Positively reply to Casey’s discussion post. Casey answered the following question: From your analysis of border security, identify what you see as the top three issues regarding border security, your rationale for that determination and your assessment of the agency that should have primary responsibility to address that issue and why that agency should be the lead.

The first issue regarding border security is organized crime, primarily along the southwest border. Criminal organizations such as drug cartels, human and gun smugglers, and gangs all represent border security issues. The greatest organized crime threat is the Mexican drug cartels. Steinmetz stated that “the single greatest driving force affecting the security environment along the U.S./Mexico border is organized crime, and, more specifically, Mexico’s violent drug war” (Steinmetz, 2011, pg. 31). These cartels control a large portion of Mexico and have well established networks that enable them to move freely across the border. The drug cartels have directly influenced crime within the United States and have increased violence on both the Mexican and U.S. side of the border in response to increased efforts by Mexican and U.S. authorities. They also have affected crime within the U.S. by smuggling drugs across the border to be sold by American gangs. The ability of the cartels to cross over into the United States has also gained the attention of other threat groups, such as terrorist organizations, that would benefit from this access.

Unlike the organized crime threat, which is primarily along the southwestern border, the terrorism threat comes from both the northern and southern borders of the United States. There are radical Islamic organizations in Canada as well as South and Central America that wish to do harm to the U.S. Each year, U.S. law enforcement agencies catch thousands of special interest aliens with known terrorist ties attempting to cross the border (Steinmetz, 2011, pg. 34). Terrorist groups could also use cartels and their access to the United States to attack America. By using the established networks of these cartels, terrorist organizations could smuggle weapons and explosives across the border to carry out attacks. One example is the foiled 2011 plot in which Iran’s elite Qods Force allegedly attempted to hire a Mexican cartel member to murder the Saudi Ambassador while he was in the United States.

The third issue is dealing with corruption on both sides of the border. Since it is important that we have a good relationship with our foreign partners, corruption within those governments hinders security efforts. Corruption within the Mexican government is rampant, with drug cartels spending over one hundred million dollars a month bribing Mexican officials (Steinmetz, 2011, pg. 31). While not on the same level as in Mexico, corruption is prevalent within U.S. law enforcement as well. Between 2004 and 2010, over 100 Customs and Border Patrol officers were arrested on charges of money laundering, smuggling, and conspiracy (Steinmetz, 2011, pg. 39).

As stated in the Border Patrol Strategic Plan, “recognizing the jurisdictional complexity of the border environment, partnerships with the Border Patrol’s Federal counterparts are essential for the Border Patrol to achieve its goals” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2012, pg. 19). While all border security efforts should be a joint effort between federal agencies, state and local law enforcement, and international partners, certain agencies should take the lead on the different issues affecting border security. The Federal Bureau of Investigation should be the primary agency when dealing with terrorism issues due to their mission to protect the United States from terrorist and foreign intelligence threats. The FBI should also lead the effort against organized crime due to its relation to terrorist threats within the U.S. The Drug Enforcement Agency should also play a vital role in the organized crime issue, due to the drug cartels responsibility for a majority of the security concerns along the southwest border. While it is difficult to correct the corruption problems on the Mexican side of the border, CBP should take the lead on attempting to fix corruption problems within itself since it is responsible for law enforcement activities along the border.