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Fact Sheet
March 16, 2004
ARIZONA BORDER CONTROL INITIATIVE
Goals
- Establish federal, state and local coordinated efforts to achieve
operational control of the Arizona border and support of the Homeland
Security priority mission of anti-terrorism, detection, arrest and
deterrence of all cross-border illicit trafficking.
- Significantly impair the ability of the smuggling organizations to operate.
- Decrease the rate of violent crime and reduce the need for social services in southern Arizona.
Additional Tools for Success
Personnel
The Arizona Border Control (ABC) Initiative will build upon the
combined assets within Homeland Security of Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Department of the
Interior (DOI,) and other federal agencies. Close liaison will be
maintained with the Tohono O’odham Nation and state and local law
enforcement.
- 60 Additional U.S. Border Patrol Agents who are specially trained
in search, rescue and remote tactical operations will be deployed
temporarily to support the ABC Initiative. These agents are able to
deliver life-saving medical treatment in remote parts of the Arizona
desert when necessary.
- 200 experienced Border Patrol agents will be permanently assigned
to Arizona this Summer bringing the Tucson Sector to more than 2000
agents.
- Department of Interior will support and coordinate patrol activity
on DOI entrusted lands which includes assigning a full-time coordinator
to the ABC Initiative.
- David Aguilar, Chief Patrol Agent for the Tucson Sector has been
named Integrator of the ABC Initiative supported by Philip Crawford of
ICE Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) as Deputy Integrator, to
oversee and coordinate the efforts of Homeland Security assets.
Aviation
Additional aviation resources have been assigned to the ABC Initiative for border surveillance of illegal activities.
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will be
used beginning in early June along the border. Funding for this project
comes from the FY ’04 budget in Homeland Security’s Science and
Technology Directorate.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement Air
and Marine Operations will fly additional hours patrolling the area
with both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
- CBP/Border Patrol has assigned four additional A-Star 350 helicopters to assist with these efforts.
- Air and Marine Operations and the
Border Patrol will use additional aircraft to rapidly transport search,
rescue and enforcement assets to remote areas of the Arizona desert.
Security
Investments to ensure the safety and security of Arizonans as well as
potential illegal aliens will take place through additional resources
and communication channels.
- The ABC
Initiative will continue efforts to disrupt, dismantle and target the
financial assets of human smugglers. The U.S. Attorney for Arizona has
committed to prosecute identified human smugglers.
- Operation
ICE Storm, a component of the ABC Initiative, implemented in October,
2003 has resulted in more than 2,059 criminal and administrative
arrests, 162 indictments, as well as the seizure of 86 assault weapons
and nearly $2.5 million. This operation will continue as part of the
ABC Initiative.
- ICE Detention and Removal officers will add resources to increase the capacity of detention space and removal assets.
- Outreach
efforts in order to warn would-be illegal migrants of the dangers of
contracting smugglers and using the remote Arizona desert to effect
their illegal entry into the United States.
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