Tucson Sector (E-2A)

Deployment Analysis

Location: Naco, Arizona – E-2A, 6.06 miles of rural area

Key Issues/Constraints:
• The proposed E-2A project covers 6.06 miles of land border with Mexico in the
Naco Border Patrol Station Area of Responsibility (AOR). The combined
population of Sierra Vista and Hereford, Arizona is a 50,793 people. The city of
Naco, Sonora, Mexico has a population of 4,896 people. (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

• Homes and businesses in Hereford, Arizona are located within a few hundred feet
of the border. (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

• Highway 92 parallels the US/Mexico Border approximately 1-2 miles north from
the border. The proximity of this highway impacts the time-distance requirement.
An average person on foot can travel to Highway 92 in 10-25 minutes in most of
the E2-A segment. Highway 90 runs from Sierra Vista north to I-10. The major
north/south road is a four lane highway that experiences major commuter traffic.
This gives the smuggling organizations the ability to easily blend with the rest of
the legitimate traffic diminishing the enforcement capabilities. I-10 is a major
roadway that travels west through (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

• The Coronado National Monument and the San Pedro Riparian National
Conservation Area (SPRNCA) are located within the E2-A segment.
Construction and enforcement activity near these Public Lands are sensitive issues
with the local community. The Huachuca Water Umbel is an endangered plant
that lives in the SPRNCA approximately 800 feet north of the border.
• The Huachuca Mountains are located adjacent to the western portion of E2-A.
The Huachuca Mountains have been identified as a potential Jaguar corridor.
• Fort Huachuca is located adjacent to Sierra Vista approximately 10 miles north of
the E-2A segment. Fort Huachuca is an operational military base with numerous
training exercises and activity.

Nature of the Threat:

• Fiscal year to date daily average activity in the 6.06 mile segment equates to 30
detected entries per day. The average number of arrests per day is 15.
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

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 (b) (7)(E)

• There have been 22 detected vehicle drive thrus in the E-2A segment fiscal year
to date.

Alternatives Analysis:
• Baseline – (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o The current deployment provides “Initial Control Capabilities

Established” border security status in the project area.

• Sensors – Deployment of sensors on active trails (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o Although sensors detect (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

(b) (7)(E)

o Estimated cost – $1,599,840 with a three year cost of $2,000,000

o The Sector Chief Patrol Agent anticipates the deployment of sensors
combined with the current deployment baseline will facilitate increased
detection capabilities but will not enhance identification, classification, or
response time requirements.

• Cameras – Cameras will provide the initial visual detection of persons and
vehicles entering the United States. The terrain will make it challenging for
cameras to effectively track the targets as the move through the washes, and
vegetation.
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o The construction of access roads is necessary to support camera

deployment in the E-2A segment.

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 o Cost to deploy Remote Video Surveillance System cameras (not including
any road construction or improvement costs to facilitate camera
installation) – $20,000,000 with a three year cost of $26,000,000
o The Sector Chief Patrol Agent anticipates the deployment of cameras
combined with the current deployment baseline will facilitate increased
identification and classification capabilities, will aid in detection but will
not enhance deterrence or response requirements that the pedestrian fence
alternative provides.

• Mobile Surveillance Systems (Radar) – Mobile Surveillance Systems (MSS) (b) Formatted: Highlight
(7)
MSSs are better suited for open (E)
terrain where radar detection capability can key in on activity at long distances
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o The construction of access roads is necessary to support MSS deployment

in the E-2A segment.
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o Cost estimate for MSS units only (not including any road construction or
improvement costs) – $2,616,000 with a three year cost of $3,400,000
o The Sector Chief Patrol Agent anticipates the deployment of MSSs
combined with the current deployment baseline will facilitate increased
identification and classification capabilities, will aid in detection but will
not enhance deterrence or response requirements that the pedestrian fence
alternative provides.

• Border Patrol Agents – Border Patrol Agents are capable of detecting entries,
identifying and classifying the threat, and responding to intrusions, but can be
overwhelmed by the number of illegal entrants (on foot) they confront. However,
these capabilities are hindered by the rolling terrain of the E-2A segment and lack
of access.
(b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

(b) (7)(E)
o Cost is $150,000 per agent (to include salary, benefits and equipment)
o Total cost of agent only alternative over 3 years – $383,850,000
o The Sector Chief Patrol Agent anticipates the deployment (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

is
deficient in the areas of excitability and sustainability when compared to
the pedestrian fence alternative.

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• Pedestrian Fence – 6.06 miles of pedestrian fence will deter illegal entrants who
are not physically capable of climbing the structure and significantly delay those
who may be fit enough to climb it.
o Bollard design (PV-1) built to accommodate anti-climb, vehicle stop
capability and 18’ height requirement. (b) (7)(E) Formatted: Highlight

o Estimated cost to commercially construct fencing, access roads, and

associated drainage installation – $27,268,148 with a three year cost of
$35,400,000
o As a stand alone feature, pedestrian fence cannot detect illegal entrants or
alert enforcement personnel for a proper response and resolution to the
situation. As a result, personnel and technology are required to
compliment tactical infrastructure.
o Proposed access roads and fencing will enhance operations by increasing
agent mobility and enabling them to tactically address the high volume of
pedestrian traffic in the area. Tucson Sector has requested a fence design
that meets both pedestrian and vehicle stop capability requirements for the
E-2A segment.
o The Sector Chief Patrol Agent anticipates the deployment of pedestrian
fencing and supporting road infrastructure combined with the current
baseline deployment will enhance detection, identification, classification,
and response requirements. In addition, the pedestrian fence provides the
necessary persistence impedance requirement that facilitates long term
sustainability.

• Vehicle Fence – 6.06 miles of vehicle fence as a stand alone solution is not a
viable solution for the E-2A project area. The high level of foot traffic, horse
back traffic, and ATV traffic will easily defeat the vehicle fence.
o Estimated cost to construct vehicle fence is $2.2 million per mile not
including necessary road and drainage structures.
o Total estimated cost to construct vehicle fence – $13,332,000 with a three
year cost of $17,300,000.
o The Sector Chief Patrol Agent anticipates that the deployment of the
vehicle fence combined with the current deployment baseline will not
enhance detection, identification, classification and response requirements.

• Technology Mix – An analysis of technology components was conducted to

determine what complement of technology would be most cost effective. Based
on the analysis conducted by Field Commanders and the Sector Chief, the most
cost effective combination of technology mix for the E-2A segment was
determined to be sensors and mobile radar. This alternative provides enhanced
detection, identification and classification capabilities but does not address
response or persistence of impedance requirements.

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 Key Evaluation Factors:
(b) (7)(E)
Formatted: Highlight

• The fiscal cost of such a deployment is close to $128,000,000 per year.

• The SPRNCA and Coronado National Monument areas of the E-2A segment
would be negatively impacted by such a large deployment of Agents on foot and
in vehicles.
• The use of technology as a stand alone solution would not achieve the time-
distance requirement needed to achieve operational control of the border or
provide the persistent impedance.

Recommended Solution:
• Deploy pedestrian fencing with a vehicle fence component deter and impede the
illegal entrants and vehicle drive thru traffic from crossing the border.
• Deploy a sensor system on the fence to aid in the detection of activity on the fence
such as a person attempting to climb, or tamper with the fence.
• Build access roads and improve the patrol roads to facilitate fence construction
and upgrade patrol activities.
• Deploy cameras providing overlapping view sheds of the fence to provide
enhance surveillance and compliment detection capabilities. Cameras would also
need to be used in monitoring the major highways where traffic tends to make its
way to.
o Utilize visual deterrence systems (lights that may be activated by camera
operators) for nighttime deterrence, and audio systems (speakers that
allow operators to “talk” to potential illegal entrants to let them know they
have been detected and will face arrest if they continue into the US.
• Deploy agents in a mobile capacity; patrolling the fence acts as a deterrent and
puts agents in the position to respond to detected traffic quickly.

Projected Results:
• The pedestrian fence would curtail traffic through the environmentally sensitive
area and Sierra Vista; therefore, fewer agents would need to drive into Sierra
Vista to perform enforcement activities in the urban areas.
• Illegal entries will decrease and the crime that accompanies the smuggling
activity will decrease as well. Criminal activity from bandits and others that
result from narcotics and human smuggling include kidnapping, robbery, murder,
rape, and extortion. The result of decreased criminal activity is a better quality of
life to the communities.

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• The increased level of difficulty will frustrate the criminal organizations and deter
illegal entrants and vehicle drive thru traffic.
• Agents will be available to expand operations to the Huachuca Mountains where
large numbers of illegal foot traffic are detected and travel into Fort Huachuca
Army Base.
• Increased level of operational control will be established.
• This enhancement is expected to raise the border security status to a sustainable
level of “Initial Control Capabilities Established” and achievable increase to
“Effective Control” with the proper combination of technology solutions, tactical
infrastructure and appropriate staffing.

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