The southern U.S. border is set to receive a significant boost in its capability to detect illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl, thanks to the installation of 56 new car scan machines. This development comes after Congress approved $200 million in funding, addressing previous concerns about unused scanners sitting in warehouses, as highlighted in a report by NBC News. These advanced scanning systems are crucial in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking, with a staggering 95% of fentanyl seized by U.S. law enforcement being discovered in personal vehicles crossing the border, driven primarily by U.S. citizens, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The urgency to deploy these car scan machines, often referred to as non-intrusive inspection (NII) technology, was amplified following the NBC News report. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including senators and House members, alongside state attorneys general, voiced strong support for allocating funds to activate these vital security assets. The funding was eventually secured through the House Homeland Security appropriations bill, passed by Congress in late March.
These 56 new scanning systems are slated for installation by 2026, as confirmed by a senior Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official. Currently, 31 systems are operational, and another 27 are in progress. All of these scanners were initially approved and purchased in 2021, indicating a significant delay in their deployment due to funding and logistical challenges.
Once fully implemented, these car scan machines will dramatically increase the percentage of personal vehicles scanned at the border to 40%. This is a substantial leap from the current situation where fewer than 5% of personal vehicles undergo X-ray scanning. At ports of entry lacking these advanced scanners, customs officers must rely heavily on subjective intuition to identify potentially suspicious vehicles, leading to further manual inspections.
The journey to deploy fentanyl scanners at border entry points has been fraught with challenges since 2021. While the recent progress is welcomed, critics argue that it is still insufficient. Bobby Watt, a former CBP official with over 30 years of experience overseeing non-intrusive inspection scanning, points to bureaucratic red tape as a primary cause for the delays. Watt, now an advisor to Viken Detection, a scanning technology contractor, advocates for a more ambitious goal of scanning 100% of personal vehicles. He logically argues that drug smugglers would naturally target ports of entry without X-ray car scan machines, highlighting the critical need for comprehensive scanning capabilities.
DHS cites installation complexities, such as space limitations at ports of entry and insufficient congressional funding for complete vehicle scanning, as contributing factors to the slower-than-desired rollout. The CBP official clarified that the 40% of vehicles targeted for scanning will not be chosen randomly but will be selected based on risk assessment, aiming to maximize the effectiveness of the deployed resources.
The new funding and the progress towards 40% vehicle scanning have been lauded by families who have tragically lost loved ones to fentanyl. Cindy DeMaio, who lost her daughter to fentanyl poisoning in 2016, is among those who see this development as a crucial step forward. DeMaio, who works with other affected parents to raise awareness about fentanyl, emphasizes the importance of any measure that enhances drug interdiction at the border.
Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, has been a vocal critic of the slow pace of scanner deployment. He initiated an inquiry by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate DHS spending of over a billion dollars on X-ray equipment. The GAO investigation is ongoing, with a report expected later this year.
Cornyn, along with Senator Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., is also pushing for rigorous testing of new car scan machine technologies to ensure that future investments are directed towards the most effective solutions. They have introduced bipartisan legislation to evaluate five different types of scanners to optimize fentanyl detection capabilities at the border. Cornyn stressed the severity of the fentanyl crisis, noting the massive quantities of fentanyl seized at the southern border and the unknown amounts that evade detection, underscoring the urgent need for improved scanning technology.
A CBP spokesperson stated that the agency has consistently requested funding for NII technology installation, including civil works funding, which was partially addressed in the recent appropriation. The spokesperson reiterated that non-intrusive inspection technology is a vital component of CBP’s multi-layered strategy to combat fentanyl and other contraband at the nation’s borders.
