Border Security of the United States

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Table of Contents

Definition
Bibliography
Journal articles
Primary sources
Works Cited

Definition

The paper is about border security of the United States. The major concern is whether to have a secure border or to allow free movement of people, goods or services across the border of the United States. This border had been known as the longest undefended border in the world, but after the events of September 11, 2001, things changed.

The U.S government had to review its border laws and restrictions, which led to strict rules on its border. There has been increased time for security checks of shipment, thus increasing shipment costs for Canadian exporters. In addition to this, the US deadline for secure identity cards has affected trade and tourism.

The research shall be based on information from already documented information on U.S security. This includes books, journal articles, primary sources and online sources found in the World Wide Web.

This will provide information that other people have been able to gather about border security, which includes the actual figures of cost implications of border restrictions. The predetermined data of people movement across the border before and after border restrictions together with figures of economic implications shall be very important information for making conclusions.

Objective

The main objective is to determine whether the United States should allow a secure or free border to exist with the outside world for movement of goods, people and services, based on the events that took place in September 11, 2001 that killed many people.

Hypothesis

Free border may lead to increased economic and social relationship between the United States, Canada and the rest of the hemisphere through unrestricted movement of goods, people and services across its boundaries. This will ultimately improve trade between United States and the rest of the world.

Outline

In 1990s, the Canadian- U.S border was known to be the longest secure border that existed until the terrorist attacks in September 11, 2001, due to good policies that existed between the two nations. After the terrorism attacks, the US customs and migration agencies increased security on trade and migration of people across their border.

The costs that come along with these restrictions have been known to have a great impact on both the US and the Canadian economy. This is in the form of taxes that amount to hundreds of millions of dollars that the citizens pay to put adequate security in the borders. US border scrutiny has discouraged potential investors and exports to the US due to time wastage that amounts to a loss of millions of dollars.

Another problem is the increase in shipment costs associated with the security provided during scrutiny. This is due to longer times that are taken during the process and security has to be provided. In 2004, 6.9 million trucks cross the US border from Canada with reported time delays of 32 minutes per shipment costing Canadian exporters an estimated $290 million. To avoid time wastage at borders, exporters have to be accredited in the US risk management programs which is expensive.

The other problem of the introduction of border scrutiny is imposition of passports or some other type of safe travel document. This is with the intent of identification of potential terrorists, but it has negative impacts. This passport is hard to obtain and also expensive, thus, hindering the movement of the people and trade between the US and other parts of the world.

Bibliography

Books

Tancredo, Tom. In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America’s Border and Security. Los Angeles: WND Books, 2006. Print.

Warner, Judith Ann. U.S. Border Security: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues). Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print.

The book talks about a wide range of problems facing U.S border security that arose after the September, 11 attacks. According to Warner, the large area that needs to be protected comprises “19,841 miles of land and water boundaries and 95,000 miles of shoreline and air of U.S” – Mexico border.

The number of migrants wanting to reach the U.S, a land of big opportunities, has been increasing with time and has resulted in large number of deaths. Between the years 1995-2008, the number of migrants reported to have died are 5,000 and an estimated number of 9,635 in 2009. Many Mexicans were killed in drug related violence.

This book also focuses on border security before and after September 11, attacks. The security is said to have been intensified along the U.S. border after then to date. Warner also looks at “illegal migrations, counterterrorism, drug and weapon trafficking, human smuggling, the impact of border security on movement of people and goods and the effect of war on people and goods, and the effect of war on terrorism on civil and human rights”.

Journal articles

Bigo, D. “Security and Immigration: Towards a Critique of the Governmentality of Unease.” Alternatives (2002): 27, 63–92. Print.

Huysmans, J. “Security! What Do You Mean? From Concept to Thick Signifier.” European Journal of International Relations (1998): 4(2), 226–255. Print.

Boswell, Christina. “Migration Control in Europe After 9/11: Explaining the Absence of Securitization.” Journal of Common Market Studies (2007): 45(3), 589–610. Print.

This article by Boswell argues that political debate and practices in Europe have remained unaffected by the threat of terrorism, which was particularly high after the events of 9/11. The argument is raised to contradict the belief that the events of 9/11 led to increased security of migration control via the implementation of harsh migration policies.

The article expounds on the contents of the migration policies, indicating the various methods of keeping irregular immigrants via restrictions, deportation, detention and border control. The author also compares the security of the US border to that in Europe, and the tactics used to prevent terrorism.

Primary sources

GAO. “Border Security: Enhanced DHS Oversight and Assessment of Interagency Coordination Is Needed for the Northern Border.” Highlights of GAO-11-97, a report to congressional requesters. 2010.

GAO. Border Security: Security Vulnerabilities at Unmanned and Unmonitored U.S. Border Locations. Washington, D.C.: GAO-07-884T, 2007.

GAO. Managing for Results: Barriers to Interagency Coordination. Washington, D.C.: GAO/GGD-00-106, 2000.

Works Cited