Apprehensions Have Decreased across the Southwest Border; However, Other Data on Illegal Migration, Drug Seizures, and Terrorism Also Provide Insights into Border Security

Border Patrol apprehensions have decreased in the Tucson sector and  across the southwest border, and DHS has reported data meeting its goal  to secure the land border with a decrease in apprehensions. While changes in apprehension levels  provide useful insight on activity levels, other types of data may also  inform changes in the status of border security, including changes in the  percentage of estimated known illegal entries who are apprehended and  who repeatedly cross the border illegally (recidivist rate), increases in  seizures of drugs and other contraband, and increases in apprehensions  of aliens from special interest countries (ASIC) that have been  determined to be at a potential increased risk of sponsoring terrorism. Apprehensions Decreased at about the Same Rate as Estimated Known Illegal Entries in the Tucson Sector and across the Southwest Border

Since fiscal year 2011, DHS has used changes in the number of  apprehensions on the southwest border between POEs as an interim  measure for border security as reported in its Annual Performance  Report. These data show that  Border Patrol apprehensions within each southwest Border Patrol sector  decreased from fiscal years 2006 to 2011, generally mirroring the  decrease in estimated known illegal entries within each sector. These officials stated  that greater use of these data in assessing border security at the national  level may occur as the agency transitions to the new strategic plan. Our analysis of Border Patrol data for the Tucson sector showed little  change in the percentage of estimated known illegal entrants who were  apprehended by the Border Patrol over the past 5 fiscal years. Specifically, the number of drug and  contraband seizures increased from 10,321 in fiscal year 2006 to 18,898  in fiscal year 2011. Our analysis of Border Patrol data showed that apprehensions of ASICs  across the southwest border increased each fiscal year from 239 in fiscal  2006 to 399 in fiscal year 2010, but dropped to 253 in fiscal year 2011. In contrast, ASIC apprehensions within 1 mile of the border in Tucson  sector decreased from 26 percent in fiscal 2010 to 8 percent in fiscal year  2011. Southwest Border Sectors Scheduled Agents Differently across Border Zones and Enforcement Activities; Data Limitations Preclude Comparison of Overall Effectiveness

The Tucson sector scheduled a higher percentage of agent workdays to  enforcement activities related to patrolling the border than other  southwest border sectors in fiscal year 2011. However, until recently  sectors have differed in how they collect and report data that Border  Patrol used to assess its overall effectiveness in using resources to  secure the border, precluding comparison across sectors. In September  2012, Border Patrol issued new guidance on standardizing data collection  and reporting practices that could increase data reliability and allow  comparison across locations. Border Patrol Has Not Established Milestones and Time Frames for Developing Performance Goals and Measures

Border Patrol officials stated that the agency is in the process of  developing performance goals and measures for assessing the progress  of its efforts to secure the border between POEs and for informing the  identification and allocation of resources needed to secure the border, but  has not identified milestones and time frames for developing and  implementing them. Moreover, milestones and  time frames could better position CBP to monitor progress in developing  and implementing goals and measures, which would provide DHS and  Congress with information on the results of CBP efforts to secure the  border between POEs and the extent to which existing resources and  capabilities are appropriate and sufficient. Recommendations for Executive Action

To support the implementation of Border Patrol’s 2012-2016 Strategic  Plan and identify the resources needed to achieve the nation’s strategic  goal for securing the border, we recommend that the Commissioner of  Customs and Border Protection ensure that the Chief of the Office of  Border Patrol establish milestones and time frames for developing a performance goal, or goals, for border security between the POEs  that defines how border security is to be measured and a performance measure, or measures—linked to a performance goal  or goals—for assessing progress made in securing the border  between POEs and informing resource identification and allocation  efforts. To assess trends in apprehensions, seizures, and other types of data  Border Patrol uses to inform changes in the status of border security  across the southwest border and in the Tucson sector, we obtained  Border Patrol data for fiscal years 2006 through 2011 from DHS and  Border Patrol databases—apprehensions and seizure data from the  Enforcement Integrated Database (EID) and estimated cross-border  illegal activity data from the Border Patrol Enforcement Tracking System  (BPETS). To determine how the Tucson sector scheduled agent deployment  compared with other southwest border sectors and to what extent the data  showed these deployments had been effective in securing the border, we  analyzed Border Patrol BPETS data regarding the scheduled deployment  of agents, by sector, from fiscal years 2006 through 2011. To assess to what extent Border Patrol has identified mechanisms for  assessing resource needs under the 2012-2016 Border Patrol Strategic  Plan (2012-2016 Strategic Plan), we analyzed key elements of the  strategic plan defined by Border Patrol.
Why GAO Did This Study

Within DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Border Patrol has primary responsibility for securing the border between ports of entry, and reported that with its 18,500 agents it apprehended over 327,000 illegal entrants at the southwest border in fiscal year 2011. Across Border Patrol's nine southwest border sectors, most apprehensions occurred in the Tucson sector in Arizona. GAO was asked to review how Border Patrol manages resources at the southwest border. This report examines (1) apprehension and other data Border Patrol collects to inform changes in border security for the southwest border and the Tucson sector, in particular; (2) how the Tucson sector compares with other sectors in scheduling agent deployment and to what extent data show that deployments have been effective; and (3) the extent to which Border Patrol has identified mechanisms to assess resource needs under its new strategic plan. GAO analyzed DHS documents and data from fiscal years 2006 to 2011, and interviewed officials in headquarters and five southwest border sectors selected based on cross-border illegal activity, among other things. Results cannot be generalized across the southwest border, but provided insights into Border Patrol operations.

What GAO Found

In fiscal year 2011, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported data meeting its goal to secure the land border with a decrease in apprehensions; our data analysis showed that apprehensions decreased within each southwest border sector and by 68 percent in the Tucson sector from fiscal years 2006 to 2011, due in part to changes in the U.S. economy and achievement of Border Patrol strategic objectives. These data generally mirrored the decrease in estimated known illegal entries across locations. Other data are used by Border Patrol sector management to assess efforts in securing the border against the threat of illegal migration, drug smuggling, and terrorism; and Border Patrol may use these data to assess border security at the national level as the agency transitions to a new strategic plan. Our analysis of these data indicated that in the Tucson sector, there was little change in the percentage of estimated known illegal entrants apprehended by Border Patrol over the past 5 fiscal years, and the percentage of individuals apprehended who repeatedly crossed the border illegally declined across the southwest border by 6 percent from fiscal years 2008 to 2011. Additionally, the number of drug seizures increased from 10,321 in fiscal year 2006 to 18,898 in fiscal year 2011, and apprehensions of aliens from countries determined to be at an increased risk of sponsoring terrorism increased from 239 in fiscal year 2006 to 309 in fiscal year 2010, but decreased to 253 in fiscal year 2011.
The Tucson sector scheduled more agent workdays in fiscal year 2011 for enforcement activities related to patrolling the border than other sectors; however, data limitations preclude comparison of overall effectiveness in how each sector has deployed resources to secure the border. In fiscal year 2011 the Tucson sector scheduled 73 percent of agent workdays for enforcement activities, and of these activities, 71 percent were scheduled for patrolling within 25 miles of the border. Other sectors scheduled from 44 to 70 percent of agent enforcement workdays for patrolling the border. Border Patrol sectors assess how effectively they use resources to secure the border, but differences in how sectors collect and report the data preclude comparing results.
Border Patrol issued guidance in September 2012 to improve the consistency of sector data collection and reporting, which may allow future comparison of performance. Border Patrol is developing key elements of its 2012-2016 Strategic Plan needed to define border security and the resources necessary to achieve it, but has not identified milestones and time frames for developing and implementing performance goals and measures in accordance with standard practices in program management. Border Patrol officials stated that performance goals and measures are in development for assessing the progress of agency efforts to secure the border between the ports of entry, and since fiscal year 2011, DHS has used the number of apprehensions on the southwest border as an interim goal and measure. However, as GAO previously testified, this interim measure does not inform program results and therefore limits DHS and congressional oversight and accountability. Milestones and time frames could assist Border Patrol in monitoring progress in developing goals and measures necessary to assess the status of border security and the extent to which existing resources and capabilities are appropriate and sufficient. Border Patrol expects to implement other key elements of its strategic plan over the next 2 fiscal years.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that CBP ensure Border Patrol develops milestones and time frames for developing border security goals and measures to assess progress made and resource needs. DHS concurred with these recommendations.