Border Security and Terrorism Essay

The only way that any country can effectively prevent terrorist attacks is by improving the local security on a domestic scale. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, â€Å"the protection of borders and ports of entry are vital to the success of this campaign (Campbell & Flourney 372)†. The issue here, however, is that by imposing stricter immigration laws and beefing up border security, the rich American legacy of legal immigration becomes threatened. As more and more people and politicians alike cite the pressing need to improve border security, that rich legacy comes to mind. According to Dave Camp, former Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Borders and Infrastructure, â€Å"while there is a need to protect the borders and ports of entry, any new policies regarding this matter do not have to intervene with the avowed American history of legal immigration (1)†. What the policies do suggest is that if there are those who violate the immigration and border laws, they will be dealt with strictly (Campbell & Flourney 377). Plans such as a REAL ID act or the removal of certain asylum laws that have loopholes are certainly plans that deserve a serious consideration. The entry of the attackers of 9/11 was greatly facilitated by the lax immigration standards and other legal loopholes. These allowed the terrorists to secure driver’s licenses and other permits that allowed them to move around the country freely and make the preparations that they needed to do (Campbell & Flourney 377). If the border security measures were not as lax those days, it might have even led to the prevention of 9/11. Campbell & Flourney, in their study on measures against terrorism have cited that, â€Å"A large step in curbing the possibility of terrorist attacks lies in improving border security† (372). Many critics have continually cited that the first step in winning the war against terror is by first preventing the happening of any future attacks. As such, airline security in conjunction with border security must be improved. The American-Mexican Border remains to be the largest concern since it remains as the largest security vulnerability of the United States. The porous domestic border could provide much greater problems than that of illegal immigration. It could lead to the entry of terrorist groups into the United States on a massive scale, leading to the proliferation of a large number of terrorists in the United States and possibly the establishment of a network that would make them extremely difficult to apprehend (Campbell & Flourney 372). Current Success of Border Security As earlier mentioned, the role of border security in the fight against terror is crucial. The current government reorganization program that has been proposed places the Department of Homeland Security, the Customs and Border Protection Program and the Immigration-Customs Enforcement agencies under a single operating body (Carafano 1). This move alone signifies that America is serious in curbing these terrorist attacks and that improving border security is a major factor. The next figure shows the attacks that have been prevented. Since the 9/11 attacks, over 19 terrorist attacks have been thwarted. Much of this success has been attributed to the Border Security measures that have been set in place since then. Almost all of these attacks have been intercepted through the careful monitoring of the activities that have occurred at the border. The passage of not only terrorists but also terrorist weapons is a major concern for the Department of Homeland Security and the Customs and Border Protection Program. The porous and vulnerable American-Mexican Border remains the key element in taking the war against terror to the next level. Without the current border security situation at the level that it is in at the present, most of those 19 attempts could not have been prevented (Taylor 3). According to most experts who are studying this matter, â€Å"the key remains to be in keeping the inflow of people and goods into the United States under close scrutiny (Campbell & Flourney 372). † While there has been much success in this, there still remains the question on what further improvements can be made against such a devious and cunning foe. Future of Border Security It has clearly been established at this point that in order to be effective in the war on terror border security needs to be improved. The government must take a firm stand on the policies that will be implemented in the area of border security. While such policies may threaten certain precepts that America is known for such as the legacy of legal immigration, it must be remembered that sacrifices are sometimes necessary to protect the greater interests of the American public (Taylor 12). If it means that legal immigration may be throttled to a certain extent in order to ensure the safety of the American public, it is certain that there are more than a few Americans who would stand by that decision. As it is, more and more funding has gone into the improvement of border security particularly with regard to airline regulations and ports of entry as well as along the American-Mexican border. â€Å"Laws that have funded the increase in the number of fences along the border have been drafted and stricter port of entry rules have been established,† according to studies done on this subject (Taylor 12). The next step lies in ensuring that these measures push through and that they are implemented effectively. It has been said that increasing the security measures that are currently in place will send the wrong message to the terrorists and instead signal to them that they have won and that America has given in (Taylor 12). Ensuring one’s safety, however, should never be considered as a sign of cowardice or defeat. Instead, it should send the message that the United States and its people will not give up and will not give in to the terrorist tactics of these groups. Concrete steps such as improving border security are one of the many ways by which the United States government can show that they are serious and determined to end the war on terror. Conclusion When it comes to the war on terror, every other person seems to be of the opinion that there is one solution that is better than the next one. Everyone seems to think that there is one sure fire way of dealing with the situation. Truth be told, it would be perfect if that were really the case because it would have meant that the war on terror would already be over. The sad reality is that terrorism still continues to be a growing threat against all civilizations in the world today. While theories abound, success stories against the war on terror are far and few. This is not to say that policies to help improve border security are a waste of time but it rather serves to emphasize a very important point. The war on terror cannot be solved by just implementing one policy or one program. The response to problem will never be as quick or as earth shaking as the event that intensified the problem. Efforts to improve border security are just one of the many things that need to be done to combat the terrorists. Be that as it may, it still is one of the more crucial steps to stop terrorism. References: Campbell, Kurt and Flourney, Michelle (2001). To Prevail: An American Strategy for the Campaign Against Terrorism. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies.