Accession Number:

AD1046872

Title:

Decision Model for U.S.- Mexico Border Security Measures

Descriptive Note:

Technical Report

Corporate Author:

Naval Postgraduate School Monterey United States

Personal Author(s):

• Lavender,Matthew L.

Report Date:

2017-09-01

Pagination or Media Count:

93.0

Abstract:

The Department of Homeland Security DHS has invested billions of dollars to prevent illegal drugs, immigration, weapons, and currency from transiting across the U.S.Mexico border. DHS has not created a sufficient standardized method to measure whether an investment in a security measure is cost-effective when combining assets. To take it one step further, DHS has not created a model that combines cost-effectiveness of a security asset while simultaneously determining how it will contribute to achieving operational control of the border. This study provides an in-depth look into the current risk-based model DHS uses, the administrative and physical infrastructure of U.S.Mexico border security, and a critical view of DHS annual budget. A decision model is presented that will give policymakers a process to choose a combination of border security investments that will achieve operational control of the border while remaining within budgeting constraints. A lot of work needs to be done for DHS to determine the correct security assets to be placed at the U.S.Mexico Border to maintain operational control and cost-effectiveness. This study does not determine which security assets need to be put into place, but it provides a decision process that will be an asset for policymakers to save federal time and money assigned to border security investments.

Descriptors:

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• BORDER SECURITY
• united states
• mexico
• cost effectiveness
• federal budgets
• Decision making
• law enforcement
• RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Subject Categories:

• Civil Defense

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE