The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to increase the number of surveillance towers along the United States' borders from the current 830 to approximately 2,300 by 2034, according to a new report issued by the Government Accountability Office. The department estimates that the cost of this expansion will exceed $1 billion in taxpayer funds.
The plan is part of the Integrated Surveillance Tower (IST) program operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The program includes systems capable of capturing images of people and vehicles and tracking targets over long distances, including autonomous towers that rely on radar, thermal infrared, and optical systems.
What Does the Expansion Include?
The IST program consists of several categories of systems. Long-range autonomous towers use artificial intelligence-based technologies to identify and track targets, while integrated fixed towers focus on monitoring pedestrian and vehicle movement. The program also includes remote video surveillance systems, some of which are deployed near the border fence in Arizona, including residential areas where cameras may capture images of homes on both sides of the border.
The Department of Homeland Security expects to purchase more long-range autonomous towers, as well as upgrade existing towers to add autonomous capabilities. According to the article, the $1 billion in funding comes from the tax and spending law known as the One Big Beautiful Act, which President Donald Trump signed in 2025.
Why Does This Expansion Matter?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) says that increasing the number of towers does not merely expand the scope of border surveillance, but creates a network whose effects may extend to towns, school athletic fields, backyards, and vehicles in border areas. The organization says this raises concerns about privacy and civil liberties, particularly when systems capture images or track targets in areas where residents live and conduct their daily lives.
The infrastructure cited by the EFF is not limited to towers. It also includes drones, aerostats, surveillance vehicles, ground sensors, concealed trail cameras, and vehicle license plate readers. The organization explains that these technologies are also used by state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as by governments on the Mexican side of the border.
EFF's Role in Documenting the Technologies
The EFF says it has been studying surveillance technologies along the U.S.-Mexico border since 2022, drawing on public records, open-source intelligence, and field visits to verify facts. It also created an interactive map to help researchers and journalists analyze the impact of U.S. border security policies.
Earlier this year, the organization updated its publication titled Surveillance Technology at the U.S.-Mexico Border, adding new models of surveillance towers, recently deployed military technologies, and images of concealed trail cameras and automated license plate readers. Its activities also include defending people whose devices were seized or searched upon entering the country, challenging the collection of biometric data and social media identifiers, and providing digital security guidance for people crossing the border.