Federal Government Spends $90 Billion on Border Security Over Ten Years
In the past ten years, border patrols and other security measures have ramped up as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security fights to prevent undocumented immigrants and illegal drug shipments from entering the United States, especially along the country’s southern border. According to a recent Associated Press article, however, the $90 billion the federal government has spent on border security in the last decade has done little to stop either people or goods from entering the country.
The current security measures along the U.S.-Mexican borders include 165 x-ray machines used to review the contents of trucks and trains, 650 miles of walls and fences, and a variety of electronic surveillance and other devices, designed to patrol desert areas that border patrol officers cannot cover.
The changes have reduced the number of people arrested for illegal immigration, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In 2001, border patrol agents arrested 1.6 million people suspected of entering the U.S. illegally. That number dropped to 463,000 in 2010. However, the increased surveillance has not stopped illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, from being transported across the southern border and into the country, resulting in $25 billion in trade per year.
Border security in California and other states is meant to reduce crime and criminal charges. However, people in the U.S. are charged every day with crimes, including using, making, or selling illegal substances. If you’re facing a drug charge, the experienced Los Angeles drug crime attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf can help you protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome in your case. To learn more, call us today at (310) 277-1707 for a free and confidential consultation.
