-
Original Date Announced
July 2, 2020CBP announces that Autonomous Surveillance Towers (AST) system, used along the southern border to provide constant surveillance of the area, is a "program of record." This system was previously named "Innovative Towers." CBP will procure and deploy a total of 200 ASTs by 2022, which scan the environment with radar to detect movement, capture images, and analyze imagery to identify items of interest, such as people or vehicles.
[ID #999]
CBP’s Autonomous Surveillance Towers Declared a Program of Record along the Southwest BorderEffective Date
July 2, 2020Current Status
Fully in EffectOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: Final/ActualTrump Administration Action: Change in PracticeSubject Matter: BorderAgencies Affected: CBP
Commentary
Congress, Don’t Give DHS Unrestricted Authority to Build a 'Smart Wall'
In 2019, the ACLU asked congressional appropriators to deny CBP funding for the so-called "smart wall," arguing that DHS had a poor track record for privacy protections and effective technology deployment. Go to article on aclu.orgTrump administration hires tech firm to build a virtual border wall, an idea Democrats have praised
According to the Washington Post, the "program of record" designation makes the AST system a dedicated line item in DHS's budget. Go to article