Biden Finally Finds a Balloon He Wants To Take Down: Surveillance Blimps at the Southern Border; Biden Admin to Reduce Surveillance Crafts Used in Counting Migrant Got-Aways

Biden Finally Finds a Balloon He Wants To Take Down: Surveillance Blimps at the Southern Border:

Immigration crisis expected to worsen as president yanks airships used to monitor ‘gotaways’

After refusing for days last week to shoot down China’s spy balloon, the Biden administration finally found airships they are happy to take down: surveillance blimps that monitor the southern border.

The Biden administration is taking the blimps, which allow agents to detect illegal migrant activity over long periods of time, out of commission due to funding cuts, Fox News reported. While there were 12 surveillance balloons in operation last year, only four remain.

Customs and Border Protection agents told Fox that the removal of the blimps, known in the agency as their “Eyes in the Sky,” will drastically hinder their ability to track illegal immigrants who evade detention at the border. As of January, there were 1.2 million “gotaways” since Biden took office.

The news of Biden’s groundings comes a week after the president waited days to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon traversing the continental United States. The aircraft was first reported on Jan. 31, floating over military and nuclear bases in Montana. The military finally shot down the vessel over the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 4.

Biden didn’t show the same indecision with the balloons guarding the border: The security devices were taken down across the border on Jan. 1 after funding dried up. —>READ MORE HERE

Biden Admin to Reduce Surveillance Crafts Used in Counting Migrant Got-Aways:

The Biden Administration announced this week it is reducing the number of tactical aerial surveillance crafts being used along the U.S.-Mexico Border. The vehicles are used to interdict human and drug smuggling and is also a source of data for migrant got-aways.

CBP officials distinguished between the Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems operated by CBP’s Air and Marine Operations vs. the tactical systems used by Border Patrol.

Fewer eyes in the sky @CBP is reducing the number of Tactical Aerostats it deploys along the southwest border—The agency saying, “Although the Border Patrol’s number of aerostats will be reduced, the Border Patrol will continue to use aerostats throughout FY 2023.”
via CBP pic.twitter.com/DQV6WVezNg

— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) February 9, 2023

“On January 1, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began reducing the number of Tactical Aerostats deployed along the southwest border. Although the number of aerostats will be reduced, CBP continues to leverage surveillance technology and explore new/emerging technology to increase persistent surveillance of the border region,” CBP officials said in a written statement. Officials said the Border Patrol began reducing the number of Tactical Aerostats on January 1.

“Although the Border Patrol’s number of aerostats will be reduced, the Border Patrol will continue to use aerostats throughout FY 2023 (which ends on September 30).”

Officials said the Border Patrol will continue to increase surveillance systems along the border including plans to install 80 Autonomous Surveillance Towers and 225 Remove Video Surveillance system upgrades.

A source within CBP, not authorized to speak to the media, told Breitbart Texas the aerostat systems, which are capable of low-level aerial surveillance up to 3,000 ft. in altitude require a support commitment from the Department of Defense. The source says the Department of Defense is no longer capable of providing the level of support necessary to continue to operate all aerostat sites. —>READ MORE HERE

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