Illegal immigration at our southern border of the United States remains a hot topic. The physical security aspect is complex from the perspective of a wall, fences, patrols or the official crossing points where commercial traffic moves between Mexico and the U.S.
Behind that is an equally complex network of systems. I picked the information below from a news release from the company that got a new contract from the Department of Homeland Security. It shows that the cost of securing the border and managing all the systems is not cheap. Note it is a one-year contract.
“Tysons, Va.—LMI has been awarded a one-year base period and four, one-year options task order for a ceiling value of $604 million to support the U.S. Border Patrol’s Program Management Office Directorate (USBP PMOD), marking the largest contract award in LMI’s more than 60-year history.
“LMI will be responsible to support USBP PMOD as it modernizes and expands its technology capabilities across the Southern and Northern Borders to help ensure migrant safety, facilitate commerce, interdict human and drug trafficking, and protect all Americans from terrorism. Some of the services that LMI will provide USBP PMOD include program management, lifecycle logistics management, technical and engineering support, and environmental planning support. This task order expands LMI’s support to include all of USBP Headquarter Directorates: Strategic Planning and Analysis Directorate, Law Enforcement Operations Directorate, Mission Support Directorate, and the Chief of Staff’s Office.”
Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.
