An Explosion of Surveillance Towers is Coming to U.S. Borders, Costing Over $1 Billion
A new report from the Government Accounting Office reveals that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to nearly triple the number of surveillance towers along U.S. borders, from the current 830 to 2,300 by 2034. DHS expects to expend $1 billion in taxpayer dollars for this dangerous expansion of a surveillance network indiscriminately trained on towns, school playgrounds, backyards, and…
A new Government Accountability Office report predicts the Department of Homeland Security will nearly triple the number of surveillance towers along U.S. borders by 2034. The expansion, set to cost over $1 billion, includes AI-powered towers utilizing radar, thermal infrared, and optical systems to track people and vehicles. Currently, there are 830 towers, and the plan raises concerns about privacy and civil liberties for those living near the border.
The money for this massive expansion comes from a law signed by President Trump in 2025. The surveillance technology also includes drones, aerostats, license plate readers, and other devices, some of which are deployed by state and local law enforcement in the Mexican border region. EFF has been documenting and mapping this border security technology since 2022, and will continue to expose and fight against it.
Written by urgent.news from EFF Deeplinks's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
