Congressman requests federal funds for surveillance towers to boost maritime border security in San Diego
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — As Coast Guard interdictions off the coast of San Diego continue, a local lawmaker is asking Congress for federal funds to build autonomous surveillance towers in an effort to curb future boat smuggling incidents.
Rep. Mike Levin held a news conference on Monday where he announced he is asking Congress for $60 million in federal funding to purchase autonomous surveillance towers (ASTs) for the maritime borders along the San Diego County coastline that would be equipped with cameras, radar and infrared technology to identify and help intercept maritime threats, like migrant smuggling.
Trump administration has deported 38,000 Mexicans
Rep. Levin also called for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in consultation with the Coast Guard, to better detail to Congress their personnel and equipment needs.
Just in the past few weeks in San Diego County, three separate boats were intercepted carrying suspected undocumented migrants in the same weekend off the coast of San Diego, as well as an incident at Torrey Pines State Beach where three people died, several were injured and a child remains missing at sea. Five people were charged in San Diego federal court in connection with that smuggling attempt.
Coast Guard ship fires at suspected migrant boat during high-speed chase in San Diego Bay
In early February, a 57-year-old woman died after a suspected smuggling boat capsized off the coast of Ocean Beach.
'I'm grateful to the brave first responders and law enforcement who responded swiftly to last week's incident,' said Rep. Mike Levin. 'This incident makes it abundantly clear we need bipartisan reform to fix our broken immigration system. That's why I'm doing everything I can to obtain funding, resources, and technology to secure our maritime borders, which is critically important in reducing drug and human trafficking. I'm working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do everything I can to advance common sense reforms and ensure our coastal borders are protected.'
US Coast Guard 'tripled' personnel to prevent maritime human smuggling
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