Tech Issues Delay "Virtual Fence" Plans

Homeland Security Officials Say Border System Fails To Meet Contract Requirements

(CBS/AP)  Homeland Security officials have told federal lawmakers that the "virtual fence" along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona doesn't meet contract requirements for detecting border intrusions and some of its technology will have to replaced by this summer.

Agency officials, testifying Wednesday before the oversight panel of the House Homeland Security Committee in Washington, D.C., said plans to expand the system to the Yuma, Ariz., and El Paso, Texas, areas will be pushed back three years to 2011 because of technological deficiencies.

The 28-mile virtual fence will use radars and surveillance cameras to try to catch people entering the country illegally.

The Sasabe network, called Project 28, was intended as a cornerstone of the government's multibillion-dollar border strategy.

That segment, which has been deployed less than a week now, has come out to reviews of outrage, CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports. There have been false readings, computer glitches, outdated software and cost over-runs.

As hundreds of miles of physical barriers and thousands of Border Patrol agents are being added, technology anchored by the virtual fence was to fill the gaps.

"Project 28 was supposed to be an example of how we could use technology to secure the border. The lesson is we can't secure 28 miles of our border for $20 million," said committee member Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J. "After so many years of promises and tests and millions of dollars spent, we are no closer to a technological solution to securing the border. This is unacceptable. It's what's holding up comprehensive immigration reform."

Now, Customs is claiming the project met expectations, Whitaker reports.

"This was a demonstration project - a pilot, and now we've learned a lot from it, we know the capabilities, we know how we can adapt this into our strategy as we go forward," said Jayson Ahern of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Critics say contractor Boeing Corp. never consulted border agents before engineering the system.

A Boeing executive testified that the company spent more than double the value of the $20 million contract to set things right and is now refining the network.

The Department of Homeland Security awarded Boeing a $64 million contract to improve the network in December, two months before the government accepted the Sasabe work.

Amy Kudwa, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, said that the virtual fence is not in full operation and that the agency continues to test the system.

[messenger9]

If we were as a country to take over Mexico and make it part of USA then the illegal would be legal and no more people would be hurt. I am sure we could combine our countries to make one. That would be easier and more humane than keeping the countries seperate. Just an idea.

[tucano2]

The percentage of Illegal Aliens who are criminals?...drum roll...100 percent.
By definition Illegal Aliens are criminals.

[tucano2]

Rubbish! The "system" was never designed to do anything but look good in photos during an election year; it was never designed or expected to do anything else. The requirements on the border include many "boots on the ground" and all heavily armed with orders to kill invaders within the fist yard of penetration into the sovereighty of the USA, bodies left as reminders to other potential terrorists as well as for food to scavengers.

[mattcbsmatt]

Even though fences are very common
Any type of fence that is use to prevent the illegal activity of illegal immigration is crazy and illegal: )

Any legal ruling against the illegal activity of illegal immigration is crazy. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is ILLEGAL or legal
Even though there is a hint in the phrase illegal immigration. :)
How in the heck can a judge know that ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is ILLEGAL: )

[rf35]

"The Department of Homeland Security awarded Boeing a $64 million contract to improve the network in December, two months before the government accepted the Sasabe work."

That sounds a bit fishy, paying to improve something before it''s even finished.

Here''s my idea to secure the border: remember those motion-activated machine guns in "Aliens?" Sure, we''ll get a couple of coyotes, but all the border agents have to do is go along and refill the ammo once in a while.

[jjp735i]

Same old. Big business, in this case Boeing Corp., gets big bucks from the government to do a job and yet does nothing to earn it.

[DaveGress]

The main problem with this fence is have the Customs and Boder Patrol involved in it. They are the group that let 12 MILLION plus illegals into this country. Until they are disbanded and replaced the problem will exist. No fence is strong enough to keep this group in idiots from ruining it.

[michellem99-2009]

I knew it.

[bhappy2-2]

The "Virtual Fence" will "Virtually Eliminate" all the "Virtual ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS"; meanwhile, the REAL ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS continue to ILLEGALLY INVADE and commit MORE crimes once they get here so they can TAKE OUR JOBS. Crimes like Identity Theft, Rape, Murder, Dealing Drugs, etc. etc. etc.
We need to do whatever it takes to get rid of these ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. Before we become NORTH MEXICO!

[dan9111]

Pathetic. They could just sell the land, and let the landowners make their own choices. The "secure the border" crowd can have their way and it wouldn''t cost the rest of us even a penny!

This notion that big daddy government should do things for our own good must be laid to rest. If you believe otherwise, then my goodness what drugs are you on? People are not setting up tents in your front yard, but they just might if you gave them free food and medical plans for doing so.

Instead, our government is purposely creating the problem it seeks to alleviate! Buying into either Republican or Democrat theories is surely a way to be a victim of this continued ripoff, and in the end is inhumane to the immigrants who will eventually suffer as well. It is about time for individual liberty, and not state decisions.