Securing America’s Borders: The Role of the Intelligence Community

Richard A. Best Jr. | Congressional Research Service | 2010-12-07

This report presents a broad overview of the U.S. intelligence community's role in the mission of securing U.S. borders. The report addresses criticisms of intelligence community involvement in the mission, specifically the argument that "border security missions might detract from traditional intelligence missions -- monitoring the capabilities and intentions of major countries throughout the world and providing tactical intelligence to the military operations in which U.S. forces are engaged."