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EL PASO CBP SECTOR Independent Study: El Paso CBP Sector Tactical Infrastructure and Future TI Development March 10, 2007 Prepared by: Bryce L. Brown 2185 Corte San Simeon Chula Vista, CA 91914 (619)818-2527 No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of Bryce L. Brown unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries to: Bryce L. Brown, 2185 Corte San Simeon, Chula Vista, CA 91914

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Page 1: El Paso CBP Sector Report - ExpertClick€¦ · The river defines the border between El Paso from Ciudad Juárez to the south and west until the river turns north of the border with

EL PASO CBP SECTOR

Independent Study: El Paso CBP Sector Tactical Infrastructure

and Future TI Development

March 10, 2007

Prepared by: Bryce L. Brown 2185 Corte San Simeon Chula Vista, CA 91914

(619)818-2527

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of Bryce L. Brown unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries to: Bryce L. Brown, 2185 Corte San Simeon, Chula Vista, CA 91914

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................................. 2 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 3

EL PASO CBP SECTOR- TEXAS (300 MILE INTERNATIONAL BORDER)............................................................ 3 El Paso Sector ...................................................................................................................................... 3 El Paso Sector Sub-Stations ................................................................................................................ 3 Geographical Description ..................................................................................................................... 3 The City of El Paso............................................................................................................................... 4

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION STATUS.............................................................................. 5 Federal Register Environmental Documents ....................................................................................... 5

CLIMATE INFORMATION................................................................................................................................ 5 Average Temperatures......................................................................................................................... 5 Average Rainfall ................................................................................................................................... 5

MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND ROADS.................................................................................................................... 5 PROBLEM STATEMENT ................................................................................................................................ 5

EL PASO TACTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 7 SUMMARY OF CURRENT TI .......................................................................................................................... 7 ENGINEERING FACTORS .............................................................................................................................. 7

Remoteness of project location ............................................................................................................ 7 Rio Grande River.................................................................................................................................. 7 Vicinity of the City of El Paso International Border............................................................................... 8

CURRENT EL PASO SECTOR TI.................................................................................................................... 8 El Paso City .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Fabian................................................................................................................................................... 9 Santa Teresa ........................................................................................................................................ 9

TI RECOMMENDATION ............................................................................................................................ 10 TACTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATION......................................................................................... 10

Hidalgo County, NM (80 Miles) .......................................................................................................... 10 Luna/Dona Ana Counties, NM (98 Miles)........................................................................................... 11 El Paso, TX (8 Miles) .......................................................................................................................... 11 Fabian, TX (113 Miles) ....................................................................................................................... 11

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Customs and Border Protection ......................................................................................................... 13 Department of Homeland Security ..................................................................................................... 13 House Committee on Homeland Security .......................................................................................... 13 University of Texas at Austin .............................................................................................................. 13 Wikipedia ............................................................................................................................................ 13

BLB (619) 818-2527 03-10-07

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR

EEXXEECCUUTTIIVVEE SSUUMMMMAARRYY

The National Strategy for Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 served to mobilize and organize our nation to secure the homeland from terrorist attacks. This exceed-ingly complex mission requires a focused effort from our entire society if we are to be success-ful. To this end, one primary reason for the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was to provide the unifying core for the vast national network of organizations and institutions involved in efforts to secure our nation.

The landmark SBInet program will provide DHS, and its agents and officers, with the best pos-sible solution to detect, identify, classify, respond to and resolve illegal entry attempts at our land borders with Mexico and Canada.

A critical component of the SBI strategy is SBInet, a program focused on transforming border control through technology and infrastructure. SBInet will provide frontline personnel advan-tages in securing the nation’s land borders by fielding the most effective mix of current and next generation technology, infrastructure, staffing, and response platforms.

The SBInet solution will be deployed using a homeland security threat-based approach. A model of the entire solution mix will be deployed at the Southwest border during the next eight months. Following this initial deployment, additional task orders will be issued focusing on the Southwest border first.

With the announcement of DHS Boeing Corporation’s award of the SBInet contract, the shift of execution and responsibility now lies with a single (prime) government contractor. The scope of SBInet is to secure 6,000 miles of border and to provide DHS and CBP with the optimum mix of personnel, technology, infrastructure, and response platforms to detect, identify, classify, and respond to illegal breaches of the international borders with Canada and Mexico and thereby bring the situation to the appropriate law enforcement resolution.

To date we have seen task orders which cover 28 miles of border within the Tucson CBP Sector and 37 miles of border within the Yuma CBP Sector. With the SBInet solution being a security threat-based approach, the El Paso CBP Sector will be the next priority in which DHS and CBP initiates security and control.

The El Paso CBP Sector report is just one of nine Southwest CBP Sectors in which information will be derived to complete a total US Border TI Strategy. The Northern border will also be compiled into this data base and encompasses another eight CBP Sectors.

It is imperative that as a solutions based vendor-supplier to Boeing, that the pre-positioning be completed and a thorough understanding of the CBP Sectors have been gained. By having knowledge of the operational needs of the sector, one may establish and develop solutions that can then be delivered to Boeing demonstrating an expert understanding and competence of the sector thereby better positioning for future contracting opportunities.

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR

El Paso CBP Sector

IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN EEll PPaassoo CCBBPP SSeeccttoorr-- TTeexxaass ((330000 MMiillee IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall BBoorrddeerr))

El Paso Sector 8901 Montana Avenue El Paso, TX 79925-1212 Telephone: (915) 834-8350 El Paso Sector Sub-Stations

• Alamagordo, NM • Albuquerque, NM • Carlsbad, NM • Deming, NM • Las Cruces, NM • Lordsburg, NM • Santa Teresa, NM • Truth or Consequences, NM

El Paso CBP Sector (300 Miles)

El Paso CBP Sector (300 Miles)

Geographical Description El Paso is located at 31°47′25″N, 106°25′24″W (31.790208, -106.423242). It lies at the intersection of three states (Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua) and two countries (the USA and Mexico). It is the only major Texas city on Mountain Time. When Ciudad Juárez was on Central Time, it was possible to celebrate New Year's twice in the same evening by travelling a

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR very short distance across the state and into another country. Both cities are now on Mountain Time.

The city's elevation is 3,800 feet (1140 m) above sea level. The rustic North Franklin Peak towers at 7,192 feet above sea level and is the highest peak in the city. The peak can be seen from 60 miles in all directions. Additionally, this mountain range is home to the famous natural red-clay formation, the Thunderbird, from which the local Coronado High School gets its mascot's name. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 648.9 km² (250.5 mi²).

The 24,000-acre Franklin Mountains State Park is the largest urban park in the United States and resides entirely in El Paso, extending from the north and neatly dividing the city into several sections along with Fort Bliss and the El Paso International Airport.

The Rio Grande Rift, which passes around the southern end of the Franklin Mountains, is where the Rio Grande River flows. The river defines the border between El Paso from Ciudad Juárez to the south and west until the river turns north of the border with Mexico, separating El Paso from Doña Ana County, New Mexico. An extinct volcano, Mt. Cristo Rey rises within the Rio Grande Rift just to the west of El Paso on the New Mexico side of the Rio Grande River. Other volcanic features include Kilbourne hole and Hunt's hole, which are Maar volcanic craters 30 miles (50 km) west of the Franklin Mountains.

El Paso is surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, the easternmost section of the Basin and Range Region. The City of El Paso

El Paso, along with its sister city of Ciudad Juarez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, comprise the largest bi-national metropolitan area in the world. Here, in the sun-swept, mountainous desert of Texas's westernmost corner, is El Paso, the state's fourth-largest city. Built between two mountain ranges on the shores of the Rio Grande, the city is an urban history book, with chapters dedicated to Spanish conquistadors, ancient highways, gunfighters, border disputes, and modern sprawl. El Paso's rich history is a result of its geography.

The Franklin Mountains, which now border the downtown area and occupy

the city's heart, offered natural defense for the American Indians who inhabited the area for more than 10 millennia; the Rio Grande offered water. As the mountains slope into a vast can-yon, the Spanish explorers who first crossed the Rio Grande in the 16th century saw it as an ideal north-south route, one that soon became known as the "Camino Real" (or "King's High-way") and served as a principal trade route for nearly 300 years. With the 17th century came an influx of Catholic missionaries, a group that established numerous missions that survive today. But Spain saw its grip weaken, and a Mexican flag flew over El Paso when independence was established in 1821. This era was short-lived, as Mexico ceded the land north of the Rio Grande to the United States following the Mexican-American War (1846-48). After the railroad arrived in 1881, El Paso earned the nickname "Sin City," thanks to the saloons, brothels, and casinos that lined every major street.

Downtown El Paso

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall aanndd HHiissttoorriicc PPrreesseerrvvaattiioonn SSttaattuuss Federal Register Environmental Documents Finding of No Significant Impact and Summary Environmental Assessment--Tornillo-Guadalupe New International Bridge, County of El Paso, TX (http://www.epa.gov/EPA-IMPACT/2004/December/Day-22/i27988.htm)

EPA: Federal Register: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a Petition To List the Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) in the Western Continental United States 03-06-2007

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a Petition To List the Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) in the Western Continental United States ,Federal Register document. (http://www.epa.gov/EPA-SPECIES/2001/July/Day-25/e18560.htm)

EPA: Federal Register: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei)

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) , Federal Register document (http://www.epa.gov/EPA-IMPACT/2003/June/Day-23/i14490.htm)

CClliimmaattee IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn Average Temperatures

(High-Low,Calculated in Farenhiet)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

57-32 63-37 70-43 78-51 86-60 95-68 94-72 92-70 87-63 79-49 65-39 57-33 Average Rainfall

8.62 inches annually

MMaajjoorr HHiigghhwwaayyss aanndd RRooaaddss From the East: Interstate-10, State Route 180

From the West: Interstate-10, State Route 180

From the North: State Route 54, State Route 9

From the South: State Route 54, State Route 9

PPrroobblleemm SSttaatteemmeenntt Currently the El Paso Sector faces some of the fiercest drug smuggling and violence of any CBP Sector along the Southwest border. Along the Texas-Mexico border, drug cartels and or-ganized criminal groups have established a robust presence in key strategic areas. The Texas-Mexico border is particularly attractive to these criminal networks as it spans approximately 1200 miles, includes 18 Ports of Entry, and has major interstate highways in Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo, and El Paso, thereby providing the organized crime groups with access to the rest of the Nation.

The Juarez Cartel is a powerful Mexican drug trafficking cartel based in Juarez, Mexico. The cartel has most recently transformed itself into the Golden Triangle Alliance, or La Alianza Triángulo de Oro, because of its leaders in three Mexican Border States: Chihuahua, Durango and Sinaloa. Until 2004 the organization was headed by Juan José Esparragoza Moreno, also

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR known as El Azul. In late 2004 control of the cartel was assumed by Ricardo Garcia Urquiza un-til his arrest in Mexico City during November 2005.

At its height, the Juarez cartel was assumed to be responsible for some 50 percent of illegal drugs that pass through Mexico to the United States. It rose in the past decade to become one of the hemispheres - if not the world's - most powerful crime organizations. Some US sources estimate the cartel's income reached as high as $200 million a week under former boss Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who mysteriously died in July 1997. (Wikipedia, 2005)

The Federal government has launched numerous successful initiatives to secure our Nation’s Southwest border. Operation Hold the Line in El Paso, Texas and Operation Gatekeeper in San Diego, California were introduced in September 1993 and October 1994, respectively. Both pro-grams led to a significant drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens.

Under Operation Hold the Line, Border Patrol agents were reassigned to duty on the border, thereby mobilizing resources along the border around the clock. Agents assumed positions along the border, visible to both would-be crossers and to each other. This deployment effec-tively stopped numerous day-crossers, resulting in a 70% drop in apprehensions. This operation demonstrated that adequate resources are the key to obtaining control over border areas. (House Committee on Homeland Security)

The El Paso-Juarez corridor in west Texas also serves as the gateway for drugs destined to major metropolitan areas in the United States. Mexican drug cartels transport significant quantities of marijuana and cocaine through the El Paso Port of Entry using major east/west and north/south interstate highways. These highways provide the Mexican cartels with transportation routes for drug distribution throughout the United States. Drug cartels also obtain warehouses in El Paso for stash locations and recruit drivers from the local area to transport the drugs to vari-ous destinations throughout the United States. (House Committee on Homeland Security)

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR

EELL PPAASSOO TTAACCTTIICCAALL IINNFFRRAASSTTRRUUCCTTUURREE SSuummmmaarryy ooff CCuurrrreenntt TTII Upon visiting the El Paso CBP Sector and touring as far Southeast as Fabian and as far North-west as Santa Teresa, the lack of tactical infrastructure becomes very apparent. Most of the existing TI lies in the use of the Rio Grande River, canals, chain link fence w/razor wire, and de-graded Theodore Roosevelt Fence built in the late 1800’s. Law Enforcement Agents (LEA) seem to be well equipped with vehicles and other tools, however the lack of technology and hardened tactical infrastructure cause major disruptions to security and law enforcement activities of this sectors 300 mile border with Mexico.

The most severe violence and operational issues for the El Paso Sector remain in the Southeast region of El Paso along the Rio Grande River basin. After speaking to several local agents from the nearby sub-station, it was identified that the area located near and around the town of Fabian is the most overrun with drug trafficking and other smuggling operations. The agents said that it is not uncommon for smugglers and drug traffickers to run vehicles across the river using ATV ramps on a daily basis.

Fabian AWR Levee

If the smuggler does not gain access into the local US road network, they maneuver back to the river where other members are prepared to wench the vehicle back across so it is not confis-cated with its cargo by CBP.

The tour lasted several days with little formal cooperation provided by the El Paso CBP Sector leadership. The PAO from the sector again directed our questions and requests for information back to SBI in Washington D.C.

EEnnggiinneeeerriinngg FFaaccttoorrss Factors effecting the engineering and design of TI in the El Paso Sector are mentioned below and represent significant features that will impact the development of a successful TI strategy in this region. The following factors exist in the El Paso CBP Sector:

Remoteness of project location

The remoteness of the region along the Southwestern section of New Mexico border makes maneuverability somewhat difficult. Towns are very small and geographically separated. The ability for CBP and other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) to gain quick entry/exit into these areas will require further development of road networks.

Rio Grande River

Starting in the area northwest of the City of El Paso. The Rio Grande River runs the length of the Texas-Mexico border. The river area starts along the border in a deep canyon just north of Juarez and El Paso and travels through a steep canyon into the bolsons (intermountain plains). After passing through the city of El Paso, the Rio Grande widens and becomes shallower as it feeds agriculture industries from both sides of the border. This area can best be described by systems of canals, levees, and low lying areas of vegetation. With rain totals sometimes reach-

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR ing extreme levels, TI must be integrated into the levee system or higher areas above the river basin. Any TI placed in this area should have the ability to with stand a 100 year weather event.

Vicinity of the City of El Paso International Border Because El Paso and Juarez lie extremely close in proximity along the Rio Grande River, security becomes hampered by the congestion of businesses, roads, and mountains. CBP agents in the city area are in rock throwing range from Mexico and rely on custom covers to minimize assaults. With the area being over populated with businesses and private property, illegal crossers are provided hiding places where they can evade detection or easily infiltrate into the local populace. The area provides for limited maneuverability of vehicles and will require

cooperation with local businesses and industries to gain full operational control. Officials will need to start work

immediately to obtain permits, easements, right-of-ways, and develop cooperation between lo-cal land owners and government agencies to develop and design TI to meet this challenging area.

El Paso CBP Rock Shelter

CCuurrrreenntt EEll PPaassoo SSeeccttoorr TTII El Paso City The City of El Paso has two significant TI strategies based on geographic location, a northern side and a southern side. The El Paso Port of Entry (POE) is the dividing point between urban (northern side) and rural (southern side) operations.

The northern side is mountainous with a narrow canyon that runs down along the northern part of the city. This area is a myriad of chain link fence layers with razor wire. The El Paso County Water Improvement District has several canals that are integrated into existing TI which helps provide another layer of security to illegal crossers. The highway pictured below is used as the last layer of TI. However, the main TI issue lies in the apparent lack of organization or integration of security layers and how they support one another.

El Paso looking North

While touring the border along the northern side of El Paso’s downtown, we noticed numerous breaches in the chain link barriers. Many of these areas you could tell had been breached many times because of the numerous patches that CBP had used to seal the areas. The TI was not integrated well and resembled a reaction to illegal crossing rather than a carefully contrived TI plan. After speaking with a local agent who protects this area at night, I was told that it becomes a dangerous area. With little use of technology beyond lighting, the area is a haven for rock throwers from Mexico. The area allows for illegal crossers to hide on private property and later melt into the local population.

El Paso TI

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR On the southern side of the city, the Rio Grande begins to widen and a resemblance of systematic TI is an effect. The TI in this area uses the Rio Grande River, stadium lighting, canal, chain link fence w/razor wire, and a levee all-weather-road (AWR). Security seems to be very good in this area running roughly 3-4 miles south from the POE. The cause of this success may lie in the fact that illegal crossers can easily enter the US using other areas and do not need to enter at this location. This area will become the targeted area once better TI is constructed at current breach sites because of the use of chain link.

Fabian El Paso Levee TI

Fabian Levee Road

The Fabian area is similar to the southern side of downtown El Paso; however it is void of any TI. Border Security starts on the levee AWR over looking the Rio Grande River. The river basin is wide and allows for LEA vehicles to travel within the river basin to conduct law enforcement activities. The river has been unusually shallow due to low annual rainfall percentages causing this area to witness high amounts of illegal vehicle crossings. The levee sys-tem is the main line of security with several entry/exit roads that are secured by vehicle gates. After speaking to several CBP Agents who were standing watch along the levee, we were told that the area is one of the most dangerous areas in the El Paso CBP Sector because of its lack of TI. One agent said,

“that if they could get cameras out along the levee that could see through the fog and vegetation that it would

be a significant help in securing the area.” The agent also said, “It is not uncommon for illegal drug traffickers to get vehicles across using ATV ramps because the river is so narrow. They will even have people on the other side waiting for the vehicle to come back if it doesn’t get through. They tie ropes or a cable to the bumper and wench it back across so that the load is not seized.”

Santa Teresa The area around Santa Teresa runs for hundreds of miles and is flat and barren. The area has sparse vegetation and the soil consists mostly of sand. Security for this area is the Theodore Roosevelt fence which was built in the late 1800’s. The fence is in severe stages of degradation and no longer functions for the purpose that it was built. The areas that we toured, in many places, showed no signs of TI. In most sections around Santa Teresa POE the barbed wire fence was no longer present. Vehicle crossings are numerous in this area with only CBP personnel and limited access roads to

hinder illegal crossers. Santa Teresa Border Road

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR

El Paso CBP Sector Broken into Four Geographic Areas

TTII RREECCOOMMMMEENNDDAATTIIOONN TTaaccttiiccaall IInnffrraassttrruuccttuurree RReeccoommmmeennddaattiioonn The recommendation for TI in the El Paso CBP Sector are broken into four main geographic areas requiring separate, but integrated use of personnel, technology and hardened tactical in-frastructure. These four areas are:

Luna/Dona Ana

County(98 Miles)

Hidalgo County, NM (80 Miles): The border region consists of the Animas Mountains which are a small mountain range in Hidalgo County, within the "bootheel" region of far southwestern New Mexico, in the United States. They extend north-south for about 30 miles (50 km) along the Continental Divide, from near the town of Animas to a few miles north of the border with Mexico. The range is about 12 miles (20 km) wide at its widest. The highest point of the range is the southern summit of the mile-long Animas Peak massif, 8,565 ft (2,611 m). (Animas Peak itself is the slightly lower north summit, 8,531 ft/2,600 m.)

The Hidalgo region consists of one small town, Hatchita, which lies about 20 miles north of the border. This area does not have any significant international roads crossing the border. The only main road is State Route 9 which runs from Hatchita to Columbus. Columbus lies in Luna County and will be discussed more in the next section. The following recommendation is made for TI:

Maximum use of road networks: Do to the remoteness of the area and limited road networks, this area should be reviewed for rehabilitation of existing roadways and con-struction of new road networks so that LEA’s can better access remote canyons and washes that are used for smuggling.

Average use of technology: The Hidalgo County area would gain better operational control by the use of ground sensors, cameras and UAV’s.

Hidalgo County

(80 Miles)

El Paso(8 Miles)

Fabian(113 Miles)

Luna/Dona Ana

County(98 Miles)

El Paso(8 Miles)

Hidalgo County

(80 Miles) Fabian(113 Miles)

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR Luna/Dona Ana Counties, NM (98 Miles): The bulk of the county is flat lowland, either grassland or desert scrub, but it also contains three mountain ranges: Cooke's Range in the north, the Florida Mountains on the southeastern side of Deming near the center of the county, and the Tres Hermanas Mountains in the southern part of the county near Columbus. Luna County incorporates the Santa Teresa POE and the town of Columbus. Columbus is connected by State Route 11 which crosses the border to the town of Palomas. The following recommendation is made for TI:

Maximum use of road networks: Do to the remoteness of the area and limited road networks, this area would benefit from the construction of roadways that will allow easy traversability. Road networks should be established to allow for carefully identified en-try/exit points running north-south.

Minimal use of FaB: Use of barriers should not be a priority in this region because there is not a significant population to deter. Some barrier may be required in special circum-stances, but LEA’s will have considerable time to apprehend any illegal crossers. Maxi-mum use of technology: The Luna County area would be a good use of ground radar, cameras, and other ground sensor technology. UAV’s would also be well situated to col-lect intelligence on crossing activity.

El Paso, TX (8 Miles): El Paso is the location for the USCBP Field Headquarters and would be a potential site for the creation of a main barrier distribution hub. According to the 2005 U.S. Census population estimates, the city had a population of 598,590, making it the largest in west Texas and is the second-largest city along the Mexican border. Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua lies across the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte), forming a bi-national metropolitan area of 2,280,782. In all, the total population of El Paso–Juárez makes the second-largest bi-national metropolitan area on the U.S.–Mexico border. The following recommendation is made for TI:

Maximum use of FaB: Because of the large populations and urban build-up on both sides of the border, this area would benefit immensely for the maximum use of FaB. The existing chain link mesh needs to be replaced with a more durable fabric and stronger vertical poles to carry increased weight. The area around the downtown region would benefit from FaB that possesses the ability to protect and carry tamper detection fiber cable. At least two layers of pedestrian barrier would be required to adequately se-cure this area and provide law enforcement time to apprehend anyone trying to illegally cross.

Maximum use of technology: Use of technology in this urban area will be critical be-cause of the large population from both cities. Current lighting is inadequate and should be better planned and integrated with the use of camera and sensor technology. Also, fiber optic tamper detection systems would work well and provide law enforcement agents the ability to know where breaching activities are occurring.

Miscellaneous: Law enforcement would benefit from using a more robust type of vehi-cle which would be able to withstand the force of medium sized rocks thrown at it. It should be small enough to maneuver in and around narrow roads and light enough to run parts of the levee and river basin.

Fabian, TX (113 Miles): Fabian runs from the southern side of El Paso to Marfa CBP Sector and follows the Rio Grande River. A levee highly used by CBP runs this distance and is used as the main patrol road for the area. Agriculture fields represent the majority of the area with small towns located along Hwy 10. This area is currently a preferred area for drug smugglers to cross into the US due to its close vicinity to the interstate. The following recommendation is made for TI:

Average use of FaB: Permanent-vehicular-barrer (PVB) should be constructed in des-ignated areas around entrances/exits leading to I-10 to deny traffickers the ability to reach the highway. This should be supported by a second layer of pedestrian barrier that is integrated with PVB and includes more secure vehicle gates.

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR Maximum use of technology: Integrating the use of technology in this area will work exceptionally well and be critical for overall achievement of gaining operational control of the river basin and levee. Lighting is inadequate and should be added in key areas. The use of infra-red, radar, and cameras will provide law enforcement with the ability to lo-cate illegal crossers.

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EL PASO CBP SECTOR

RREEFFEERREENNCCEESS Customs and Border Protection

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/sbi/sbinet_information/frequent_qa.xml Department of Homeland Security

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/sbinetfactsheet.pdf House Committee on Homeland Security

A Line in the Sand: Confronting the threat on the Southwest Border, http://www.davickservices.com/Line_In_Sand0.htm

University of Texas at Austin

Description of the El Paso Quadrangle, Texas (1909) Publication 2514134 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/books/landscapes/publications/txu-oclc-2514134/fullview.html

Wikipedia

The Juarez Cartel, (2005) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ju%C3%A1rez_Cartel

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