Deterrence and Interdiction on the Border...

There are a little over 300 ports of entry across the United States, most of them are on the land borders. Between these ports is the Border Patrol. What every one of those Officers knows is that their business is one of interdiction and not of deterrence. Now one looking in from the outside might say that deterrence is a good thing, especially in the realm of terrorism. We would rather dissuade the terrorists from trying to enter the country than try to catch them when they attempt to enter. Here is the monkey in the wrench so to speak, picture the ports of entry, border patrol roving Officers and Xs as obstructions affixed to an incline. If you run water down the incline, what you will find is that the water goes around the obstructions. That is what happens if you attempt to deter illegal aliens, narcotics smugglers, or terrorists trying to enter the country, they go around the obstructive Officers. The focus has to be one of interdiction, trying to catch them all, which in some ways causes a deterent effect. The mentality of those working the borders has to one of enforcement. The responsibility of those with oversight is to provide the number of Officers needed to conduct the job, provide incentives to keep them in the job, stress interdiction as opposed to facilitation and back up the Officers when they need it.