El Paso Sector H2-A

Deployment Analysis

Location: Columbus, New Mexico – Three miles west of COL POE and continuing
14.11 miles west.

Key Issues/Constraints:
• The H2-A project lies between the border towns of Las Palomas and Las Chepas,
Chihuahua, Mexico. There are currently three miles of bollard style pedestrian
fence starting at the Columbus Port of Entry and running west three miles. H2-A
proposes to begin at the end of this existing bollard fence and continue west 14.11
miles and fasten to the base of the Johnson Mountains.
• The Johnson Mountains provide a natural barrier to vehicle intrusions and work to
channel pedestrian traffic.
• The town of Las Palomas, Chihuahua has historically been the foremost staging
area in the central Chihuahua region. The town has a standing population of
about 5,000 and provides the only commercial infrastructure in the 180 miles
between Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua and Agua Prieta, Sonora.
• Immigrants travel from all areas of Mexico to the town of Las Palmas to facilitate
their illegal entry into the United States. The town is an oasis that provides
lodging accommodations, traveling provisions and a thriving commercial
smuggling industry. More than 600 transients a day have been observed arriving
by bus in previous years.
• The border road across the project area has been a thoroughfare for immigrants
beginning their illegal journey into the United States. There is typically about 10
feet separating the U.S. and Mexican border roads.
• During high traffic times there is a near constant stream of buses, trucks and vans
traveling west from Las Palomas with human cargo. These vehicles can drop off
groups to cross unimpeded at any portion of the 14.11 miles of the proposed
project area.
• The vanishing point in the project area can be seconds to minutes in the West
Farming Area, where there are improved roads and numerous farm workers and
other legitimate vehicle traffic utilizing those roads.
• The improved farm roads offer quick routes of egress from the area. Agents can
often detect an entry, but are not able to identify and intercept the intruders in a
timely manner so as to affect an apprehension.
• NM Highway 9 parallels the border across the project area and comes within one
and quarter miles from the border. Illegal immigrants can cross the border and
load into a vehicle on the highway in less than 30 minutes.
• NM Highway 9 intersects with Highways 11 and 146, which run north/south and
lead directly to Interstate 10. Groups that cross the border in the project area and
gain access to a vehicle can be on I-10 within 45 minutes.

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 (b) (7)(E)

(b) (7)(E)

Nature of the Threat:

• Zone EPT 10 runs from Radar Hill to the Johnson Mountains and is slightly
narrower in scope than the project area. EPT 10 statistics for FY 2007 indicate
4,835 entries and 2,340 apprehensions. The numbers peaked in FY 2005 with
10,527 recorded entries, which average nearly 29 a day, and reported 3,272
apprehensions.
• Historically, it has been very common for Deming agents to combat multiple
“drive-thrus” and high speed turn-backs per shift across the proposed H-2A
project area. Many fleeing vehicles have attempted to crash through the existing
vehicle fence to avoid arrest by the Border Patrol.
• The town of Las Palomas has undergone a major increase in border violence as
rival crime organizations compete for a dominance of the illicit and lucrative
market. Since April 2007, there have been 58 known violent events associated
with the small town. This has resulted in at least 36 assassinations, 14
kidnappings and eight significant injuries.
• Some people have attempted to escape the violence in Las Palomas by attempting
to reach the Columbus Port of Entry. Some of these people, however, have
arrived at the POE with multiple gun shot wounds and others have even arrived
there dead.
• The Deming station has the constant concern that on-going gun-battles will spill
over onto United States soil and require immediate action by Border Patrol.
• Recently, the entire Las Palomas Police Department abandoned their positions
due to threats on them and their families. This has obligated the Mexican military
to deploy troops to secure the town.
(b) (7)(E)

Alternatives Analysis:
(b) (7)(E)

o The border zones associated with this proposed fence segment are
currently classified as “Effectively Controlled”. This is based on current

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 levels of entries, apprehensions, and available/deployed station personnel.
This level of control has the potential to drop should the number of illegal
cross-border activities rise beyond the capabilities of the deployed assets.
• Sensors – Standard ground sensors is a technology that is currently being utilized
on the most heavily used routes of travel. Ground sensors are buried in the
ground and are generally undetected (b) (7)(E)

(b) (7)(E)

(b) (7)(E)

o Deterrence is not a factor for this alternative, since these units are
deployed underground and its presence is hardly ever detected.
o The deployment of additional sensors combined with the current
deployment baseline will facilitate increased detection capabilities, but
will not enhance identification, classification or response requirements.
• Cameras – Cameras offer agents the ability to identify, and classify illegal
entrants as they enter U.S. land. Cameras even offer tracking capabilities, albeit
on a limited basis. (b) (7)(E)

(b) (7)(E)

o The deployment of cameras towers combined with the current baseline

deployment will facilitate increased detection and identification
capabilities, but will not meet Border Patrol requirements of persistent
impedance.
• Mobile Surveillance System (MSS – Radar) - Mobile Radar provides agents
with the ability to detect and track illegal entrants using ground based radar
technology. (b) (7)(E)

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 (b) (7)(E)

o The deployment of Mobile Radar combined with the current baseline

deployment will facilitate increased detection and identification
capabilities, but will not meet Border Patrol requirements of persistent
impedance.
• Border Patrol Agent – Border Patrol Agents are capable of detecting entries,
identifying and classifying the threat and responding to intrusions. Generally, the
forward deployment of a large enough quantity of agents tends to serve as a
deterrent factor for participants of illegal cross-border activity.
(b) (7)(E)

(b) (7)(E)

o The agent-only solution may be temporarily compromised should a

persistent illegal entrant or group of entrants decide to attempt to make an
entry. The agent(s) will be committed to take action in an effort to
apprehend, thus rendering his original position vulnerable. Should
additional agents decide to provide assistance, a temporary collapse of the
“front line” will have occurred.
o The deployment of the additional 1,988 agents, combined with the current
baseline deployment, will enhance detection, identification, classification
and response requirements, but would be challenged in the ability to
execute and sustain such deployment over a long period of time.
• Vehicle Fence – Vehicle fence is designed to deter and/or physically prevent
vehicles from crossing from one location to another (national border).
o The estimated 3-year operational cost for deploying vehicle fence in this
area is $40,354,600 (including maintenance).
o The current deployment of vehicle fence combined with the current
baseline deployment does not enhance detection, identification,
classification or response requirements. Vehicle fence does not meet
Border Patrol requirements for persistent impedance for pedestrians.
• Pedestrian Fence – Pedestrian fence is designed to deter and physically prevent
people from crossing. In addition, the pedestrian fence has vehicle stopping
capabilities. The pedestrian fence would create a greater time/distance ratio,
which would put agents in an advantage by increasing the time entrants are
vulnerable to apprehension. The structure will deter illegal entrants who are not
physically capable of negotiating the obstacle and slow those who are physically
capable of climbing over the barrier.
o The estimated 3-year operational cost for deploying a pedestrian fence is
$88,046,400 (includes maintenance).

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 o The deployment of the pedestrian fence combined with the current
baseline deployment will enhance detection, identification, classification
and response requirements. In addition, the pedestrian fence provides the
necessary persistent impedance requirement that facilitates long term
sustainability.
• Best Technology Combination – An analysis of technology components was
conducted to determine what combination would be most cost effective. Based
on the evaluation conducted by Field Commanders and the Sector Chief, the most
cost effective combination of technology mix for the H-2A segment was
determined to be cameras and mobile radar. Although technology is an extremely
useful tool for Border Patrol operations, this combination does not meet the
persistence impedance requirement.

Key Evaluation Factors:

(b) (7)(E)

Recommended Solution:
• Deploy pedestrian fence in the H-2A project area to deter vehicles and foot traffic
from illegally entering the United States. The fencing will shift illegal entrants to
the flanks of the Deming AOR where the time/distance ration better favors Border
Patrol operations.
• Deploy radar and cameras that provide overlapping surveillance of the project
area. When alerted by sensors or radar hits, agents will have more time to
respond and resolve the intrusion.
• Deploy Border Patrol Agents in a mobile capacity that can patrol the area and
respond when the technology systems detect and cannot deter an individual or
group from entering.

Projected Results:
• The pedestrian fence will deter illegal entrants on foot.
• The pedestrian fence will deter vehicle entries and the incidence of southbound
fleeing vehicles crashing through the existing vehicle fence.
• There will be significantly fewer agents required to maintain effective control in
the project area.
• The pedestrian fence will create the ability to re-allocate hundreds of thousands of
dollars in yearly salaries for a one-time cost of tactical infrastructure and
technology deployment.

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• Denying illegal alien traffic this main corridor will push the activity to Deming’s
western flank where the vanishing point is hours to days. Greater resources can
then be focused on that specific area.
• The pedestrian fence will create a higher level of officer safety.
• The proposed enhancement of the right combination of personnel, technology and
infrastructure should increase the project area border security status to sustainable
level of “Effective Control”, even during a significant rise in illegal cross-border
activity.

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