Border Security, what it would look like

This is a concept paper as to what the linear border security zone along the southern United States would be like.

First off, all points of entry shall be secured, manned and protected against entry as best as possible. Incoming foot traffic will be segregated by type of ground transport used:

• Foot traffic - Shall undergo an inspection after metal detection. Those US Citizens with weapons shall be allowed in so long as original point of sale receipt or other legal receipt for such a weapon is used, or if it is already within the control system. All Citizens leaving the United States with weapons must show them for registration within the control system. A basic check for certain bomb materials will be done in an unobtrusive manner, preferably using trained dogs.

• Passenger vehicle traffic - Shall be inspected in a 'bay' system which allows for individual vehicle inspection and passenger inspection. Full video under-carriage inspection will be performed via cameras installed in the floor along with appropriate lighting. An all-compartment check will be performed for any contraband and to ensure that no illegal aliens are on-board. Similar checks for foot traffic will be performed. All luggage and other goods will undergo an x-ray inspection and bomb materials check. Weapons ownership for US Citizens shll be performed.

• Large passenger vehicle traffic - Shall undergo a thorough inspection of all individuals and the vehicle itself will have an under-carriage inspection and inspection of all compartments. All suitcases or similar will undergo an x-ray inspection and bomb materials check. Weapons ownership for US Citizens shall be performed.

• All vehicular cargo traffic - Shall have its contents verified. If it is sealed under a Dept. of Homeland Security or other cognizant department similar seal, the seal shall be checked for tampering. If the seal itself matches up in the inspection records and is not tampered, the vehicle itself will undergo a regular under-carriage inspection and all other compartments inspection. All luggage or other hand carried items will undergo a thorough x-ray inspection and bomb materials inspection. Weapons ownership for US Citizens shall be performed.

All border entry/exit points shall have a thorough sub-surface mapping done and shall have a 'shaker' device to regularly update the sub-surface model of that point on a daily or more frequent basis.

All such border entry/exit points shall: be staffed continuously, have appropirate sensor arrays for all portions of the area under control, have necessary communications links to all Local, State and Federal organizations and a dedicated link to NORTHCOM or equivalent.

All such border entry/exit points shall have a normal suite of weaponry, both hand held and physically emplaced for stopping unauthorized entry across the border.


Second, the double barrier system used up to maritime areas.

This system is a multi-layer system for detecting all unauthorized forms of border entry at ground, near-ground and underground levels.

The immediate outer system shall be a standard 10' high barbed wire fence with 10' pilings. This shall be established above the 100 year flood mark for those areas subject to inundation. Further the barbed wire shall be contained within a double-layer of chain link fencing so as to create a barbed meshwork that cannot easily be used for gaining hand or foot-holds. Such chain link fencing may have an interior electrical conductive core to measure changes in resistivity, conductivity or to pass an electrical charge through it.

The outer posts will each have a singular sign written in English and containing the skull and crossbones warning that illegal entry into the United States is prohibited and that lethal force is allowed without warning to those not crossing at normal border crossing areas. A lightning bolt isignia will be placed under the skull and cross bones.

100' to 150' or at a distance determined by topography and/or military needs, shall be established between the outer fence and inner wall structure.

This area is a military 'free fire' and testing area. There are no recriminations for use of firearms into that area. Only bodies identified as those of US Citizens shall be retrieved by cognizant authorities.

The ground surface shall be denuded of all trees or other obstacles so as to create as best as possible a clear and unobstructed view over the area between the fence and the wall. This area shall contain ground sensors and other devices for monitoring surface and subsurface activity and shall be under the design and control of NORTHCOM, although other uses will be permitted by that authority.

The inner wall shall be no lower than 20' high and have 70' pilings spaced at intervals indicated by good NORTHCOM. The wall shall be steel-reinforced concrete with any necessary other mixes or forms as indicated by NORTHCOM needs. A full suite of sensor arrays, passive or active emitters, and necessary networking and propagation systems shall be defined by NORTHCOM. At intervals of 1 km or as needed by NORTHCOM or dictated by topography, a single Close-in Weapons System point defense capability shall be established. Other such systems may include: automated mine deployment devices, sniper platforms, ground vegetation removal devices or any other system, device or capability that NORTHCOM needs to adequately stop incursion and invasion over the US border.

The full set of sensor arrays shall be networked into command areas at the border entry/exit points or at nearby civilian areas. NORTHCOM shall dedicate staff to ensure that the border is guarded at all times. Each of these areas will have immediate feedback into the system of border defenses. The border area within the confines of the cleared zone shall be kept clear of intrusion up to 50' above the zone (or higher) and subsurface for at least 150' or more. The entire system of sensor arrays, point defense and other systems, shall be augmented by UAV/UCAV use and by other designated units to interact with the Border Control System. NORTHCOM will site appropriate overlook or other areas for positioning personnel for long-range interdiction and indicate inclement weather capability either through the distribution of personnel closer to the border, through the use of mobile intermediate control facilities or through any other method or means to ensure border security during disasters of all sorts common to areas of the border.

At areas that rivers cross the border, the double wall system may be built somewhat further from the actual river and be hardened against flooding. Additional CIWS points inside the border used to give interdicting cross-fire shall be established. NORTHCOM shall establish all necessary passive and active measures to ensure the border at such areas.

At seashore and maritime areas, the border zone double wall system shall give way to a standard seashore to offshore interdiction capability. The US Coast Guard and US Navy shall help establish types and kinds of buoys, hydrophones and other systems to ensure that there is no infiltration of the border below surface, at surface or above surface. Netting is prohibited for marine wildelife concerns. All other passive forms that will not target wildlife are allowable. A seashore CIWS battery shall ensure thorough interdiction out to the horizon and antiship missile systems using remote radar shall also be established. Subsurface interdiction is left up to the best practices by the US Coast Guard and US Navy. NORTHCOM shall integrate the maritime border areas with the US Coast Guard and US Navy and they given mandate to properly secure, staff and organize those systems under NORTHCOM control.

The US Coast Guard and US Navy shall design a fully maritime patrol and interdiction capability for all unauthorized entry into the United States territorial waters.

NORTHCOM may perform any sort of training, equipment testing, explosives testing or similar so long as it will do no permanent harm to the Border Control System or negatively impact nearby US communities.

Lethal force is to be used for all unauthorized entry across this passive/active system, regardless of nation of origin. No criminal proceedings outside of the UCMJ will be allowed for this region. No Foreign Nation may bring suit against the United States for fatalities, injury, or loss of commerce or loss of capital goods by this system.

As Canada has offered help and friendship in border control along the northern border, a set of treaties covering this arrangement shall be instituted so that Free Peoples may secure both Nations and have freer movement between them. This shall take place once Canada establishes a thorough port of entry screening capability similar to that of the US.

That is it, folks. Help us and we can be friendly

Spurn us and do not take us seriously, and the US shall defend itself thoroughly.

I expect the cost of this will be far under the cost of rebuilding the sinking city of New Orleans to pre-Katrina levels.

Now the cost of something close to this has been estimated at $2.2B. Far less than $20B for NOLA Cat 5 hurricane *upgrades* and that would be AFTER the rebuilding of the current system back to Cat 3, which I have heard estimates between $10-60B and UP. And while a wall will have overhead (call it 1%/year of original cost) and such, it will also be manned using military personnel on training and backed by Border Patrol where necessary. In fact the Border Patrol could slack off and concentrate on high traffic zones, if there are any.

So call initial outlay $5B and per year maintenance and upgrade cost $50M/yr.

Compare to the cost of a modern nuclear aircraft carrier (CVN-77) running in at $5.2B and operating cost of $169M/yr.

VERY doable when looking at a minimum of $30B for a total NOLA repair and upgrade and who knows how much in maintenance for a sinking city....

Extremely cheap and gets the US peace of mind, too.