05.04.21

Hoeven Outlines Border Security Issues to Border Patrol Chief, Working to Secure Cameras, Mobile Towers and Additional Personnel for Northern Border

Senator Follows up on Recent Visits with Northern Border Sheriffs

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, recentlyspoke with U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Chief Rodney Scott to outline challenges and secure support to address security issues at the border. This follows Hoeven’s meeting with local law enforcement officials from Burke, Divide and Renville counties. The senator recently reviewed both the northern and southern borders. 

Specifically, Hoeven and Chief Scott discussed improving Northern Border security by providing: 

  • New cameras and mobile towers to improve surveillance and monitoring of the border.
  • More personnel: The Chief indicated that additional personnel will be provided on the northern border once the current situation at the southern border improves and as conditions on the ground warrant. 

Hoeven stressed to Chief Scott the need to ensure adequate personnel, technology and barriers are deployed along the nation’s borders and outlined his efforts to address staffing and security issues, including: 

  • Providing more than $1.3 billion in border infrastructure funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The senator is urging the Biden administration to use these funds to secure the southern border as intended by Congress.
  • Securing $28 million in FY 2021 and $83 million in FY 2020 to deploy CBP remote surveillance technology and surveillance towers along the U.S. northern and southern borders.
  • Plans to reintroduce the bipartisan CBP Hiring and Retention Innovation Act, legislation that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve the hiring and retention of CBP personnel.

“I had a good conversation with USBP Chief Scott about the challenges our law enforcement officers are facing along the northern border, as resources and attention are directed toward the crisis at our southern border,” said Hoeven. “At the same time, I stressed the need to resolve this crisis at the southern border so that Border Patrol agents can resume their main mission of protecting and securing our borders and that we must invest in the personnel, technology and barriers that will empower USBP to succeed in their work.” 

Border Security Priorities 

Hoeven continues his efforts to ensure the nation’s borders are secure and has repeatedly made the case to the Biden administration the need to advance the following priorities:

  • Secure the Border: The senator has been pressing the administration to resume construction of the border wall and put in place the infrastructure, personnel and technology needed to secure the border.
  • Reinstate key Trump administration policies, including:
    • The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or Remain in Mexico Policy, which required people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their case was adjudicated.
    • The Third Safe Country Agreements so those seeking asylum from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala can be returned to their home country to await the outcome of their claims.
    • Fully enforcing the CDC’s Public Health Order Pursuant to Title 42 so that individuals are returned home during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Move to a Merit-Based Immigration System: Hoeven has advocated for moving away from the visa lottery system and toward a merit-based immigration system, which will make the country stronger and our economy more competitive. 

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