Cross-domain strategies
Cross-domain strategies are related to the research in systems engineering or the information assurance world, but they also form a vital them in the Homeland Security, governance, operations, and systems. In the critical infrastructure and resilience fields, cross-domain strategies span across the physical and human, making the field of cross-domain a challenge. Variables in arranging and coordinating with various organizations and elements is that every office for the domains should be well suited to ensure that essential missions and objectives are realized (Rosenblum, 2012). Foundation and flexibility should be suitable for human resources, physical capital, and digital spaces and are an essential piece of the county security and keeping county working at the top level. The DHS and the NIA are some of the security organizations that alternate their offices, state, neighborhoods, and tribal offices.
The human variable in cross-domain strategies involves the flighty varieties that accompany the changing dangers, and regular disasters. The human variable is usually unpredictable and comes up with changing threats and disasters. Risk assessment, and giving values to critical infrastructure, understanding al hazards, multi-agency cooperation, and operations are the best way to avoid damaging protection, responses, and resilience (Rosenblum, 2012). Cross-domain strategies also entail multi-organization participation and the ideal approach of softening reactions, ensuing flexibility, and assurance.
International factors
The diplomatic, informational, military, and economic variables will enable improved theater security cooperation (TSC), building partner capacity (BPC), and international engagement.
Theater Security Cooperation and the Building Partner Capacity are significant challenges and strategic priorities in the homeland defense and the operational equipment of the Homeland Security Department. Both TSC and the BPC underscore an essential role of incorporating multinational variables in the security programs of DHS and the need to leverage the capacity of international partners across joint military, interagency government, academic institutions, private industry, and NGOs (Ciuccoli, 2009).
The diplomatic variables that can be used in promoting cooperation with Mexico should be focused on the international engagements, support for foreign affairs, homeland security priorities. There is a need to deploy diplomatic negotiations of increased power in both sides of the Mexican-US border, increase the funds for border protection and security activities, establish joint international border police, which will help to limit the division (Ciuccoli, 2009).
Besides, equipment for surveillance and technology initiatives need to be increased to identify the low and high technology incursions along the Mexican-US border. In the cooperation between the US and Mexico in the SWB, a joint military force will be able to establish the solution of dealing with drug smugglers and drug lords in the region. Besides, in the diplomatic variables, the budget for the Department of Defense, which is the largest recipient of federal dollars, can be used in the Southwestern Border to cover the gaps in the security sector that are vetted through the congress and approved under specific conditions with some minor revisions.
In the economic variables, it can be established that economic situations that are tied to the Southwestern border protections are very fragile. The border region on American soil relies on immigrant works during harvesting time to maintain tolerable costs. The border towns in Mexico usually rely on US citizens and businesses to keep the town alive. Therefore, there needs to be a means that can be used to manage the security threats along the borders, and at the same time, keep bodes open for legal businesses. The ability to maintain security along the borders and ensure that businesses thrive mainly rest in the joint effort between the proactive US and Mexican government, and joint international police (Terrazas, 2008). Reactive policies are necessary for fixing deeper security issues along the border. In the current problem, the Mexican-US government needs to use a proactive approach to eliminate the issue before the terrorists, drug lords, and other criminals become harmful o destructive.
Finally, on the informational variable, the improved theater security cooperation (TSC), building partner capacity (BPC), and international engagement can be successful through the successful gathering of important data and information. On the informational ground, the cooperation of Mexico and the US on the issue of smuggling need to evolve on here things. First, the ability to gather and share information on the shipment of weapons in real-time (Ciuccoli, 2009). Secondly, the ability of security agencies to enforce, prosecute and arrest smuggles in both sides of the protected SWB. Finally, the cooperation of the US-Mexican governments and all agencies that have been deployed along the border for protection. The Mexican government and mainly the ministry of foreign affairs should be taken as an important partner in the cooperation. The government of Mexico together with other members of IPC need to cooperate fully in order to increase protection along the SWB and eliminate all illegal activities (Terrazas, 2008). The cooperation of the US-Mexican government should focus on eliminating the setbacks of cooperative efforts such as enhancing security to protect border patrol agents, protecting Mexican civilians, and prosecution of government on both sides of the border.
Interagency Process
The US government is committed to ensuring that there is an effective and transparent way of implementing the NSWBCN strategy. The ONDCP has established a high-level interagency constellation that meets regularly to review the progress on implementation and provide important guidelines.
Steps to raise the level of coordination of interagency players in SWB
In raising the level of coordination among the interagency players, important steps of securing the SWB have been established. First, the President of the US was able to sign into law the SWB security Bill that included $600 million as supplement funding for enhanced border protection and enforcement activities. As time moves by, the level of criminal activities along the SWB has heightened, and to enhance the coordination of the interagency groups, there is a need for the Mexico and US government to increase the budget to enhance the security further (Lachicotte III & Army, 2017). The Department of Homeland Security needs to increase its coordination processes, and standardize the intelligence requirements process for interagency constellations. The DHS can support the State and Local Fusion Centers to increase their coordination through the ONDCP and other investigative support centers. Thirdly, the IOCC should work to strengthen the Custom Border Protection by increasing its ability and capacity to detect, identify, and interdict terrorists, WMD, and other cross-border illegal activities. This can be made easier through the collection and analysis of all-source information and integrating the information into Customs and Border Protection daily operations (Lavender, 2017). Finally, the DHS need to enhance the CPB capacity along the SWB by expanding their capabilities in dugs detection and increasing their budget, which will significantly improve their screening for narcotics in both vehicle and cargo processing environment.
Plan of action that leverages existing capabilities and introduces new ideas
The existing capabilities are leveraged by the improved technological capabilities in CBP that replaced the truck X-ray systems, which was replaced with the Z-backscatter Van units, the deployment of low energy gamma-ray scanners, use hand-held technologies that enhance penetration. Secondly, the DHS Border Patrol Units has been liaising with the Mexican authorities to enhance collaboration between the US and Mexican security law and enforcement agencies to fight criminals (Lavender, 2017). The coordination has been facilitated through information and intelligence sharing with a common goal of maintaining bode security. Finally, funding has been made available through the US Patriot Act because it includes the proactive and reactive pats and the immigration laws to thwart all illegal entrance into the US. The Patriot Act has been helping in apprehension, arrest, prosecution, and deportation of illegal immigrants, terrorists, criminals, and their sympathizers. Some of the new ideas that can be introduced include involving state governors in requesting, getting, and distributing the required fund for their respective states to improve the US effort of securing the SWB (Lachicotte III & Army, 2017). Also, it is necessary to integrate the SWB critical infrastructures recovery initiatives in future policies by increasing the security personnel, resources, and advanced technology to secure the border.
Specific examples potential for improvement versus transformation
Some of the areas that need to be improved and transformed are the sharing of information and intelligence with border patrol. Border Patrol Unit has continued to enhance the coordination efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. However, the sharing of information and intelligence with the Border Patrol unit has not been effective. Therefore, there is a need to expand the capacity of initiatives such as Operation Streamline to enhance the sharing of information and intelligence. The FBI SWB Violence Initiative has mainly been focusing on kidnapping investigations on 8 bode offices (Border, 2009). Cross border, kidnapping investigations have not been considered. In this light, there is a need to improve the FBI capacity to help Mexican enforcement authorities in the investigations of different violent acts such as kidnappings that involve citizens of the US living in Mexico.