U.S. Southwest Border Security Initiatives

AUGUST 2009 MEXICO Institute

This report lists some of the various projects, programs, and activities undertaken by the U.S. government to enhance security at the U.S.-Mexico border and to combat transnational contraband trafficking. Since the March 2009 announcement of a Southwest Border Security Initiative by the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. government has stepped up efforts to strengthen security along its Southwest Border out of concern for increasing drug trafficking violence afflicting northern Mexico. These efforts aimed to halt the flow of drugs, cash, and guns between both countries that is responsible for much of this violence. This report is based entirely on U.S. government documents, and we have made no assessment of these initiatives. This compilation groups such initiatives by agency. 1

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)2

The ONDCP is charged with overseeing executive-level anti-drug efforts and ensuring proper coordination of these efforts with local, tribal, and state authorities. In June 2009, the ONDCP announced a National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy with the goal of “substan- tially reduc(ing) the flow of illicit drugs, drug proceeds, and associated instruments of violence Compiled by across the Southwest Border.” Several federal agencies are responsible for implementation of Miguel Salazar the new initiative which has the following objectives: * Enhance intelligence capabilities associated with the Southwest Border Edited by Robert Donnelly * Interdict drugs, drug proceeds and associated instruments of violence Program Associate at the ports of entry, between the ports of entry, and in the air and maritime domains along the Southwest Border *Ensure the prosecution of all significant drug trafficking, money laundering, bulk currency, and weapons smuggling/trafficking organizations *Disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations *Enhance counterdrug technologies for drug detection and interdiction along the Southwest Border *Enhance U.S.-Mexico cooperation regarding joint counterdrug efforts U.S. Southwest Border Security Initiatives

ONDCP Multi-Agency Initiatives ONDCP FY 2010 Domestic Law Enforcement Funding Requests: Combating Narcotics Smuggling on SWB The following are ongoing and proposed (In Millions)* initiatives outlined in the ONDCP National $196.20 Southwest Border Counternarcotics 5% $60.30 2% Strategy. These strategies represent $217 the collaborative work of several U.S. 6% DOJ $2,567.80 DHS Government Agencies and Departments 68% ONDCP DOD overseen and coordinated by the ONDCP. Treasury $695.60 19% *Re-establish Interagency Working Group on * From the National Drug Control Strategy: FY2010 Budget Summary pg. 11 Intelligence Coordination (IWG-IC) to help coor- dinate and integrate intelligence resources across develop secure cargo containers, and establish agencies. Enhance intelligence coordination and standards for cargo security sharing among Federal Law Enforcement agencies and “centers” such as the El Paso Intelligence *Sustain the air and marine presence along Center (EPIC), with local state and tribal law the Southwest Border. Develop centralized law enforcement, and help integrate intelligence enforcement planning, intelligence, and opera- programs and activities 3 tional fusion center at the CBP Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC). Modernize sen- *Improve use of advance passenger and sors and other collection mechanisms such as cargo information as well as commercial and law AMOC’s Air Defense System Integrator which enforcement databases. Improve and integrate receives data from both air and ground units. border databases such as Customs and Border Establish a Common Operating Picture (COP), a Protection’s Automated Targeting System. Use real-time database of air and maritime threats programs like DHS Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism to secure global supply chains, *Expedite expansion of U.S. law enforcement liaison presence in Mexico. Ensure state and local investigators have the necessary clear- According to the National ances. Use joint coordinated efforts among U.S. Drug Intelligence Center, law enforcement agencies and the Department it is estimated that Mexican of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and Colombian Drug (OFAC) to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations. Increase capacity of U.S. Attorneys Trafficking organizations Offices to handle SWB drug investigations and generate, remove, and prosecutions launder between $18 and 4 *Enhance the Organized Crime Drug $39 billion in proceeds Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operations to

2 U.S. Southwest Border Security Initiatives

ing drug trafficking violence in Mexico and on On April 1, 2009, DHS Secretary acknowledgements by U.S. officials that U.S. Janet Napolitano announced inputs, such as cash, guns, and other resources, have fueled the violence in Mexico. The initia- that more than $400 million tive complements existing DHS border-security in American Recovery and initiatives. The following lists principal elements Reinvestment Act funding of the Southwest Border Security Initiative and would be directed to the suggests areas DHS intends to strengthen. Also included are descriptions of other existing and Southwest border, including ongoing DHS border-enforcement actions: $269 million for port and other infrastructure projects in CA, Southwest Border Security Initiative6 NM, TX, AZ. $42 million will go towards non intrusive inspection I. Increasing Personnel at the U.S.-Mexico equipment at SWB POE’s 4 Border

*Increase by 360 the number of DHS agents target bulk cash movements. Enhance bulk cur- and officers deployed to the U.S. Southwest rency interdiction capacities and increase interior enforcement of targeting bulk cash. Target illicit *Double the number of agents from 95 to money services businesses (MSBs), encourage 190 who are assigned to Border Enforcement sharing of financial investigative info through Security Taskforces (BEST) OCDETF Fusion center, target illicit use of elec- tronic payment devices. Apply the Department Department Of of Treasury’s OFAC Kingpin Act in SWB region Homeland Security Department of Homeland CBP: Requests $26.1 Million FY 2010 Security (DHS) SWB Related Funding, $6.6 Million Drug Related On March 24, 2009, Secretary of Homeland

Security Janet Napolitano announced a CBP Office of Field Operations CBP Office of Border Patrol $8.0 $18.1 FY 2010 SWB Related Million FY 2010 SWB Related Southwest Border Security Initiative to boost Funding, $5.4 Million Drug Related Funding, $1.2 Million Drug Related agency manpower at the border, expand the use of state-of-the-art biometric and vehicle The above organizational chart outlines requests for FY2010 funding which is related to the Southwest Border (SWB). The figures provided have been taken from scanning technologies at crossing points, and the ONDCP’s National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy Appendix B: Resources, which provides specific information on resources being requested by de- to enhance outbound inspections to combat partments and agencies to support the National Counternarcotics Strategy. Shown above are the requests for SWB funding for FY 2010 by the Department of Homeland arms smuggling. The announcement came at Security. DHS has requested funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBP has requested $26.1 Million in a time of heightened concern of the increas- SWB funding, $6.6 Million of which is Drug Related. ICE has requested $70 Million in SWB funding, $27.9 Million of which is Drug Related.

3 U.S. Southwest Border Security Initiatives

*Triple the number of intelligence specialists Department working at the U.S.-Mexico border Of Homeland Security *Increase by 50 percent, from 24 to 36, the number of Immigration and Customs I CE: Enforcement (ICE) agents at U.S. consulates Requests $70 Million for FY 2010 SWB Related in cities near the U.S.-Mexico border, such as Funding, $27.9 Million Drug Related Ciudad Juárez, Chih., and Hermosillo, Son.

*Double the number of ICE agents assigned Mission Support $6.7 ICE/ Office of Investigations ICE Office of International ICE Office of Intelligence Million FY 2010 SWB $48.7 Million FY 2010 SWB Affairs $4.9 Million FY 2010 $9.7 Million FY 2010 SWB to the “Criminal Alien Program, Violent Criminal Related Funding, not Drug Related Funding, 26.5 SWB Related Funding, $0.3 Related Funding,$1.1 Related Million Drug Related Million Drug Related Million Drug Related Alien Sections” adding 50 officers and agents.

The program works to expedite the identifica- The above organizational chart outlines requests for FY2010 funding which is related to the Southwest Border (SWB). The figures provided have been taken from tion, processing for removal, and prosecution of the ONDCP’s National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy Appendix B: Resources, which provides specific information on resources being requested by de- recidivist criminal aliens partments and agencies to support the National Counternarcotics Strategy. Shown above are the requests for SWB funding for FY 2010 by the Department of Home- land Security. DHS has requested funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection *Quadruple the number of agents designat- (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBP has requested $26.1 Million in SWB funding, $6.6 Million of which is Drug Related. ICE has requested $70 ed as Border Liaison Officers (BLOs) between Million in SWB funding, $27.9 Million of which is Drug Related. Mexico and the United States from 10 to 40. BLOs work to identify and combat cross-border enforcement presence at the southwest border, criminal organizations with a focus on coordina- and will be tasked with conducting inspections tion between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement of outbound individuals and vehicles agencies. Currently, BLOs are stationed only at San Diego and San Antonio, but with the expan- II. Modernizing and Expanding Technology 7 sion in the number of agents, Phoenix, El Paso, and Operations at Ports of Entry and Laredo will also have BLO representation *Expand the use of biometric ID technolo- *Add 100 Border Patrol agents at Southwest gies to help better apprehend undocument- Border ports of entry to conduct outbound ed aliens wanted on criminal charges in the cargo and personal vehicle inspections United States

*Assemble 12 new canine teams that are *Implement outbound scanning of all rail “cross-trained” to stop illicit outbound flows of shipments both currency and weapons *Create eight new Law Enforcement *Assemble three mobile response teams com- Tactical Centers to enhance coordination prising each of 25 CBP officers and charged with and information-sharing between Customs fighting arms and cash smuggling. Teams will be and Border Protection (CBP) personnel and deployed for short operations along the south- local law enforcement west border, will providing an increased federal

4 U.S. Southwest Border Security Initiatives

June 2008, this joint U.S.-Mexico initiative is DHS Secretary Napolitano aimed at “identify(ing) and disrupt(ing) trans- recently announced $50 border weapons smuggling networks.”9 million in Recovery Act II. Enhancing Intergovernmental Security funding to accelerate SBInet Cooperation surveillance technology and associated command *Border Enforcement Security Taskforces and control capacity (BEST): Created in January 2006, the taskforces bring together federal, state, local, and tribal authorities to investigate cross- *Update technology to scan license plates border criminal activity. In 2009 11 BEST of personal and other vehicles at 52 of 110 units will be in operation along the south- outbound lanes west border10

*Through Operation Stonegarden, direct *DHS Secretary Napolitano recently $60 million to state, local, and tribal authori- announced $50 million in Recover Act fund- ties to secure U.S. borders in 13 Border States ing to accelerate SBInet surveillance tech- and Puerto Rico. In 2009, approximately nology and associated command and con- three-quarters of this funding will go to trol technologies in AZ11 the four U.S.-Mexico Border States, Arizona, 8 California, New Mexico, and Texas Department of Justice 12 III. Assembling the Southwest Border Task Force (DOJ)

DHS has created a Southwest Border Through its many agencies, the Task Force consisting of border-region Department of Justice oversees counterna- stakeholders, local and tribal authorities, rcotics operations aimed at degrading the business leaders, and other prominent activities of trans-national drug traffick- voices closely involved in border policy- ing organizations, including those of the making. For a complete list of members, go Mexico-based Juárez, Gulf, and Sinaloa car- to: http://www.dhs.gov/ files/committees/ tels. Agencies such as the Drug Enforcement gc_1244205126515.shtm. Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well Other and Existing DHS Initiatives as the Department’s Special Operations Division, conduct various kinds of coun- I. Fighting Arms Trafficking ternarcotics actions. The following is a brief description of existing DOJ pro- *Operation Armas Cruzadas: Launched in

5 grams, future initiatives and goals, and past international drug kingpins, helping to accomplishments. prioritize the organizations and leaders whose operations have the most negative I. Conducting Counternarcotics impact on the United States. Of 55 world- Operations and Investigations wide narcotics “cartels,” 20 are Mexico-based enterprises. *Operation Xcellerator: From May 2007-February 2009, this multi-agency and *Project Reckoning: Begun in September international effort targeted the power- 2008-present, targets the Mexico-based Gulf ful Mexico-based Sinaloa cartel. This opera- Cartel. The operation has yielded the follow- tion has culminated in the arrests of alleged ing results: 600 arrests in the United States Sinaloa Cartel Members and heads of cells and Mexico, including three alleged lead- who resided within the United States. ers of the Gulf Cartel: (Ezequiel Cardenas- Guillen, Heriberto Lazcano-Lazcano and *Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Jorge Eduardo Costilla-Sanchez), the con- Forces (OCDETF): These taskforces aim to fiscation of 20 metric tons of cocaine and degrade the operations of major drug traffick- similarly large quantities of marijuana and ing organizations, prioritizing those groups methamphetamine, and the seizure of hun- that have the most adverse impact on the dreds of firearms and $76 million in cash. United States. *Drug Flow Attack Strategy (DFAS): This *Consolidated Priority Organization Target multi-agency initiative was designed to dis- (CPOT): DOJ analysis of the “most wanted” rupt the flow of drug money and precursor chemicals between source zones and the United States by attacking the supply chains, Department transportation logistics, and financial infra- of Justice structures of drug trafficking organizations. Update: In 2009, the DFAS was expanded to include four new mobile enforcement teams at the U.S.-Mexico bor- O C D ET F Requests $99.8 der and specifically charged with dis- Million in FY 2010 SWB Related rupting methamphetamine Funding trafficking.

*OCDETF Southwest Region Gatekeeper

DEA Requests ATF Requests FBI Requests USA Requests CRM OFDT Requests USMS Requests Initiative: This initiative is designed to $511.8 Million $61.0 Million $47.0 Million $196.0 Million Requests $411.3 Million in $239.2 Million in FY 2010 SWB in SWB in FY 2010 in FY 2010 $9.9 Million in SWB Related SWB Related degrade the operation of the so-called “gate- Related Related SWB Related SWB Related SWB Related Funding Funding Funding Funding Funding Funding Funding keepers” who control access to the lucrative corridors and conduits that traffickers use to move contraband.

6 II. Fighting Arms Trafficking III. Stopping Illicit Financial Transactions and Halting Bulk *Project Gunrunner: Aimed at curtailing Cash Smuggling outbound flows of contraband weapons from the United States to Mexico, Project *Bulk Currency Money Laundering Gunrunner has been in operation since Initiative: This initiative targets bulk curren- 2006. The program oversees special agents cy shipments in the U.S. Southwest and aims charged with full-time investigation of fire- to halt the concentration of bulk shipments arms trafficking, including investigating at locations within the United States, as well Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) who are as to impede the outbound flow of drug located along the U.S.-Mexico border. trafficking proceeds. It is an OCDETF strate- gic initiative and involves a number of agen- Update: One-hundred additional ATF cies from within the DOJ as well as from the agents have been deployed to the Department of the Treasury. southwest border to halt the outbound flow of contraband arms; $10 million References: has been directed from recent eco- nomic stimulus legislation (American 1. Much�� of the information for this compila- Recovery and Reinvestment Act) to tion came from the congressional testi- fund the hiring of 37 ATF agents for mony of R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director, Office new Project Gunrunner teams in three of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), cities near border and to staff special Lanny A. Breuer, Assistant Attorney General, agents at U.S. consulates along bor- Department of Justice (DOJ), William Hoover, der (Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana). Assistant Director for Field Operations, *E-Trace: An investigative tool to disrupt Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and firearms trafficking at the southwest border. Explosives (ATF), Anthony P. Placido, Assistant After a weapon has been seized, information Administrator and Chief of Intelligence, Drug such as its make, model, and serial number Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alan are entered into the E-Trace system, which Bersin, Assistant Secretary for International enables investigators to identify important Affairs and Special Representative for Border details related to the purchase and/or repur- Affairs, Department of Homeland Security chase of the weapon, such as the identity of the buyer and of the merchant. A Spanish- (DHS), Kumar Kibble, Deputy Director, Office language version of E-Trace is under devel- of Investigations, Immigration and Customs opment to assist Mexican investigators in Enforcement (ICE), Todd C. Owen, Acting determining the source of weapons seized Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of 13 at crime scenes Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and J. Robert McBrien, Associate Director for Investigations and

7 Enforcement, Office of Foreign Assets Control, htm Department of the Treasury. Their testi- 10. Testimony of Kumar C. Kibble, Deputy mony was taken on July 9, 2009, before the Director, Office of Investigations, Immigration U.S. House of Representatives Committee and Customs Enforcement, before the Senate on Oversight and Government Reform. Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee Statements are available at the following link: on Crime and Drugs and the Senate Caucus http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2531. on International Narcotics Control, “Law 2. Please see National Southwest Border Enforcement Responses to Mexican Drug Counternarcotics Strategy, http://www.white- Cartels” http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/testimo- housedrugpolicy.gov/ publications/swb_coun- ny/testimony_1237397860176.shtm ternarcotics_strategy09/index.html 11. National Southwest Border Counternarcotics 3. National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy pg. 14 Strategy pg. 6-7 12. Testimony of Lanny A. Breuer, Assistant 4. Please see National Southwest Border Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Counternarcotics Strategy, http://www.white- Department of Justice; William Hoover, housedrugpolicy.gov/ publications/swb_coun- Assistant Director for Field Operations, Bureau ternarcotics_strategy09/index.html of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, 5. National Southwest Border Counternarcotics U.S. Department of Justice; Anthony P. Placido, Strategy pg. 9 Assistant Administrator for Intelligence, 6. Administration Officials Announce Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. U.S.-Mexico Border Security Policy: A Department of Justice; before the U.S. House Comprehensive Response & Commitment of Representatives, Committee on Oversight http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ and Government Reform, “The Rise of Mexican Administration-Officials-Announce-US-Mexico- Drug Cartels and U.S. National Security” Border-Security-Policy-A-Comprehensive- 13. See “Testimony of William Hoover” at http:// Response-and-Commitment/ oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2531 7. See “Testimony of Todd Owen” at http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2531 8. “Secretary Napolitano Announces $60 Million in Operation Stonegarden Grants for U.S. Border States” http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/ Cover Photos By: releases/pr_1244070019405.shtm Tomas Castelazo 9. See http://www.ice.gov/investigations/nation- http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Us-mexico_border_at_Tijuana.jpg °Florian al_security/cpi.htm and http://www.ice.gov/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fboyd/2552339608/

pi/news/newsreleases/articles/080609houston. dherrera_96 http://www.flickr.com/photos/dph1110/3460902258/

8 MEXICO Institute Wo o d r o w Wi l s o n International Ce n t e r f o r Sc h o l a r s

MEXICO Institute Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Woodrow Wilson Lee H. Hamilton, President and Director International Center for Scholars Board of Trustees Joseph B. Gildenhorn, Chair Andrew Selee, Director Sander R. Gerber, Vice Chair Public Members: James H. Billington, The Librarian of Congress; Hillary R. Clinton, OneW oodrowW ilson Plaza The Secretary, U.S. Department of State; G. Wayne Clough, The Secretary, Smithsonian 1300 Pennsylvania Institution; Arne Duncan, The Secretary, U.S. Department of Education; Kathleen Sebe- Avenue, NW lius, The Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Adrienne Thomas, Washington, D.C. 20004-3027 Acting Archivist of the United States; Carol Watson, Acting Chairman, National Endow- ment for the Humanities Private Citizen Members: Charles Cobb, Jr., Robin Cook, Charles L. Glazer, Carlos Tel: 202.691.4399 M. Gutierrez, Susan Hutchison, Barry S. Jackson, Ignacio E. Sanchez Fax: 202.691.4076 [email protected] About the Center www.wilsoncenter. The Center is the living memorial of the United States of America to the nation’s twenty- org/MEXICO eighth president, Woodrow Wilson. Congress established the Woodrow Wilson Center in 1968 as an international institute for advanced study, “symbolizing and strengthening the fruitful relationship between the world of learning and the world of public affairs.” The Center opened in 1970 under its own board of trustees. In all its activities the Woodrow Wilson Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, supported financially by annual appropriations from Congress, and by the contributions of foundations, corporations, and individuals. Conclusions or opinions expressed in Cen- ter publications and programs are those of the authors and speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center staff, fellows, trustees, advisory groups, or any individuals or organizations that provide financial support to the Center.