Border security includes employees of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who patrol the borders of the US in order to prevent illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and other point of entry crimes. Border patrol is often helped by the US Coast Guard, especially in cases involving ships trying to enter the US illegally. US border patrol authorities affect your life in many ways, even if you are not aware of it:
1) US border patrol authorities help limit the amount of criminal activity, drugs, and weapons which enter the US. One of the main roles of border patrol is to stop criminal activity at the border. To this end, authorities use scanning machines, canine units, biometrics programs, surveillance, and questioning to uncover illegal cash, smuggled animals, drugs, counterfeit goods, and weapons before they enter the US. This means less criminal activity in the US and less organized crime. As well, by keeping counterfeit products and smuggled animals out of the US, border patrol helps keep all Americans safer.
2) Border security authorities reduce the amount of illegal immigration taking place. Another key role of border security authorities is to stem the flow of illegal immigration into the US. To this end, border patrol keeps as much of the borders under surveillance as possible. Since the US is located on two oceans and shares long borders with both Mexico and Canada, it is virtually impossible to keep every foot of border patrolled at all times. However, border patrol has random checks and patrols to ensure that fewer people enter the US illegally in remote regions of the border area.
3) US border patrol authorities help to keep the streets of the US safer by monitoring who enters the US. They use biometrics and wanted lists to monitor who enters the US, to ensure that dangerous criminals are not entering the country. Each year, border security authorities apprehend wanted criminals and felons wanted on outstanding warrants when these individuals try to cross the border.
4) Border security authorities ensure that leaving and entering the US is possible. Border security authorities make it possible for shipments to proceed across the border in a timely manner and ensure that travelers can move across the border in a safe fashion. When you travel, border security ensures that you can leave and enter with incident. Without border security, the economy – not to mention travel – would grind to a standstill, as no one could safely cross US borders.