	Apprehensions Decreased across the Southwest Border from Fiscal Years 2006 to 2011, but Data Limitations Preclude Comparing Overall Effectiveness of Resources Deployed across Southwest Border Sectors

		Apprehensions Decreased at about the Same Rate as Estimated Known Illegal Entries across the Southwest Border from Fiscal Years 2006 to 2011; Other Data Provide a Broader Perspective on Changes in Border Security

Since fiscal year 2011, DHS has used changes in the number of  apprehensions on the southwest border between ports of entry as an  interim measure for border security as reported in its annual performance  reports. In fiscal year 2011, DHS reported data meeting its goal to secure  the land border with a decrease in apprehensions. Border Patrol  data show that 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. Border Patrol officials attributed the decrease in apprehensions and  estimated known illegal entries from fiscal years 2006 through 2011 within  southwest border sectors to multiple factors, including changes in the  U.S. economy and successful achievement of its strategic objectives. The  Tucson sector, for example, showed little change in the percentage of  estimated known illegal entrants who were apprehended by Border Patrol  over the past 5 fiscal years. Our analysis of Border Patrol apprehension data showed that the  recidivism rate has declined across the southwest border by about 6  percentage points from fiscal years 2008 to 2011 in regard to the number  of apprehended aliens who had repeatedly crossed the border in the prior  3 years. Seizures of drugs and other contraband. Specifically, the number of drug and  contraband seizures increased from 10,321 in fiscal year 2006 to 18,898  in fiscal year 2011. Data reported by Border Patrol following the issuance  of our December 2012 report show that seizures of drugs and other  contraband across the southwest border decreased from 18,898 in fiscal  year 2011 to 17,891 in fiscal year 2012. Southwest border sectors scheduled most agent workdays for  enforcement activities during fiscal years 2006 to 2011, and the activity  related to patrolling the border accounted for a greater proportion of  enforcement activity workdays than any of the other activities. Across enforcement activities, our  analysis of Border Patrol data showed that all sectors scheduled more  agent workdays for “patrolling the border”—activities defined to occur  within 25 miles of the border—than any other enforcement activity, as  shown in figure 4. Border Patrol Has Not Yet Developed Goals and Measures for Assessing Efforts and Identifying Resource Needs under the New Strategic Plan

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 ports of entry 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. Prior to this, DHS used operational control  as its goal and outcome measure for border security and to assess  resource needs to accomplish this goal. As we previously testified, at  the end of fiscal year 2010, Border Patrol reported achieving varying  levels of operational control of 873 (44 percent) of the nearly 2,000  southwest border miles. Citing a need to establish a new border security  goal and measure that reflect a more quantitative methodology as well as  the department’s evolving vision for border control, DHS established the  interim performance goal and measure of the number of apprehensions  between the land border ports of entry until a new border control goal and  measure could be developed. 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 recommended in our December 2012  report that Border Patrol establish milestones and time frames for  developing a (1) performance goal, or goals, for border security between  the ports of entry that defines how border security is to be measured and  (2) performance measure, or measures—linked to a performance goal or  goals—for assessing progress made in securing the border between  ports of entry and informing resource identification and allocation efforts. DHS agreed with these recommendations and stated that it plans to  establish milestones and time frames for developing goals and measures  by November 30, 2013. 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 ports of entry and  the extent to which existing resources and capabilities are appropriate  and sufficient.
Why GAO Did This Study

Within DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) Border Patrol has primary responsibility for securing the southwest border between ports of entry. CBP reported apprehending over 327,000 illegal entrants and making over 17,150 seizures of drugs along the border in fiscal year 2011. Across the border, most apprehensions (over 38 percent) and drug seizures (28 percent) occurred in the Tucson sector. This statement discusses (1) apprehension and other data CBP collects to inform changes in southwest border security and data used to show effectiveness of resource deployments, and (2) the extent to which Border Patrol has developed goals and measures to identify resource needs under its new strategic plan. This statement is based on GAOs December 2012 report on CBPs management of southwest border resources and prior reports on DHSs efforts to measure border security, with selected updates from February 2013 on Border Patrol fiscal year 2012 operations data. To conduct prior work, GAO analyzed DHS documents and data from fiscal years 2006 to 2011, and interviewed CBP officials, among other things. To conduct selected updates, GAO reviewed Border Patrol data and interviewed Border Patrol officials.

What GAO Found

Since fiscal year 2011, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has used changes in the number of apprehensions on the southwest border between ports of entry as an interim measure for border security as reported in its annual performance plans. In fiscal year 2011, DHS reported a decrease in apprehensions, which met its goal to secure the southwest border. Our analysis of Border Patrol data showed that apprehensions decreased within each southwest border sector from fiscal years 2006 to 2011, generally mirroring decreases in estimated known illegal entries. Border Patrol attributed these decreases in part to changes in the U.S. economy and improved enforcement efforts. In addition to apprehension data, sector management collect and use other data to assess enforcement efforts within sectors. Our analysis of these data show that the percentage of estimated known illegal entrants apprehended from fiscal years 2006 to 2011 varied across southwest border sectors; in the Tucson sector, for example, there was little change in the percentage of estimated known illegal entrants apprehended over this time period. The percentage of individuals apprehended who repeatedly crossed the border illegally declined across the border by 6 percent from fiscal years 2008 to 2011. Further, the number of seizures of drugs and other contraband across the border increased from 10,321 in fiscal year 2006 to 18,898 in fiscal year 2011. Additionally, southwest border sectors scheduled more agent workdays in fiscal year 2011 to enforcement activities for patrolling the border than for any other enforcement activity. The Tucson sector, for example, scheduled 73 percent of workdays for enforcement activities; of these, 71 percent were scheduled for patrolling within 25 miles of the border. Other sectors scheduled from 44 to 70 percent of enforcement workdays for patrolling the border. Sectors assess how effectively they use resources to secure the border, but differences in how they collect and report data preclude comparing results. Border Patrol issued guidance in September 2012 to improve the consistency of sector data collection and reporting, which may allow comparison of performance in the future.
Border Patrol is developing performance goals and measures to define border security and the resources needed to achieve it, but has not identified milestones and time frames for developing and implementing goals and measures under its new strategic plan. Prior to fiscal year 2011, DHS used operational control---the number of border miles where Border Patrol had the capability to detect, respond to, and interdict cross-border illegal activity--as its goal and measure for border security and to assess resource needs to accomplish this goal. At the end of fiscal year 2010, DHS reported achieving varying levels of operational control of 873 (44 percent) of the nearly 2,000 southwest border miles. In fiscal year 2011, citing a need to establish new goals and measures that reflect a more quantitative methodology and an evolving vision for border control, DHS transitioned to using the number of apprehensions on the southwest border as an interim goal and measure. As GAO previously testified, this interim measure, which reports on program activity levels and not program results, 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.

What GAO Recommends

In a December 2012 report, GAO recommended that CBP ensure Border Patrol develops milestones and time frames for developing border security goals and measures to assess progress made and inform resource needs. DHS concurred with these recommendations and plans to address them.