The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is scaling up its surveillance efforts along America's land borders with the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) powered towers. As the immigration crisis persists and the Biden administration seeks to address border control with increased emphasis, the DHS has quietly expanded its $6 billion Integrated Surveillance Towers (IST) program.

Comprising over 1,000 surveillance towers strategically positioned along the northern and southern borders, the IST program aims to establish a "unified vision of unauthorized movement." Established in 2005, the IST program is projected to achieve full operational capability by 2034.

The Biden administration unveiled its plan to address the immigration crisis, which includes the allocation of $4.7 billion for a Southwest Border Contingency Fund and the addition of 5,800 border and immigration security officers. Additionally, the president will be granted more emergency authority to close the border when necessary.

In the DHS's Fiscal Year 2025 budget request, a substantial $25.9 billion has been allocated to "secure the border," primarily through the bolstering of government agents and advanced technology. Notably, the budget proposal also includes the previously undisclosed $6 billion IST tower surveillance program.

The IST program encompasses four components: Autonomous Surveillance Towers (AST), Integrated Fixed Towers (IFT), Remote Video Surveillance System Upgrade (RVSS-U), and the Northern Border RVSS (NB-RVSS). These towers, some of which are already obsolete according to the DHS, employ modern technology and AI to enhance the effectiveness and safety of border control personnel.

Leading defense contractors, including Elbit America (a subsidiary of Israel's Elbit Systems), Advanced Technology Systems Company, and General Dynamics, are collaborating in the construction and interconnection of the tower network. The latest contracts involve the acquisition of approximately 277 new IST towers and the upgrade of 191 legacy surveillance towers.

The IST network consists of day and night capable cameras, radars, and the potential inclusion of additional sensors like cellphone intercept devices, creating a comprehensive picture of the terrain below.

DHS aims to integrate all the towers into a "single unified program" and leverage AI to detect movement and activity, enabling the creation of a "common operating picture." However, despite significant financial investment, government auditors have raised concerns about the program's effectiveness in reducing unlawful border crossings.

In a 2018 assessment, the General Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that the DHS was still unable to fully quantify the impact of these technologies on its mission. The GAO recommended the establishment of better metrics to assess the progress of the Southwest Border Technology Plan and determine whether the towers effectively contribute to border control efforts.

The expansion of the DHS's IST tower surveillance program signifies a continued commitment to enhancing border security through advanced technology and AI. As the Biden administration aims to address the immigration crisis and protect national security interests, the effectiveness of these surveillance towers and their contribution to border control will undoubtedly remain under scrutiny.