Approximately a third of the surveillance cameras positioned along the U.S.-Mexico boundary are malfunctioning, presenting a “significant impact” on the operations of the Border Patrol, according to an agency internal memo.
This malfunction impacts around 150 out of the 500 installed remote video surveillance system cameras across towers on the southern border, as revealed in a Border Patrol memo to agents, which NBC News reported on Tuesday after securing the document.
“Several technical problems,” are currently affecting the cameras, with officials, who preferred to remain unnamed, citing outdated equipment and pending repairs as the primary issues.
Since 2011, this camera system has been pivotal for monitoring expansive areas without the need for a large number of agents on the ground. However, the internal memo highlighted that about 30% of these cameras are non-operational, and the duration of this issue is unknown.
This month saw the repair of some cameras, mentioned two Customs and Border Protection officials, yet 150 repair requests are still pending.
The blame for these issues is placed on the Federal Aviation Administration by the internal memo, as it is responsible for the maintenance and repair of these cameras.
The memo further details that due to certain internal challenges within the FAA, it has struggled to fulfill the Border Patrol’s requirements, pushing leaders to contemplate the possibility of engaging another contractor capable of offering “adequate technical support.”
Despite not responding to NBC’s request for a comment, the FAA has intentions to dispatch personnel to the southern border for camera repairs, as stated by the Border Patrol.
In the meantime, a spokesperson for the CBP mentioned that the agency has also deployed around 300 new towers equipped with modern, sophisticated technology that “embraces artificial intelligence and machine learning to replace outdated systems, reducing the need to have agents working non-interdiction functions.”
Recently, the Border Patrol union in Laredo, Texas, voiced its concerns on Facebook, aligning with its members over the issues the cameras “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 expressed. “The American taxpayer has made significant investments in technology along the border, and they expect that this technology is operational.”
