HLSS502Wk6

Border Security and Disaster Management

Both border security and disaster response elicit strong feelings throughout the na�on. It is important to understand the breadth and diversity of the issues that form the founda�on of border security as it relates to the broader context of homeland security.

The most controversial and debated aspect of border security con�nues to be our border and coastal regions, which are rather extensive. The Mexican border is approximately 2,000 miles in length; the border with Canada is approximately 5,500 miles long; our navigable rivers and waterways comprise about 26,000 miles; and there are 12,383 miles of coastline. Add to that the hundreds of major airports that serve approximate 120 million passengers leaving and entering the United States (U.S.) each year, plus the 4000 marine ports and terminals, and one can get some idea of the sheer magnitude of America’s borders and what is a considerable task it is to secure them. As a side note, while most of the media focus is on the Mexican border with the United States, over 90% of all known terrorists inside the United States have go�en into this country by coming across the Canadian border.

The U.S. has 77 ports of entry through which nearly two billion tons of freight move in and out annually. This amount of cargo represents approximately 99% of the na�on’s interna�onal trade. This volume of cargo involves an extremely large number of personnel and machinery, who are primarily engaged in the loading and unloading of materials. As such, it shouldn't come as any surprise that substan�al levels of crime, trade fraud, alien smuggling, importa�on of drugs and other contraband, environmental crimes, and cargo the� exist within the supply chain.

One might think the issue of border security should be a fairly straight forward event. How can a na�on be secure if it cannot secure its own borders? In the readings this week we will examine some of the complexi�es that impact the ability of a na�on to implement border and coastal security programs. In addi�on to the physical complexity of trying to secure thousands of miles of land borders, not to men�on the en�re coastline of the United States, one should begin to recognize the issue is further complicated by the fact that boarder security is a very poli�cal topic.

The issue of border and coastal security is a broad one. Most o�en when the issue of border security is raised, it is likely that the US-Mexico border is the first thing that comes to mind. However, the US has an extensive land and mari�me border with Canada that has historically been very sparsely defended or monitored. There are also issues, for example, such as the Hai�ans and Cubans, who try to enter the US via boats to the Southeastern states. Our interna�onal airports confront all forms of ac�vi�es that a�empt to breach the security of the US border.