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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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U.S. Border Patrol is exploring AI-powered drones that could act as first responders, automatically launching from docking stations when an alert is triggered and tracking people suspected of crossing the border illegally, according to government records.
The plans are detailed in federal procurement records published November 6. The drones could give agents live information about people or other targets crossing the border between official ports of entry. Alerts from surveillance towers, sensors, or other systems could send them into the air within five minutes, with a goal of three.
Border Patrol operates within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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Newsweek has contacted CBP for comment via email outside office hours.
Alongside its mass deportation campaign, which has focused on arresting and removing migrants from the U.S. interior, the Trump administration has cracked down on illegal crossings at the border. DHS said Border Patrol recorded 98,708 southwest border apprehensions in fiscal 2026, 60 percent fewer than during the Biden administration's busiest month.
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AI First Responder Drones
Once airborne, the drones could use artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect, identify, and track what the agency calls “items of interest,” including people suspected of crossing the border illegally, vehicles in remote or unauthorized areas, and suspected contraband.
The AI could track several targets during the day or at night, determine their locations, and point cameras toward them before alerting agents. Live video, images, and location information could also be sent to agents in the field.
The drones could then return to their docks on their own, land and recharge. But the records do not show that CBP has decided to buy or deploy them.
The agency says it is still researching what is available and could use companies' responses to plan a future purchase. Some vendors may also be invited to demonstrate their drones before any decision is made.
Border Security Measures
In 2020, CBP announced that Autonomous Surveillance Towers had become an official Border Patrol program. The towers use radar to spot movement, automatically turn cameras toward it, and use algorithms to identify people or vehicles. Agents are then alerted and make the final decision about what has been detected.
In 2021, Border Patrol said autonomous surveillance towers deployed in West Texas and New Mexico could help agents “identify and locate migrants entering illegally into the United States.”
On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and authorized the use of the armed forces to support DHS's efforts to reinforce the border.
In October, hundreds of additional U.S. troops were sent to the Rio Grande Valley under Operation Unified Resolve to boost patrols, monitoring, and threat detection and support federal law enforcement amid concerns about cartel activity.
In its 2025-2029 strategy, Border Patrol called for greater use of autonomous surveillance technology, including “drones, unmanned systems, and AI-driven analytics systems,” as part of efforts to improve the detection of illegal border crossings.
The Trump administration has also taken a harder line against cartels, designating several criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Gulf Cartel, as well as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua.
As the Trump administration has poured resources into border security, authorities have faced a continuing cat-and-mouse game with cartels and smugglers adapting their tactics. Drones have become part of that contest, used to watch Border Patrol agents, scout crossing routes, and move narcotics. CBP detected 34,682 drone flights within 500 meters of the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal 2025, according to figures provided to Cronkite News.
U.S. Northern Command said in a September 4 press release that the military had taken down more than 300 drones linked to illicit activity along the southern border in 2026, including more than 100 in August alone. Eleven cartel-linked drones were defeated using the Army’s high-energy laser system between August 24 and September 4. Officials said criminal organizations were using drones to support smuggling operations and surveil law enforcement and military personnel.
The Departments of Transportation, War, and Homeland Security have introduced temporary drone flight restrictions along the U.S.-Mexico border. The rules prohibit unauthorized drone flights up to 400 feet above ground level and within one nautical mile north of the border, according to a press release. Trump officials say the measures will protect border operations and counter cartel drone threats.
DHS announced on November 9 an expanded counter-drone partnership with the Transportation, War, Energy and Justice departments to coordinate how federal agencies detect, track and respond to unauthorized drones. DHS said the effort would help combat cartel drone threats and protect personnel along the southern border.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Daniel Orton and Emma Lee-Sang
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