	CBP Has Deployed Resources to Secure the Southwest Border, but Additional Actions Are Needed to Measure Their Effectiveness

		Border Patrol Scheduled Agents Differently across Sectors and Enforcement Activities, and Took Steps to Improve Data Measuring Overall Effectiveness

In December 2012, we reported on Border Patrol’s evolving approach for  deploying agents along the southwest border. Our analysis showed that in most southwest border  sectors less than half of Border Patrol’s apprehensions and seizures were  made within five miles of the border in fiscal year 2011. However, our analysis also showed that Border  Patrol had moved overall enforcement efforts closer to the border since  the prior fiscal year. Further, we reported that Border Patrol sectors and stations tracked  changes in their overall effectiveness as a tool to determine if the  appropriate mix and placement of personnel and assets were being  deployed and used effectively and efficiently, according to officials from  Border Patrol headquarters. Since that  time, DHS has reported the effectiveness rate in its Fiscal Year 2015- 2017 Annual Performance Report as a performance measure and method  to publicly report results of its border security efforts on the southwest  border. CBP Has Not Yet Fully Applied Performance Metrics or Assessed the Contributions of its Deployed Surveillance Technologies and Fencing

In March 2014 and April 2015, we reported that CBP had made progress  in deploying programs under the Arizona Border Surveillance Technology  Plan, but that CBP could take additional action to strengthen its  management of the Plan and its various programs. CBP  had identified mission benefits of surveillance technologies to be  deployed under the Plan, such as improved situational awareness and  agent safety. In November 2014, CBP  officials stated that baselines for each performance measure were to be  developed, at which time the agency was to begin using the data to  evaluate the individual and collective contributions of specific technology  assets deployed under the Plan. Moreover, CBP plans to establish a tool  by the end of fiscal year 2016 that explains the qualitative and  quantitative impacts of technology and tactical infrastructure on situational  awareness in specific areas of the border environment. While these are  positive steps, until CBP completes its efforts to address our  recommendation and fully develop and apply key attributes for  performance metrics for all technologies to be deployed under the Plan, it  will not be able to fully assess its progress in implementing the Plan and  determine when mission benefits have been fully realized. In September  2009, we recommended that CBP determine the contribution of border  fencing and other infrastructure to border security. DHS concurred with  our recommendation, and in response, CBP contracted with the  Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute to conduct an analysis  of the impact of tactical infrastructure on border security. Border Patrol Has Not Yet Developed Goals and Measures for Assessing Efforts and Identifying Resource Needs under the Fiscal Year 2012- 2016 Strategic Plan

In December 2012, we reported on Border Patrol’s efforts to develop  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. Specifically, citing a need to establish a new border  security goal and measure that reflected 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. We testified in May 2012  that the interim goal and measure provided information on activity levels,  but did not inform program results or resource identification and allocation  decisions, and therefore, until new goals and measures could be  developed, DHS and Congress could experience reduced oversight and  DHS accountability. Border Patrol officials stated that the agency was  in the process of identifying performance goals and measures that could  be linked to the new risk assessment tools that would show progress and  status in securing the border between ports of entry, and determine  needed resources, but had not established milestones and time frames  for developing and implementing goals and measures because the  agency’s time frames for implementing key elements of the plan were  subject to change. 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. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Border Security Fencing,  Infrastructure and Technology Fiscal Year 2011 Expenditure Plan,  GAO-12-106R.
Why GAO Did This Study

The southwest border continues to be vulnerable to cross-border illegal activity, with DHS apprehending over 331,000 illegal entrants, and making over 14,000 seizures of drugs in fiscal year 2015. DHS has employed a variety of resources to help secure the border, including personnel, technology—such as cameras and sensors, tactical infrastructure—such as fencing and roads, and air and marine assets.
This statement discusses (1) DHS efforts to deploy resources on the southwest border and measure the effectiveness of these resources in securing the border, and (2) DHS efforts to develop performance goals and measures for achieving situational awareness and border security. This statement is based on GAO reports and testimonies issued from September 2009 through May 2015, with selected updates through February 2016 on DHS enforcement efforts and actions to address prior GAO recommendations. To conduct the updates, GAO interviewed agency officials and reviewed related documentation.

What GAO Found

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has taken action to deploy various resources—including agents and technology—along the southwest border and assess those resources' contributions to border security. For example, in December 2012, GAO reported that CBP's Border Patrol scheduled agents for deployment differently across southwest border locations, and although in most locations less than half of Border Patrol apprehensions were made within five miles of the border in fiscal year 2011, Border Patrol had moved overall enforcement efforts closer to the border since the prior fiscal year. GAO also reported in December 2012, that Border Patrol tracked changes in the effectiveness rate for response to illegal activity across border locations to determine if the appropriate mix and placement of personnel and assets were deployed and used effectively, and took steps to improve the data quality issues that had precluded comparing performance results across locations at the time of GAO's review. For example, Border Patrol issued guidance in September 2012 for collecting and reporting data with a more standardized and consistent approach. DHS has reported the effectiveness rate as a performance measure in its Fiscal Year 2015-2017 Annual Performance Report.
Further, in March 2014, GAO reported that CBP had made progress in deploying programs under the Arizona Border Surveillance Technology Plan, but that CBP could strengthen its management and assessment of the plan's programs. GAO reported that while CBP had identified mission benefits of technologies to be deployed under the plan, the agency had not developed key attributes for performance metrics to identify the technologies' individual and collective contribution, as GAO had recommended in 2011. GAO also reported in 2014 that CBP officials stated that baselines for each performance measure would be developed and that by the end of fiscal year 2016, CBP would establish a tool to explain the impact of technology and infrastructure on situational awareness in the border environment. CBP should complete these actions in order to fully assess its progress in implementing the plan and determine when mission benefits have been fully realized.
In December 2012, GAO reported on Border Patrol's efforts to develop performance goals and measures for assessing the progress of efforts to secure the border between ports of entry and informing the identification and allocation of border security resources. GAO reported that DHS had transitioned from a goal and measure related to the capability to detect, respond to, and address cross-border illegal activity to an interim performance goal and measure of apprehensions between the land border ports of entry beginning fiscal year 2011. GAO reported that this interim goal and measure did not inform program results or resource identification and allocation decisions, limiting DHS and congressional oversight and accountability. DHS concurred with GAO's recommendation that CBP develop milestones and time frames for the development of border security goals and measures and Border Patrol works to define a new overarching performance goal for achieving a low-risk border and develop associated performance measures. CBP should complete these actions in order to fully assess its capabilities and progress to secure the border.

What GAO Recommends

GAO previously made recommendations for DHS to, among other things, (1) strengthen its management of technology plans and programs and (2) establish milestones and time frames for the development of border security goals and measures. DHS generally agreed and has actions underway to address the recommendations.