How Border Security Changed

Dennis Rees

Teacher-Consultant

Arizona Geographic Alliance

As you view the images, what changes in security do you see? Why did these changes occur? What changes in security do you think will happen in the future?

The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 created the current Arizona-Mexico border. This border was open and received little attention unless a problem arose.

Two early problems were Apache raiders and Mexican revolutionaries.

rare-maps.com

theshriek.net

The U.S. government response was to send in troops until the problem

went away.

commons.wikimedia.com

In 1924, the Border Patrol was created and immigration stations established. kvoa.com

borderlinesblog.com

pbs.org

As tourism and immigration increased, changes in security were put in place. The first

were fences.

flicker.com

americansouthwest.com

Border crossing stations became larger.

thefullwiki.org

arizona100.blogspot.com

During the Great Depression, Mexican immigration was discouraged.

web.rps205.com

In fact, the federal government even implemented a program of voluntary and

involuntary deportation of Mexican-Americans.

latinlikeme-wordpress.com

In 1942, the Bracero Program was begun to attract temporary, legal immigration of labor

and stem the tide of illegal immigration.

hoguenews.com

Workers were documented, given identification papers, and allowed to move freely across the border to work, mostly in agriculture. The program was ended in 1967.

homepages.wmich.edu

A period of illegal immigration began, which resulted in new measures, mostly

in the form of better fences.

time.com

However, new problems arose over time.

borderlaw.blogspot.com

tucsonsentinel.com

This resulted in even more security on the border by the federal government. First came

the wall.

environmentmagazine.org

mocp.org

As immigrants began to avoid these and crossed in more remote areas, deaths rose.

azstarnet.com

Warning signs were posted.

no-border-wall.com

combojuarez.com

Border check points were set up further inland from the border.

tucsonsentinel.com

Surveillance cameras were installed along the border,

hispanicmpr.com

and drones were used to track the movement of people.

militaryaerospace.com

After 2001, more measures were taken to make the border even more secure.

The wall was extended into even more remote areas.

time.com

commons.wikimedia.org

National guardsmen were sent in to assist border patrol agents.

cleveland.com

State agencies got involved.

politicalpistachio.blogspot.com

Stronger warning signs went up.

borderlandbeat.com

examiner.com

Even civilian groups got involved.

teamamericapac.org

familysecuritymatters.org

At times, the message we sent about border security was mixed.

Arizona Republic

Arizona Republic

At other times, it is very clear.

Houston Chronicle

San Diego Union Tribune

San Diego Union Tribune

Albany Times Union

The border is not the same as it was. What changes have you seen from these pictures? Why did these changes occur? What changes do you think will happen in the future?

Photograph and Image Credits

Slide 4: rare-maps.com theshriek.netSlide 5: commons.wikimedia.comSlide 6: kvoa.comSlide 7: borderlinesblog.com pbs.orgSlide 8: flicker.comSlide 9: americansouthwest.netSlide 10: thefullwiki.orgSlide 11: arizona100.blogspot.comSlide 12: web.rps205.comSlide 13: latinlikeme.wordpress.comSlide 14: hoguenews.comSlide 15: homepages.wmich.eduSlide 16: time.comSlide17: borderlaw.blogspot.com tucsoncitizen.comSlide 18: environmentmagazine.org

Slide 19: mocp.orgSlide 20: azstarnet.comSlide 21: no-border-wall.com combojuarez.comSlide 22: tucsoncitizen.comSlide 23: hispanicmpr.comSlide 24: militaryaerospace.comSlide 26: time.comSlide 27: commons.wikimedia.orgSlide 28: cleveland.comSlide 29: politicalpistachio.blogspot.comSlide 30: borderlandbeat.comSlide 31: examiner.comSlide 32: teamamericapac.orgSlide 33: familysecuritymatters.orgSlide 34: Arizona RepublicSlide 35: Arizona RepublicSlide 36: Houston ChronicleSlide 37: San Diego Union TribuneSlide 38: San Diego Union TribuneSlide 39: Albany Times Union