issues
Secure the Northern and southern borders
The Border Security Alliance is committed to a comprehensive approach to national security—one that includes both our southern and northern borders. While the U.S.-Mexico border often dominates headlines, the 5,500-mile U.S.-Canada border is the longest international land border in the world, and increasingly exploited by transnational criminal networks, human smugglers, and drug traffickers.
In 2023, the U.S. northern border saw a statistically significant 240% increase in migrant encounters compared to the previous year, with record surges in sectors like Swanton, Vermont—where apprehensions rose over 1,000%. At the same time, the southern border continues to face historic challenges, with more than 2 million encounters in FY 2023 alone.
The Border Security Alliance brings together law enforcement officers, elected officials, and community leaders who understand that border security is not a partisan talking point—it’s a public safety issue. We advocate for balanced, strategic policies that strengthen security along all borders by increasing manpower, modernizing surveillance and detection technology, and closing legal and operational loopholes that criminal cartels exploit.
America’s borders are national assets—and securing them is not just about stopping illegal activity; it's about protecting our communities, upholding the rule of law, and preserving our national sovereignty from every direction.
Support border patrol & law enforcement
At the heart of America’s border security are the men and women who wear the badge—Border Patrol agents, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers, and local police officers who work day and night to protect our communities. The Border Security Alliance stands firmly with them.
Right now, Border Patrol agents face unprecedented challenges. In FY 2023, they encountered over 2.4 million migrants at the southern border, while also battling drug trafficking, cartel violence, and human smuggling operations. Fentanyl—a drug largely trafficked across the southern border—remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. These threats aren’t abstract; they’re personal and local, and law enforcement is often the only line of defense.
Despite rising risks, many officers and agents are under-resourced, overextended, and too often vilified. Morale in the ranks is at historic lows, and recruitment and retention are becoming national crises. The number of Border Patrol agents dropped below 19,000 last year—well below the authorized level—while police departments across the country report double-digit vacancy rates.
The Border Security Alliance brings together elected officials, law enforcement leaders, and local voices who know we must restore respect, resources, and resolve to the people on the front lines. That means fully funding our agencies, providing modern equipment and training, improving officer wellness, and ending the political scapegoating of those who risk their lives to uphold the law.
We don’t have secure borders without a strong and supported force behind them. BSA is here to make sure that force is never left behind.
Protect local communities
Border security is not just a federal issue—it’s a local one. The Border Security Alliance exists to protect the safety and wellbeing of communities across America that are directly impacted by border-related crime. From small towns near the border to cities hundreds of miles inland, the consequences of an unsecure border are felt everywhere.
Criminal cartels are now operating across all 50 states, using open border gaps to smuggle people, weapons, and deadly drugs like fentanyl into our neighborhoods. In 2023 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 27,000 pounds of fentanyl—enough to kill every American more than 17 times over. And that's just what was caught.
Local law enforcement agencies are being overwhelmed. Sheriffs and police departments are sounding the alarm as they face rising crime, strained budgets, and a federal government that too often looks the other way. Rural border counties are being forced to spend millions in local resources to handle problems that stem from federal policy failures.
The Border Security Alliance brings together local leaders, sheriffs, and community members who are standing up and saying: enough. We advocate for policies that prioritize safety—not politics—and push for stronger enforcement, better interagency coordination, and the resources local departments need to keep their residents safe.
Every community deserves to feel secure—whether it’s five miles or five hundred miles from the border. BSA is here to ensure that protecting American families always comes first.
Combat Human trafficking
Human trafficking is one of the most horrific and fastest-growing crimes in the world—and it’s happening every day at our nation’s borders. The Border Security Alliance is committed to exposing and dismantling the criminal networks that profit from exploiting vulnerable men, women, and children.
Right now, cartels and smugglers are taking advantage of unsecured border regions to traffic people across the U.S. for forced labor, sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery. In 2023, U.S. Border Patrol reported over 500 known human trafficking cases, but experts agree that the real number is far higher and often hidden behind broader smuggling operations. Victims are frequently coerced, assaulted, or abandoned—many with no way to seek help or justice.
Tragically, children are among the most at risk. Between 2021 and 2023, over 85,000 unaccompanied minors who entered the U.S. could not be accounted for after being released from federal custody. This is a national failure—and traffickers are exploiting the chaos.
The Border Security Alliance brings together law enforcement leaders, public officials, and advocates determined to stop these atrocities. We push for stronger border enforcement, tougher penalties for traffickers, increased interagency coordination, and victim-centered approaches to rescue and recovery.
Every day we delay action, lives are being destroyed. BSA is fighting to ensure that America closes the gaps traffickers exploit and leads the world in defending human dignity.
Combat drug trafficking
The Border Security Alliance is on the front lines of the fight against one of the most devastating threats facing America today: drug trafficking. Transnational cartels are exploiting gaps in border security to flood our country with deadly narcotics—especially fentanyl—that are tearing families apart and overwhelming law enforcement agencies at every level.
In 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 27,000 pounds of fentanyl at the border. To put that in perspective: just two milligrams can be lethal. These drugs aren’t just slipping through—they’re pouring in, hidden in passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and on individuals moving through overwhelmed ports of entry. And they’re not staying at the border—they’re making their way into neighborhoods in every state.
Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. have surpassed 100,000 annually, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl accounting for more than 70% of those deaths. This is not just a public health crisis—it’s a border crisis. And the cartels behind it are becoming more aggressive, more organized, and more emboldened by lax enforcement.
The Border Security Alliance unites law enforcement professionals, elected officials, and community advocates to demand serious, coordinated action. We support stronger border enforcement, increased detection technology, tougher penalties for traffickers, and real accountability for the networks profiting off American lives.
You can’t win the fight against drugs without securing the border. BSA is working to ensure that stopping drug trafficking is a top national priority—and that our communities, families, and future are protected.
Combat illicit trade
Illicit trade is a silent threat that harms American workers, fuels organized crime, and puts consumers at risk—and it all begins at the border. The Border Security Alliance is committed to stopping the flow of counterfeit goods, black-market products, and illegal commerce that undermines our economy and endangers public safety.
Every year, billions of dollars’ worth of counterfeit and illicit products enter the U.S.—from fake pharmaceuticals and electronics to pirated goods, illicit tobacco, and prohibited agricultural products. In 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 20,000 shipments of counterfeit merchandise worth an estimated $2.4 billion. Many of these items are not just fraudulent—they’re dangerous.
Illicit tobacco trafficking, in particular, has become a growing concern. Smuggled and counterfeit tobacco products cost taxpayers billions in lost revenue each year and often help fund organized crime and transnational cartels. These black-market goods evade health regulations and pose risks to both consumers and communities.
Illicit trade isn’t a victimless crime. It finances criminal networks and even terrorist organizations. It robs American manufacturers of revenue, erodes trust in the supply chain, and puts consumers at risk of using defective or toxic products. Border agents are the first line of defense, but they are increasingly overwhelmed by volume, limited resources, and outdated infrastructure.
Border security is economic security. By cracking down on illicit trade, we protect our businesses, our workers, and the integrity of the U.S. market.
