politics
Border Patrol Acting Deputy Chief Says Northern Border Lacks Full Awareness
Border Patrol acting deputy chief Jason Schneider told a House committee the agency lacks full awareness along the 5,500-mile U.S.-Canada border. The testimony followed a disclosure that Iranian nationals had been encountered attempting illegal entry.
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Border Patrol acting deputy chief Jason Schneider told House Homeland Security Committee members Tuesday that the agency does not have full awareness of activity along the 5,500-mile U.S.-Canada border. Schneider said the 21,000-person agency is using congressional funding to increase staffing, facilities, and resources.
He described a "holistic approach" that includes technology and partnerships with local, state, federal, and Canadian authorities.
When asked whether the Border Patrol has "operational control" between ports of entry, Schneider replied, "No, not right now. " He added that agents work daily to leverage technology and partnerships but do not have 100 percent situational awareness.
The northern border includes the shared boundary between Alaska and Canada and has no border wall. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said arrests of Iranian nationals have risen daily along the northern border. Schneider also noted that total Border Patrol agent numbers rose this spring to the highest level in a century.
