Texas plans to install cameras on border - and you can watch

Texas Governor Rick Perry has announced plans to install web cameras on the Texas-Mexico border, designed to allow anyone with internet access to tune in and watch for illegal border crossers. He plans to allocate an initial $5 million for the "Virtual Border Watch Program", which will employ night vision cameras. A toll-free number will allow people to notify authorities of suspicious activity.



Now anyone will be able to watch for border jumpers coming into the US across the Texas border. We are already monitored daily by any number of traffic and security cameras, so there appears to be no legal issue here.

The potential for abuse is ripe, however, from prank calls to false alarms, to decoy calls. Overall, however, it shows that Texas is being ahead of the curve when it comes to border enforcement.

Related News Links:
www.foxnews.com
www.chicagotribune.com
news.bbc.co.uk

[edit on 5-6-2006 by jsobecky]

Well I can almost anticipate a comedy skit on Comedy Central Presents stand up to have this in one lol. This is something I don't think will be able to slep by not made fun of. I have no problem with the cameras and such but the "anyone can watch, then call if they see a border jumper" thats just hilarious.

I wonder if it will actually work. Further more I wonder if they will slap you with a ticket or something if you make a prank call. Will they treat it like 911?lol this is pretty funny though.

I can just see it now. People would love to be vigilantes, no matter tha cause.

Is there any pay involved???? I'd cover the graveyard shift, but if they want me to

notify them, i want an incentive. $$$$$ I could use a few extra bucks!

We're going to have to think up a new name for the new class of border watchers, to go along with the Minutemen. "Eye in the Sky"?

The potential for abuse is ripe, however, from prank calls to false alarms, to decoy calls.

Abuse?? Prank Calls??? False Alarms??? All easily handeled by the recorders.

Call comes in, operator in turn views the camera tape for that camera at that time or alleged time it took place and presto it is either true or false. As for decoys that is laughable. Who in their right mind is going to pretend they are crossing the border illegally???

grimreaper797 perhaps I'm just old, or something, but I fail to see the humor in this. I am concerned at the potential for prank calls and such though.

Decoys would be for a small group of jumpers to be routed one way just to draw the inevitable Border Patrol response away from another area long enough to get a group across.

[edit on 5-6-2006 by Astronomer70]

because its extremely funny that its going to be "broadcasted" thats why. What reason should it be broadcasted. Why WASTE money to give a live feed to everyone? Its just so stupid its funny. I would have laughed at the proposal, but sadly its actually happening.

Originally posted by grimreaper797
Why WASTE money to give a live feed to everyone?

Because It does not cost any additional money to put the feed out on the internet that is why. All they have to do is take the video feed and plug it into their computer system as they already do with traffic cams etc.

All he is doing is taking the neighborhood watch program one step further, most of those are monitored by volunteers in additon to the police, with no cost to the government except the original cost and maintenace of the cams.

so basically the people watching this over the net are doing the job border controll should be doing.

personally i couldnt sit staring at a monitor at a open space just to see if someone crosses the border, id get bored after the first 5 minutes

Originally posted by grimreaper797
because its extremely funny that its going to be "broadcasted" thats why. What reason should it be broadcasted. Why WASTE money to give a live feed to everyone? Its just so stupid its funny. I would have laughed at the proposal, but sadly its actually happening.

You ask...why broadcast this? Because...first it will be to monitor people coming into the country, then when "The War on Terror" reaches inside the U.S. and they start snatching people left and right, for being "terrorist suspects" they will want people monitoring those same cameras to help catch "fleeing terrorist suspects" which will be innocent people who don't want to be caught in the crossfire, or who don't want to be accused of being a "terrorist" but will be, because under the new terrorist laws...you have no right to trial by jury, you can not speak out against the government, and you have no rights period...because once you are deemed a "terrorist" you are enemy number one.

By the way...a month or two ago...the first "Domestic Terrorist" was snatched, for internet crimes...they never stated what his crimes were, I just happened to see it on TV...hhmmm....broadcasting you say...TV's broadcast, the Internet broadcasts, your cell phone now broadcasts, people have TV's in their cars now...broadcast, broadcast, broadcast, it seems you can not escape being on TV these days.

[edit on 5-6-2006 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

It is just a matter of time before someone gets the idea to take the border cam site and cross it with that hunting ranch that lets you aim and shoot by internet.

Who's going to be the first to have a "bag the illegal mexican" hunt?

I am not in favour of it, but I can see some of the more angry vigillantes try to help with the american border guard duties and since imprisonment and deporting take so long, why don't they just shoot 'em first and ask questions later.

This is a train wreck waiting to happen.

Originally posted by JIMC5499
It is just a matter of time before someone gets the idea to take the border cam site and cross it with that hunting ranch that lets you aim and shoot by internet.

Live Shot

Wonder if the Government has approached them with a contract yet?


[edit on 5-6-2006 by Xenophobe]

Thanks, Astronomer70, that's exactly what I meant about "decoys".

shots, use your imagination! Think like an illegal, and how you could make your way around the system.

What about the real terrorists infiltrating this country from up North? That's ok i guess- Lets just concentrate on Mexicans, there are no REAL terrorists anyway.

Frankly, given how many people in this country (many of them illegals themselves) are pro-illegal immigration, they can easily subvert the system by phoning in a lot of false positives. And nothing can be done about it. So the idea is dead in the water.

I say just make the barriers 10 ft higher already, add more razor wire etc.

Well why stop there people??? Since most of you seem so happy and comfortable with Big Brother's All Seeing Eye watching everything, I'm guessing that even more intrusion and spying by the Watchers, Controllers and Elite will follow unchecked.

Like cameras along every street in every neighborhood so we are all secure in our front yards. In every place of business both public and private so we are all secure where we work or visit. Perhaps even in all Parks and Outdoor recreation areas so we are secure in our leisure time as well. Maybe even in our automobiles too so we can be secure in our travel between each and every "Secure Location" or "Security Check Point". Feel safe enough yet??? No???

Ok, well then we better go ahead and put mechanical eye's in our homes too then. Including our backyards, bedrooms, bathrooms and even closets, basements/attics, cupboards, etc. There, now we are safe at last. Big Bro can make sure there is no "unauthorized activity" happening anywhere which might harm us. No sexual acts bellow moral standards happening in the bedrooms. No language that might be offensive to others being said. The watchers can even see that we're eating the correct foods and doing our required personal care requirements as well. Feel safe enough now???

Maybe you think it won't go that far. Perhaps. But who really thought it would have gone as far as it has already. Cameras at the stop lights and on top of most commericial buildings. All comunications tapped. All cell phones required to give lacation by satelite. National ID's and DNA databases. On-Star, Verichip and Digital Angel. Datamining. And the list goes on and on and on. Most people thought all those were just paranoid ideas a while back too, but here they are.

A final note for all of you out there, regardless of where you stand on this issue. Think about this:
Why is it that when it comes to "National Security" the Government insists it must have everything "Secret" and "Unaccessible" but when it comes to YOUR "Personal Security" you must expose every single detail about YOUSELF???

Well, gotta go now...the thought police are on there way...

Well mOjOm,

I think you are a bit paranoid here. Webcams are nothing new. There are plenty of those installed in many cities. Big deal.

@dgtempe - have you ever crossed into Canada from the US or visa versa??? NO, didn't think so. It's alot harder to cross between the states and Canada than the states and Mexico... has been for a long time.

As for the internet viewing of the border... i think that's a pretty cool idea. Not only could you keep an eye on the border but also make sure that Soldiers do their jobs too. Imagine if we had cameras hooked up to the internet all over Iraq... then those SOB soldiers that are killing innocent civilians wouldn't get away with it. All of which need to be hung by their balls and shot. Anyways, that's a different topic... sorry.

And I am not so sure that i'm against shooting Mexicans that cross the border... it is illegal after all. And it is not like they dont know it's illegal... cuz it always has been. So yeah, I probably would be first to sign up for those internet guns on the border.

Originally posted by dgtempe

What about the real terrorists infiltrating this country from up North? That's ok i guess- Lets just concentrate on Mexicans, there are no REAL terrorists anyway.

Are you referring to the Kennedy's & Kerry's by any chance? Sorry, my bad.

[edit on 7-6-2006 by Astronomer70]