Nearly one-third of the cameras in the Border Patrol’s primary surveillance system along the southern U.S. border are not working, according to an internal agency memo sent in early October, depriving border agents of a crucial tool in combating illegal migrant crossings.
The officials said there are some areas that are not visible to Border Patrol due to broken cameras.
The Border Patrol union in Laredo, Texas noted the issue last week in a post to its Facebook page.
The Department of Homeland Security’s budget request to Congress, via the White House, has routinely asked for more money to restore surveillance systems along the border.
House Republicans blocked a bipartisan bill earlier this year that would have significantly improved surveillance systems, hired additional Border Patrol agents and resumed border wall construction.
Persons:
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Organizations:
Patrol, NBC, Systems, Customs, Border Protection, Border Patrol, NBC News, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Department, Homeland, White, House Republicans
Locations:
U.S, Mexico, Laredo , Texas