At the Ysleta Port of Entry in El Paso, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are utilizing advanced technology to enhance border security and combat smuggling. More than a year ago, officers began using low-level detection scanners to screen vehicles crossing into the U.S., significantly increasing their capacity to inspect vehicles.
CBP Officer Michael Salvatti explained, “What they actually do is allow us from going and scanning maybe a few hundred vehicles a day, to thousands of vehicles a day.”
The new system involves vehicles passing through a low-energy x-ray machine, which Salvatti described as “safe for people to pass through regularly.” He added, “They drive straight through it; the only time they have to stop is before they enter it. There’s a gate that actuates and that’s to prevent the vehicles from building up on each other.”
The technology is supported by a remote network of personnel who analyze the images. Salvatti noted, “There’s people in a remote area that are actually viewing these images and scanning them.”
The implementation of these scanners has already led to a noticeable increase in narcotics interdiction. “It’s a game changer,” Salvatti said. “When we first rolled these systems out, we saw an immediate spike in narcotics interdiction.”
Looking ahead, Salvatti mentioned that similar systems are expected to be deployed across the southern border. “They’re going to be deployed southern border wide, so if they don’t have them, they’re going to get them,” he said.
While the Ysleta Port of Entry benefits from this technology, Salvatti emphasized that it is just one component of a broader enforcement strategy. “There’s no silver bullet in narcotics interdiction, so this is just a layer. And we have multiple layers of enforcement,” he said.
The future may also see the integration of artificial intelligence into border security measures. Salvatti remarked, “AI is probably going to change the world as we know it and I’m sure it’s going to be brought to bear in our technology here at the border.”
