Predator Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) drones will begin gathering intelligence on the U.S.-Mexico Border Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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Drones will be flying over South Texas searching for immigrants trying to cross the border. Texas Public Radio’s Eileen Pace reports.
August 30, 2010 · Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the unmanned aircraft flights will begin patrolling the Texas-Mexico border Wednesday. In a conference call Monday, Napolitano said the drones will be looking not only for illegal immigrants but also drug smuggling activities.
She said the start of the flights out of Corpus Christi means that unmanned aircraft will be providing intelligence to border agents on the ground from the Gulf of Mexico to around El Centro, Calif. Previously, unmanned aircraft had been used from El Centro through West Texas.
Drones are one of the “boots on the ground” elements requested two weeks ago by Texas border sheriffs. The government has three unmanned aircraft patrolling the southern border and plans to add three more by the beginning of next year. |
