Government will replace virtual border fence

CongressDaily April 23, 2008

The government will replace its highly touted "virtual fence" on the Arizona-Mexico border with new towers, radars, cameras and computer software, scrapping the brand-new $20 million system because it doesn't work sufficiently, officials said.

The move comes just two months after Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff officially accepted the completed fence from the Boeing Co.

With the decision, Customs and Border Protection officials are acknowledging that the so-called Project 28 pilot program to detect illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border does not work well enough to keep or to continue tweaking.

Chertoff accepted the program Feb. 22 after Boeing apparently resolved software glitches. But less than a week later, GAO told Congress it "did not fully meet user needs and the project's design will not be used as the basis for future" developments.

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COMMENTS

  • Kudos to DHS! This is an example of the type of responsible planning, budgeting and evaluation of technology programs that all enterprises should have in place. Rather than rushing to roll-out the entire program, DHS took a measured approach to assess whether the virtual fence concept as proposed would work. Marc Hausman Posted May 1, 2008 10:49 AM
  • I'm not surprised. I remember one of our contractors getting away with millions for a system that didn't work. They actually said "you never said it had to work, only that it had to be implemented". This company went on to get more contracts because of their "experience" with the agency! I see the same thing going on now with our new online "travel system" - it doesn't work & we have been pretty much told we are stuck with it. Everytime I see another agency listed on their implementation list it breaks my heart! ritgar Posted April 25, 2008 12:55 PM
  • When you consider they're using expensive Predator UAVs (e.g. more buck for the bang) and purchased a boatload of helicopters that can't hover out of ground effect in desert temperatures, THIS VIRTUAL FENCE DEBACLE PALES IN COMPARISON. As Mark Twain put it best: "Common sense ain't so common!" Our tax dollars hardLY at work! Jim MacDonald Posted April 24, 2008 9:20 PM
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