Congress appropriated $2.766 billion in 2025 for border-surveillance technology upgrades and procurement—but the money is for the southwest, northern and maritime borders, not solely the southern border, and an appropriation is not proof that it has been spent or that systems are operational. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) describes a broader $6.3 billion package for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) technology, spanning surveillance, inspection, biometric and air and marine systems.
How much did Congress appropriate?
The 2025 law provides $2.766 billion for CBP border-surveillance technology upgrades and procurement across the southwest, northern and maritime borders. The funds are available through September 30, 2029. The statutory line covers a broad category of surveillance technology; it is not confined to towers or to the southwest border. The May 21, 2025 Congressional Record text also bars using this surveillance line for towers that have not been tested and accepted by the federal government to deliver autonomous capabilities.
A separate $1.076317 billion is appropriated for non-intrusive inspection equipment, related civil works, AI and machine-learning integration, and mission support to combat illicit narcotics entry across those same three border regions. That is an inspection-focused line, not part of the $2.766 billion surveillance figure.
Why does CBO cite $6.3 billion?
CBO’s summary of section 60003 gives a broader total: $6.3 billion in CBP technology appropriations, with a corresponding estimated $6.3 billion increase in outlays over 2025–2034. This total includes multiple technology missions, so it should not be substituted for the statute’s $2.766 billion surveillance line.
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| Amount | What it covers | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| $2.766 billion | Border-surveillance technology upgrades and procurement across southwest, northern and maritime borders | 2025 statutory appropriation; available through September 30, 2029 |
| $1.076317 billion | Non-intrusive inspection equipment, civil works, AI and machine-learning integration, and mission support against illicit narcotics | 2025 statutory appropriation across the same border regions |
| $6.3 billion | Broader CBP technology appropriations under section 60003 | CBO summary; estimated corresponding increase in outlays over 2025–2034 |
| $4.5 billion | Surveillance towers, linear ground-detection systems, non-intrusive inspection systems and biometric entry/exit scanners | CBO category within the broader technology total |
| $1.2 billion | CBP air and marine systems, including aircraft, watercraft and unmanned aircraft systems | CBO category within the broader technology total |
The category figures in CBO’s breakdown explain the range of systems in the wider technology package. They are not evidence that any particular system has been deployed or has achieved a stated result.
What kinds of technology are included?
Surveillance and detection
The appropriations cover surveillance technology, including towers and linear ground-detection systems in CBO’s description of the wider package. These tools are intended to detect or monitor activity over stretches of border; the law’s tower condition makes federal testing and acceptance for autonomous capabilities a procurement constraint.
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Inspection and biometrics
Non-intrusive inspection systems are intended to examine conveyances or cargo without conventional physical searches. Biometric entry/exit scanners process identity-related information. The statutory inspection line also names AI and machine-learning integration, but the cited text does not establish a specific model, deployment schedule or measured performance.
Air and marine platforms
CBO’s category includes aircraft, watercraft and unmanned aircraft systems. These are operational platforms, distinct from fixed detection infrastructure, and their inclusion in the appropriation does not by itself show where or how often they are being used.
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Border surveillance also includes vehicle tracking
Surveillance is not limited to sensors placed along the border. In a November 20, 2025 investigation, the Associated Press reported that CBP’s Conveyance Monitoring and Predictive Recognition System (CMPRS) processes license-plate images and matches them against established hot lists to help identify travel patterns described as potentially related to illegal border activity. AP also reported broader access to plate-reader data and accounts of pattern analysis. Those investigative accounts should be understood as AP’s reporting and attributed sources, not as agency-confirmed descriptions of every practice. Read the Associated Press report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about deployment and effectiveness?
A DHS Office of Inspector General audit summary hosted by Oversight.gov reported that, at the time of its audit, CBP had deployed about 28 percent of planned southwest-border technology solutions, despite receiving more than $700 million for new technology since fiscal year 2017. The same summary said most southwest sectors still relied predominantly on obsolete systems and infrastructure. Officials cited insufficient staffing to fully use technology and maintain systems; the audit also identified security vulnerabilities and weak capacity to assess effectiveness. These are historical findings, not a current deployment rate for the 2025 funds. See the DHS OIG audit summary.
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Three stages should be kept distinct when judging the spending:
- Appropriation: Congress authorizes funds for specified purposes. The 2025 figures describe this stage.
- Obligation and expenditure: Agencies commit funds through agreements or purchases and later pay them. The cited sources do not establish current obligations or spending against these lines.
- Deployment and results: Systems must be installed, staffed, maintained and assessed. The historical OIG findings show why procurement totals alone cannot establish operational coverage or effectiveness.
The cited sources do not provide a current, comparable measure of deployment or system-level effectiveness for the new appropriation. They also do not establish which vendors will receive awards.
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