DHS to Allocate $1 Billion for AI-Powered Border Surveillance Towers
The Department of Homeland Security plans to spend roughly $1 billion to add autonomous AI surveillance towers, expanding the network from 830 to 2,300 sites by 2034.
A recent Government Accountability Office review reveals that the Department of Homeland Security will nearly triple its border-monitoring tower network, increasing the Integrated Surveillance Towers Program from the current 830 structures to 2,300 by 2034. The expansion is funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July 2025, which allocated over $6 billion for border technology, including about $1 billion for autonomous towers that use artificial intelligence.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott called the approach a “smart wall” that leverages agents more efficiently. Critics from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU argue that similar initiatives dating back to the 1990s—such as the Integrated Surveillance and Intelligence System, America’s Shield Initiative, and SBInet—have repeatedly failed to demonstrate value and raise privacy concerns for the 15 million residents living near the Southwest border.
The contract for the autonomous capability appears to be dominated by Anduril, a defense firm founded by Palmer Luckey. Privacy advocates warn that data collected could be repurposed beyond immigration enforcement, affecting local communities.
Why it matters
The plan could transform border security while exposing millions of residents to extensive AI-driven surveillance.
In this story