HOW DO SMART BORDER TECHNOLOGIES ALTER THE GEOPOLITICS OF THE BORDERLANDS AND CONTRIBUTE TO STABILITY OR INSTABILITY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE?

Providing border security has not always been a priority of nation-states in Latin America. As the wars of independence created legitimate armies, governments began using their forces for border protection to encapsulate a collective identity. The problem lies in Latin America's soft borders. Some countries unwillingly harbor the transportation of illicit drug and human traffickers, illegal logging and mineral extraction operations, poachers, and individuals willing to harm indigenous people to achieve their illegitimate objectives. Another concern is travelers fleeing failed states, as witnessed at the borders of Mexico-Guatemala, Colombia-Ecuador, and Venezuela. The 4.6 million people who have fled Venezuela have traversed into adjacent nations. This does not account for the 1.3 million migrants who have crossed illegally to bypass national entry points, in fear of rejection. A way to better manage border crossings is through smart border systems. This thesis evaluates whether smart borders alter the geopolitics of borderlands and how the most advanced use of border management influences stability or instability in the Western Hemisphere. This thesis uses an exploratory design to qualitatively evaluate evolving border environments. The data relied on for this research encompassed border crossing metrics, traffic management and mitigation, entry point vulnerabilities, the smart border technologies used, and the effectiveness of these technologies against border threats.
Lieutenant, United States Navy
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