key Evaluation Factors:
(b) (7)(E)
Formatted: Highlight

In order to provide the same level of deterrence that pedestrian fencing provides, the
deployment of approximately 360 agents per day over the 2.56 mile segment would be
needed. This deployment would necessitate the strategic placement of agents every 50
yards.
• The fiscal cost of such a deployment over three years is estimated at
$162,201,600
• The operational cost of the total number of agents deployed to gain and maintain
control of this area precludes any significant deployment of agents to address
shifts in smuggling activity to the western flanks.
• The installation of the technology, as a stand alone alternative, would not provide
the required the persistent impedance factor or enhance agent time-distance
response.

Recommended Solution:
• Deploy pedestrian fence in the I-1A project area to impede and deter vehicles and
pedestrian traffic from illegally entering the United States.
• Integrate cameras, sensors, and MSS with laser pointer technology to provide
identification and tracking capabilities to agents in the field. This will compliment
pedestrian fence and enhance the time-distance ratio by providing early detection
capabilities.
• Deploy Border Patrol Agents in a mobile capacity that can patrol the area and
respond when the technology systems detect and cannot deter an individual or
group from entering.

Projected Results:
• Illegal entries by foot will decrease resulting in a reduced impact on the
environment.
• A high degree of operational effectiveness and control along the immediate
border will be established as the added tactical infrastructure will afford agents
the ability to identify, confront, intercept and deter illegal entrants augmenting the
persistent impedance factor.
• Long term effect will require the deployment of fewer agents to gain and maintain
effective control.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 5


• The reduction in required manpower in this area will allow for the tactical
redeployment of agent assets to other areas of operation to more effectively
address any possible shift in smuggling patterns.
• This enhancement is expected to significantly raise the border security status of
this segment to a sustainable level of effective control.
• The pedestrian fence will create a higher level of officer safety.
• The proposed enhancement of the right combination of personnel, technology and
infrastructure should increase the project area border security status to sustainable
level of “Effective Control”, even during a significant rise in illegal cross-border
activity.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY 6

También podría gustarte