McCaul unveils “blueprint” for enhanced use of technology to control U.S.-Mexico border (update) - Narco Confidential

Image1of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

Agents from the Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol prepare to ride with U.S. House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, along the border in the Rio Grande Valley in 2013. McCaul is now unveiling his committee's Blueprint for Southern Border Security. (AP Photo/The Monitor, Gabe Hernandez)

Agents from the Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol prepare...to ride with U.S. House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul,...along the border in the Rio Grande Valley in 2013. McCaul is now...unveiling his committee's Blueprint for Southern Border Security. (AP...Photo/The Monitor, Gabe Hernandez)

Image2of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

A would be immigrant flees while being chased by federal agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on September 9, 2014 near Falfurrias, Texas. Thousands of migrants continue to cross illegally from Mexico into the United States, and Texas' Rio Grande Valley has more traffic than any other sector of the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A would be immigrant flees while being chased by federal agents from...U.S. Customs and Border Protection on September 9, 2014 near...Falfurrias, Texas. Thousands of migrants continue to cross illegally...from Mexico into the United States, and Texas' Rio Grande Valley has...more traffic than any other sector of the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo...by John Moore/Getty Images)

Image3of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

A drug mule carries a load of marijuana, according to U.S. federal agents, on the Mexican side of the border as seen from a helicopter flying on the Texas side of the border by the U.S. Office of Air and Marine on September 10, 2014 near Rio Grande City, Texas. Narco traffickers on the Mexican side of the river were apparently preparing to float the bundles across the Rio Grande into Texas when U.S. agents flying over the border surprised them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A drug mule carries a load of marijuana, according to U.S. federal...agents, on the Mexican side of the border as seen from a helicopter...flying on the Texas side of the border by the U.S. Office of Air and...Marine on September 10, 2014 near Rio Grande City, Texas. Narco...traffickers on the Mexican side of the river were apparently preparing...to float the bundles across the Rio Grande into Texas when U.S. agents...flying over the border surprised them. (Photo by John Moore/Getty...Images)

Image4of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

An U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agent looks for signs along trail while on patrol near the Texas-Mexico border, Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, near McAllen, Texas. Since illegal immigration spiked in the Rio Grande Valley this summer, the Border Patrol has dispatched more agents, the Texas Department of Public Safety has sent more troopers and Gov. Rick Perry deployed as many as 1,000 guardsmen to the area. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

An U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agent looks for...signs along trail while on patrol near the Texas-Mexico border,...Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, near McAllen, Texas. Since illegal immigration...spiked in the Rio Grande Valley this summer, the Border Patrol has...dispatched more agents, the Texas Department of Public Safety has sent...more troopers and Gov. Rick Perry deployed as many as 1,000 guardsmen...to the area. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Image5of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

Assistant patrol agent in charge Lee Allbee, right, talks about the aerostat used by Border Patrol to look for smugglers and illegal crossings in the Rio Grande Valley, Friday Sept. 5, 2014 at Penitas, Texas. Since last November, the Border Patrol has stationed five surveillance sky cameras in the Rio Grande Valley area _ one in Penitas, two near Rio Grande City and two near Falfurrias, said agency spokesman Joe Gutierrez Jr. (AP Photo/The Monitor, Gabe Hernandez)

Assistant patrol agent in charge Lee Allbee, right, talks about the...aerostat used by Border Patrol to look for smugglers and illegal...crossings in the Rio Grande Valley, Friday Sept. 5, 2014 at Penitas,...Texas. Since last November, the Border Patrol has stationed five...surveillance sky cameras in the Rio Grande Valley area _ one in...Penitas, two near Rio Grande City and two near Falfurrias, said agency...spokesman Joe Gutierrez Jr. (AP Photo/The Monitor, Gabe Hernandez)

Image6of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

A helium filled teathered blimp or aerostat which can carry high-tech cameras can be useful in tracking drug smugglers and undocumented immigrants along the Rio Grande. It is being tested by Border Patrol. Thursday Jan. 16, 2014.

A helium filled teathered blimp or aerostat which can carry high-tech...cameras can be useful in tracking drug smugglers and undocumented...immigrants along the Rio Grande. It is being tested by Border Patrol....Thursday Jan. 16, 2014.

Image7of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

Border Patrol agents stand by an aerostat used to look for smugglers and illegal crossings in the Rio Grande Valley, Friday Sept. 5, 2014 at Penitas, Texas. Since last November, the Border Patrol has stationed five surveillance sky cameras in the Rio Grande Valley area _ one in Penitas, two near Rio Grande City and two near Falfurrias, said agency spokesman Joe Gutierrez Jr. (AP Photo/The Monitor, Gabe Hernandez) MAGS OUT; TV OUT

Border Patrol agents stand by an aerostat used to look for smugglers...and illegal crossings in the Rio Grande Valley, Friday Sept. 5, 2014...at Penitas, Texas. Since last November, the Border Patrol has...stationed five surveillance sky cameras in the Rio Grande Valley area..._ one in Penitas, two near Rio Grande City and two near Falfurrias,...said agency spokesman Joe Gutierrez Jr. (AP Photo/The Monitor, Gabe...Hernandez) MAGS OUT; TV OUT

Image8of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

A Predator B unmanned aircraft taxis at the Naval Air Station, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Using the same technology responsible for lethal strikes elsewhere in the world, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expanding its use of Predator B unmanned aircraft outfitted with powerful infrared cameras and sensitive radar to patrol U.S. borders. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A Predator B unmanned aircraft taxis at the Naval Air Station,...Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Using the same...technology responsible for lethal strikes elsewhere in the world, U.S....Customs and Border Protection is expanding its use of Predator B...unmanned aircraft outfitted with powerful infrared cameras and...sensitive radar to patrol U.S. borders. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Image9of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

An antenna that works with a aerostat used by Border Patrol to look for smugglers and illegal crossings in the Rio Grande Valley Friday Sept. 5, 2014 at Penitas, Texas. Since last November, the Border Patrol has stationed five surveillance sky cameras in the Rio Grande Valley area _ one in Penitas, two near Rio Grande City and two near Falfurrias, said agency spokesman Joe Gutierrez Jr. (Gabe Hernandez/Associated Press)

An antenna that works with a aerostat used by Border Patrol to look...for smugglers and illegal crossings in the Rio Grande Valley Friday...Sept. 5, 2014 at Penitas, Texas. Since last November, the Border...Patrol has stationed five surveillance sky cameras in the Rio Grande...Valley area _ one in Penitas, two near Rio Grande City and two near...Falfurrias, said agency spokesman Joe Gutierrez Jr. (Gabe...Hernandez/Associated Press)

Image10of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agents and Borstar agents prepare for a patrol flight near the Texas-Mexico border, Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, near McAllen, Texas. Since illegal immigration spiked in the Rio Grande Valley this summer, the Border Patrol has dispatched more agents, the Texas Department of Public Safety has sent more troopers and Gov. Rick Perry deployed as many as 1,000 guardsmen to the area. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agents and Borstar...agents prepare for a patrol flight near the Texas-Mexico border,...Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, near McAllen, Texas. Since illegal immigration...spiked in the Rio Grande Valley this summer, the Border Patrol has...dispatched more agents, the Texas Department of Public Safety has sent...more troopers and Gov. Rick Perry deployed as many as 1,000 guardsmen...to the area. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Image11of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

Texas National Guard troops watch for illegal immigrant crossings near the Rio Grande River at the U.S.-Mexico border on September 8, 2014 near McAllen, Texas. Thousands of undocumented immigrants continue to cross illegally into the United States, although the numbers are down from a springtime high. Texas' Rio Grande Valley area is the busiest sector for illegal border crossings, especially for Central Americans, into the U.S. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Texas National Guard troops watch for illegal immigrant crossings near...the Rio Grande River at the U.S.-Mexico border on September 8, 2014...near McAllen, Texas. Thousands of undocumented immigrants continue to...cross illegally into the United States, although the numbers are down...from a springtime high. Texas' Rio Grande Valley area is the busiest...sector for illegal border crossings, especially for Central Americans,...into the U.S. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Image12of13|Securing the Texas-Mexico border

Families of Central American immigrants turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande River from Mexico on September 8, 2014 in Mission, Texas. Although the numbers of such immigrant families and unaccompanied minors have decreased from a springtime high, thousands continue to cross in the border illegally into the United States. The Rio Grande Valley sector is the busiest area for illegal border crossings, especially for Central Americans, into the U.S. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Families of Central American immigrants turn themselves in to U.S....Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande River from Mexico...on September 8, 2014 in Mission, Texas. Although the numbers of such...immigrant families and unaccompanied minors have decreased from a...springtime high, thousands continue to cross in the border illegally...into the United States. The Rio Grande Valley sector is the busiest...area for illegal border crossings, especially for Central Americans,...into the U.S. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Image13of13