Report: Drones ineffective in securing Mexican border


U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) wants to expand its drone surveillance program by 14 drones that would cost a whopping $443 million, but a recent audit by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General reveals that the drones have been a waste of money, and that their effectiveness has been grossly overestimated.
The Office of Air and Marine calculates that it costs $2,468 per flight hour to operate a drone, but the audit puts that number closer to about $12,255, when operating costs are included. Furthermore, the drones monitored an area 80 percent less extensive than what CBP predicted, and were all but useless on the roughly 200 miles they surveyed; the drones were credited with apprehending less than two percent of illegal immigrants.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the audit revealed that the "CBP has invested significant funds in a program that has not achieved the expected results, and it cannot demonstrate how much the program has improved border security."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How will the new tax deductions on auto loans work?
the explainer Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a tax deduction on auto loan interest — but eligibility for the tax break is limited
-
Is Trump actually going to prosecute Obama for 'treason'?
Today's Big Question Or is this just a distraction from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal?
-
5 best movie sequels of all time
The Week Recommends The second time is only sometimes as good as the first
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read