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Abstract
Border security is a notion the United States has pursued in earnest since September 11, 2001 and continues to be a focus for many Americans. As a result of the terrorist attacks, an ideological shift occurred on how external borders are viewed and treated. The shift has connected the nation's borders to terrorism placing a heavier emphasis on border security. The topic was a central point of debate in the United States' 2016 Presidential election. Border security is assuredly going to take center stage in the public conscience as a heavily discoursed topic in the foreseeable future. As a complex and often emotional topic, border security efforts will almost certainly begin with an emphasis on the campaign promise of building a "border wall" between the United States and Mexico. Although not the focus of the chapter, the role of border barriers such as a "wall" is examined. The purpose of this review is to attempt to make sense of the last three and a half decades of border enforcement strategy as a prologue for future efforts.
Keywords: border security, border fences, homeland security, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol
Introduction
Immigration is a topic that has been on the American political agenda as long as the country has existed and currently seems to be the center of policy debate. The issue ebbs and flows in approach to the point that immigration policy has been likened to a revolving door, sometimes welcoming people in, sometimes aiming to keep them out (Andreas, 2009; Alden, 2012). The past thirty-five years have generally seen policy movements to close this door - a hardening of U.S. immigration and border security. The movement has been characterized as a drastic increase in manpower, resources, and money going into border efforts. The notion of controlling the borders of the United States, for much of our history, has been based on immigration concerns not homeland security threats. Thus, for most of our history it has been important that we control our borders, but not essential (Andreas, 2009). Border security is a concept the United States has pursued in earnest since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and continues to be a focus for many Americans.
None of the known terrorists...