Introduction
In the present-day environment of high levels of political tension, the issue of border control has gained traction both in the media and among general audiences. Border security consists of measures to check and assess the state of sentiment at the border related to customs and the movement of people in various ways. The issue of border security with regard to migrants has been an issue for a long time since the last few years have shown an increase in illegal border crossings. The army is involved in the border protection process and the military acts as escorts for border guards. Most of the time, the army is contracted, and the service period is extended. By promoting active duty as a necessary measure, the state authorities will be able to enhance the extent of state security due to increased protection of the southern border.
Discussion
The southern border is the most protected part of the borders of the United States. On the Mexican side, the number of irregular migrants is the highest, and using a regular army has become common in the last few years (Isacson et al., 2021). The use of military forces is on par with that of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and recently the military’s involvement is bound to increase. In this case, the active duty and the execution of border security within it allows the military to acquire training in case of an emergency. Involving individuals in active duty will allow the state to manage the capacity of its military to fund it based on the needs and gaps identified during border service (Department of Defense, 2021). Active duty is a full-time job performed by U.S. citizens, and enhancing border security by engaging the military will establish what the army is and how effective it is. Consequently, using active duty personnel on the southern border will determine the current state of the military and its shortcomings, if any, related to security problems.
In addition, it should be taken into account that despite the legislative restrictions on the powers of the active duty forces at the border, they can reduce the risks associated with irregular migrants. The Council on Foreign Relations suggests that these restrictions allow the active army to conduct surveillance and border control processes that increase border security (Cheatham et al., 2022). In addition to surveillance, the army can use force against migrants if there is a threat to life. In this regard, the army can reduce the frequency of attacks by migrants and stop attempts to break the integrity of the demarcation complex (barbed wire or fence). The incumbent army has limited authority, allowing it more time to focus on control and surveillance, which have long dominated policy (Isacson et al., 2021). Border surveillance makes it easier for the security service to conduct the core processes associated with customs because they shift border crossing issues to the shoulders of the active army. Thus, the involvement of active-duty military forces will allow control and surveillance to be managed, executed more thoroughly, and subjected to comprehensive analysis.
It should be understood that although the primary role of the active army at the border is surveillance, these troops can support other units and already manage their performance. Although the common goal is to detect illegal migration, active duty troops can provide logistical, analytical, and other support to the security service, according to Cheatham et al. (2022). Deploying active-duty troops to hot spots or borders not effectively used by migrants will reduce the security service’s ability to respond to conflict, as Isacson et al. (2021) explain. Moreover, the involvement of a regular army can be associated with a decrease in the frequency of violent attacks by migrants and an increase in the effectiveness of border control. The active duty army fills the personnel holes associated with the labor burden and the need for constant vigilance over documents. Using active duty troops solves the problem of the number of personnel involved in security and can potentially increase the frequency of legal crossings of migrants. Based on this, using regular army forces facilitates the process of security service management.
Continuing the understanding of how military support works at the border, the armed forces’ technological capabilities should be considered. Troops often receive large amounts of funding to build equipment, defense systems, and weapons, so their skill sets are much larger than those of a lesser-funded security service, according to the Department of Defense (2021). On this basis, troops provide data on the creation, design, and functioning of various devices useful in border security. In addition, innovative investments, medical support, and logistical resources are traditionally better at defense enterprises, so using military personnel can significantly improve the quality of customs control and migration oversight.
Conclusion
Consequently, the involvement of active-duty military forces in securing southern borders is mediated by several factors. First, there are growing tensions at the southern borders and an increasing number of migrants who require additional oversight. The involvement of active-duty military forces will allow us to ascertain the state of the army and its ability to participate in security. Second, active-duty militaries cannot use weapons or violence because of legal restrictions, so they can significantly improve control and oversight of illegal border crossings. Finally, the army usually receives more investment packages to develop technical and material support. By involving active-duty military forces in border defense activities, the quality and productivity of customs control and migration can be improved by using new technologies and techniques.
References
Cheatham, A., Klobucista, C, & Roy, D. (2022). How the U.S. patrols its borders. Council on Foreign Relations. Web.
Department of Defense. (2021). Military support for customs and border protection along the southern border under the posse comitatus act. U.S. Department of Justice. Web.
Isacson, A. (2021). Weekly U.S.-Mexico border update: Biden admin extends military deployment into 2022, ‘Invasion’ narrative making a dent in U.S. public opinion. WOLA. Web.