Security Technology: Border Security - Essay Sample

Introduction

The issue of effective border control has caught great global attention of over the past few years, and has, as a result, led to the enchantment of border security technology. Leaders have been faced with the political pressure of stopping illegal immigration, prevention of entry of terror group elements into various governmental jurisdictions through the borders and stoppage of human and drug trafficking through the boundaries. According to Koslowsky, a total of about 400 million people travel into the U.S. through the official border entry points while hundreds of thousands of people do so illegally through the non-official border points (1). There has therefore been a great need to ensure that the security and of a country as well the wellbeing of its people is increased. With the recent advancements in technology that have seen the illegal entry of goods and people get through formal and informal federal borders get advanced, concerns have been raised on the need to use technology to ensure that this safety and wellbeing is maintained.

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There have been various human senses concerning border security technology. Integrating advanced technologies in border controls such as the use of drones in patrolling the skies over the borders, facial recognition technologies and cameras that can identify people as they cross boundaries and an artificial intelligence technology that combs through immigrants' social media accounts has been invoked a couple of times over the use of physical border control walls a measure of enhancing security at the border (Schwartz). However, there have been concerns that such kind of standards will lead to an infringement of the privacy rights of people. Some other schools of thought have argued that even with the reasonable efforts put towards the use of these security technology systems, there are no set limits as to the amount of personal data of people, and whether the data collected include that of the citizenry of the country, and, despite all this, measures to ensure oversight have not been put in place. Regardless, the need for border security takes priority over privacy concerns. However, to resolve these issues, several legislations have been implemented to enhance control of border security technology.

Security technologies such as facial recognition software which collect the biometric data of people have been developed and put in place at the airports and other border entry points. The data collected is matched with existing databases of visas, passports, and other identification documents and the federal databases of suspects of terror and other persons of interests and immediately flags out persons that pose a security risk (Schwartz). Screening technologies have also been established at the airports to screen people passing through the official border points like airports. They accurately detector potentially dangerous items like guns, bombs, and knives and immediately raise alarms for the safety of people as well as the infrastructures and facilities being used. Customs and Border Protection implemented a program testing the facial recognition technology through the use of cameras and has also deployed united immovable turrets; earth instruments also image instruments, Mediator Moveable Investigation Organizations, updraft strategies of images, and remote and traveling video scrutiny systems along the southern U.S border (Gambler 4-5).

The facial recognition technologies, unlike other biometric technologies like iris scanners and fingerprinters, can identify people at a distance and matching the information received with the existing databases makes it a more accurate and reliable source of information. However, research has shown that the border security technology could lead to misidentification of people especially those from minority backgrounds. A study by MIT has revealed that some facial recognition systems and artificial intelligence systems have a rate of error of about 35% for darker skinned women as compared to a rate of error of 1% for white men.

In the next ten years, I see the future of technology shaping into the use of automation technology because there have been innovations in products like automated aircrafts systems, pilotless aircrafts (drones) and even advancements into motorized motor vehicles that have set the pace for more automated technology-based systems. In the next 20 years, we may have complete biometric identification systems, and in the next 50 years, we may have a personal flying car roaming the streets.

Works Cited

Gambler, Rebecca. "Border security: Progress and challenges with the use of technology, tactical Infrastructure, and personnel to secure the southwest border". Pp 4-5. United States Government Accountability Office. March 22, 2018. https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/690679.pdf

Koslowski, Rey. "The evolution of border controls as a mechanism to prevent illegal Immigration". Pp.1-15Washington, DC. Migration policy institute. February 2011. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/bordercontrols-koslowski.pdf

Schwartz, Jeremy. "Tech Could Supplement a Physical Border Wall, But Many Questions Remain". Justice and Public Safety. Government technology. February 22, 2018: https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/Tech-Could-Supplement-a-Physical-Border-Wall-But-Many-Questions-Remain.html