US Erects Seven High-Tech Towers on Mexico Border Against Migrants teleSUR
go to original January 1, 2016

A total of seven new surveillance towers have been built at the Arizona-Mexico border as part of a program dubbed, "the Integrated Fixed Tower System." These towers are equipped with day cameras, night cameras, a radar and a laser pointer. (Cronkite News)

After several delays the U.S. Customs and Border Protection have built the first seven of 52 planned Integrated Fixed Towers on Arizona’s border with Mexico.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have completed the first phase of building a surveillance system on the border between Arizona and Mexico by erecting a series of towers, equipped with cameras and sensors.

CBP officials revealed this week that seven of the 52 planned Integrated Fixed Towers are now functional in Nogales, across from Mexico.

The solar-powered outposts are approximately 80 feet tall, with radar and day-and-night cameras that send real-time video footage to a Border Patrol command post.

The ambitious project is to crank down on the number of undocumented migrants and drug smugglers crossing the borders.

Jose Verdugo, Border Patrol agent and operator in the Nogales station, said the outposts will enable U.S. border officials to “see in areas we weren’t able to see before.”

Despite the increased surveillance, Verdugo said people “still try to hunch down low, roll across the road, find our blind spots” to fool the cameras and enter the U.S.

The Arizona Border Surveillance Technology Plan has endured several delays but is expected to be fully operational by 2020.

Read the rest at teleSUR

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