Key Part Of President's Immigration Plan May Be Compromised

When President Bush announced his broader immigration initiative plan last week, deployment of additional unmanned aerial vehicles along the US-Mexico border was a major part of it. Increased coverage at lower cost in manpower and equipment to the agency were cited as reasons... however, another government agency may keep those UAVs grounded for the future.

Under current regulations, the UAVs may only be operated inside restricted military airspace, unless a special exemption is granted by the FAA. Considering it's taken over two years for the Homeland Security Department's US Customs and Border Protection Directorate to finalize an agreement with the FAA to fly one UAV in the Tucson, AZ area, that process may be problematic.

"We have to talk and ask for permission, but FAA is very strict," said an unnamed CBP spokesperson, as quoted by Congress Daily. "We're looking at what we can do to get exemptions."

According to the source, the agency has recently received approval to buy its second Predator B UAV -- which unless the exemptions are granted, would also be deployed in the Tucson area. The initial Predator deployed has already helped locate more than 1,000 illegal border crossers in that area in the past two months, according to media reports.

Currently, the Border Patrol deploys a fleet of UH-64 Blackhawk helicopters to patrol other areas along the border.

In the Tuesday speech, President Bush very clearly stated his plan included UAVs, or "drones" as he called them.

"We're going to use drones to be able to help enforce the border in rural Texas and in rural New Mexico and rural Arizona," Bush said Tuesday. "Slowly, but surely, technology is being employed up and down the border, and that's a key part of our strategy."

Officials at the FAA cite the need to conduct studies into the safety of deploying the unmanned vehicles into the same airspace used by general aviation and commercial traffic, including the possibility a UAV could become compromised and used in a terrorist attack. 

Last month, FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency is working with the CBP to develop a plan, and an announcement may come shortly.

"We are working through the challenges of coordinating these additional flights while ensuring the safety of nearby civilian aircraft and are optimistic that we will be able to find a way to allow CBP to proceed," said Brown in a statement. "We hope to be able to announce a solution within the next two months."

The use of UAVs would shortly be expanded "in the Arizona area of operation," said Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar to the Albuquerque Tribune, although he did not mention other areas.

FMI: www.cbp.gov