WASHINGTON, D.C. –– This week, Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) convened a hearing to examine the challenges faced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in acquiring, maintaining, and deploying non-intrusive inspection technology (NII) at U.S. ports of entry. NII technology plays a critical role in detecting and interdicting illicit narcotics, concealed currency, contraband, and individuals being smuggled across the country’s borders. House Republicans’ reconciliation package, which was signed into law by President Trump last year, included more than $1 billion for NII.

Witnesses included Diane Sabatino, acting executive assistant commissioner at CBP’s Office of Field Operations, and Hilary Benedict, director of Science, Technology Assessments, and Analytics at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). 

In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Guest highlighted the importance of NII to CBP’s mission and raised concerns over the delay in successfully deploying this technology to scan all commercial and passenger vehicles:

“CBP was tasked to develop a plan to reach a 100 percent high-throughput NII scan rate at land ports of entry by 2027. As of Fiscal Year 2024, CBP fell short of that goal, using NII to examine approximately only 8 percent of passenger vehicles and 27 percent of commercial vehicles. These low scan rates can be attributed partially to poor planning and mismanagement from acquisition to installation and the deployment of the NII equipment.”

“NII program leaders have assured oversight bodies that they have made changes to their structure, staffing, management, and standards to ensure scan rates reflect the amount of taxpayer dollars that the program has received.”

“Ultimately, regardless of the prior shortcomings in the NII program, the capabilities NII affords to our front-line officers keeping our ports secure are invaluable. We must continue to invest responsibly in this technology as we see that this technology has a proven track record in facilitating CBP’s ability to protect and prevent smuggling into our country.” 

“Additionally, having just entered a year with record low illegal border crossings, CBP has the opportunity to invest resources in developing and the — the deployment of security measures along our border…I am cautiously optimistic that prudent decisions from NII leadership within CBP, oversight from Congress, and technological advances in industry will allow CBP to achieve 100 percent scanning rates.”

In her opening statement, Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Sabatino addressed the challenges that CBP has faced in its deployment of NII and described the agency’s plans for implementing appropriated funds from Congress: 

“While NII technology is a proven and powerful tool, deploying these systems is not without challenges. Constraints related to port infrastructure, real estate availability, and the need to avoid interference with other detection systems can be limiting as to where and how the systems are placed.

“To address these challenges, we’re continually reevaluating port facilities, exploring opportunities for alternative placement of the systems, and prioritizing deployments in areas with the greatest operational impact.” 

“With funding provided by Congress, we plan to deploy 38 additional systems by the end of this fiscal year. These drive-through systems will allow us to scan 40 percent of privately-owned vehicles and up to 70 percent of commercial vehicles at the southwest border land ports of entry, significantly enhancing our ability to detect and interdict threats.”

In her opening statement, Director Benedict detailed three core issues preventing CBP from meeting the 100 percent scan requirement for commercial and passenger vehicles:

“The first issue is planning. CBP’s scanning plan does not include all land ports of entry. Specifically, the plan does not include nine southwest border crossings… CBP officials said these sites are not included in the current plans because they are still determining how to overcome space issues at these sites. The second issue that has prevented CBP from meeting the scanning requirement is cost. CBP developed cost estimates for deploying systems, but costs have exceeded those estimates. The third issue that has prevented CBP from meeting the scanning requirement is the schedule. Deployment of non-intrusive inspection systems has taken longer than expected.”

Subcommittee Chairman Guest asked the witnesses how Congress can support DHS’s core mission beyond just funding, to which Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Sabatino testified:

“I think continuing to support our work with the vendors to identify additional or enhanced or emerging technology–– we’re very optimistic about some tests that are going on now. Working with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Office to address the radiation portal monitor interference at a place like San Ysidro, that would significantly increase the scan rates, being the largest border crossing for vehicles on the southwest border. I think certainly continuing to engage with us, you know, with our needs with respect to addressing the civil works and funding––and very much appreciate the funding that was available to us in the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.’”

Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-SC) asked what other technologies are being implemented at U.S. ports of entry to act as a force multiplier for NII:

“Smugglers often go through ports of entry. Commercial containers and personal vehicles alike are modified to have spaces to hide illicit cargo, such as cocaine and fentanyl. Contraband cargo is often in locations that are not immediately obvious to the naked eye or even older detection technology. This is where modern NII technology is important. Vehicles and containers can be thoroughly examined without having to be torn apart. Full implementation of the newest and best non-intrusive inspection technology across all ports of entry will save time and lives by catching more illicit drugs and staying one step ahead of criminal elements. So my question is to Ms. Sabatino. What new and novel technologies is the CBP innovation team investigating and fielding at ports of entry through initial research and pilot programs? And how will these new technologies complement the existing fleet of NII machines?”

Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Sabatino testified:

“There’s a number of emerging technologies that we are looking at. I think certainly in complement to the image scans, the artificial intelligence machine learning that’s going to help identify anomalies. We have a number of algorithms deployed along the southwest border today that are in training that we hope will be able to actually peel back resources as the NII––that the algorithms will help officers streamline identifying those anomalies.”

###