Please respond to the following students. Responses should be a minimum of 160 words for each student and include direct questions. When addressing the topic questions, you are to state the question followed by your response. Do this for each question posed.
Responses Due: Sunday, by 11:55pm ET
STUDENT #1
The United States Government is striving to have an open, but secure border. What would be the consequences/impact to the United States if the border was suddenly made less open and more secure?
It would slow trade. That would add costs and make many international deals economically unviable. Per Trinkunas (2016), As of 2013, <svg><use>32.5 percent of total U.S. trade takes place with Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.” That is a lot of trade, a lot of jobs and a whole lot of money. Security cost money, both in implementation and reduced access. The increased trade is largely due to improved transportation systems that reduce costs. Those same improvements also help illegal trade. Trade doubled from the mid 1980’s to the mid 1900’s (Andreas, 2009, p.20). The openness and ease of trade is crucial for the massive increases in prosperity seen worldwide. There is an old saying that when goods don’t cross borders, armies will. That might be the biggest danger to a closed border. Trade brings prosperity and that usually brings peace.
What is the role of the Department of Defense in border and coastal security?
The DOD protects the United States from all threats. Obviously, this translates into threats that encroach upon our borders. While we do not have any enemy nations touching our borders, we do have threats. The Navy for instance patrols waters and can intercept threats at sea. Also, there is the intelligence aspect to security. Knowing who and what the threats are and their intentions is crucial to security.
What is the DOD’s relationship with the Department of Homeland Security as it pertains to border security?
In my understanding of the question, the DOD has the job of identifying and defeating threats. Threats such as aircraft, missiles and other low flying objects are not something that law enforcement can handle. Threats that are more military in nature are the purview of the DOD. The relationship is about contingencies and planning for the defense of threats that traditionally fall outside of the scope of law enforcement.
How does DOD support Civil Authorities?
Mainly it involves the National Guard which supports and assists the Border Patrol. They do this with manpower, training, analysis and capabilities. The National Guard can be quickly deployed in the event of a major attack and they can handle the effects of weapons of mass destruction. The Guard is there as a backstop to respond to critical events. DOD can be called in by states when they are facing a unique or difficult threat. This usually means a natural disaster but it can also be civil unrest such as a riot or a mass migration event.
STUDENT #2
The United States Government is striving to have an open, but secure border. What would be the consequences/impact to the United States if the border was suddenly made less open and more secure?
Class,
With a less open and secure border the first thing that would happen would be an increase in spending to secure the border. This would include spending on infrastructure like border fortifications and personnel. There are positive impacts like putting a dent into the smuggling of drugs valued at $180-$300 billion across the border (Andreas, 2009). With that being said, it would be bad for trading with foreign nations. It would impede agreements that the United States has, like NAFTA, as it would make it more difficult for signatory countries to import goods into the United States. This in turn would increase prices of goods for the American consumer.
What is the role of the Department of Defense in border and coastal security? What is the DOD’s relationship with the Department of Homeland Security as it pertains to border security? How does DOD support civil authorities?
As part of the homeland security construct, the Department of Defense established the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM). President Bush signed a new Unified Command Plan in 2002 directing this. The new command covers the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and waterways out to 500 miles to include the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) also falls under this umbrella and is commanded by the NORTHCOM commander (Knight, 2008). The mission is two part: homeland defense and civil support. Homeland defense is the military protection of United States territory, domestic population, and critical defense infrastructure and assets from external threats and aggression whereas civil support is the support to United States civil authorities for domestic emergencies and for designated law enforcement and other activities (Report to Congress on The Role of the Department of Defense in Supporting Homeland Security, 2003). For example, is to provide combat air patrols to intercept and neutralize any attack involving aircraft. This would fall on NORAD to coordinate and execute. Additionally maritime security operations can be carried out by Department of Defense (DoD) assets. DoD assets can also be called upon in response to emergency response operations. These operations could include natural and man-made disasters, to include terrorist attacks. Another venue for DoD to provide support is through training to Homeland Security entities or special events. NORTHCOM is linked to homeland security through the Defense Support to Civil Authorities mission and maintains strong relationships with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Guard (Knight, 2008).
