Border surveillance towers face scrutiny over unexamined deaths as expansion continues

The short version

• Officials across four administrations believed fatalities near the border surveillance network were virtually nonexistent, but sources say Customs and Border Protection has never audited deaths near towers.[MIT Technology Review · MIT Technology Review]
• The government plans to spend $1 billion to triple the size of the virtual wall by 2034.[MIT Technology Review]
• Agency records have faced persistent tracking flaws, including inaccurate apprehension data and regular 30-day footage deletions.[MIT Technology Review]

Key facts

• The United States is projected to allocate $1 billion to triple the size of the virtual wall by 2034.[MIT Technology Review]
• Customs and Border Protection does not publish a complete map of its surveillance tower network.[MIT Technology Review]
• Sources reported that CBP has never audited the effectiveness of its towers or quantified fatalities near them.[MIT Technology Review]
• Government lifespan estimates from 2023 projected the tower program would cost $6.2 billion.[MIT Technology Review]
• CBP generally erases tower footage after 30 days unless an internal inquiry is initiated, which typically requires an in-custody death.[MIT Technology Review]
• Officials overseeing border security across four administrations stated they believed deaths near the virtual wall were rare or nonexistent.[MIT Technology Review]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• 4 ways to address the failures we found along the US border’s “virtual wall”MIT Technology Review metered
• The US spent billions on border surveillance. Why can’t it catch people before they die?MIT Technology Review metered