Fact Sheet 

The President’s Fiscal 2003 Immigration Budget 2/04/02

Border Enforcement 

The FY 2003 budget includes $711.7 million and 1,790 new positions to increase 

security at the borders of the United States while facilitating the legitimate flow of goods and 

people across those borders. This budget also includes $105.9 million to continue emergency 

counter-terrorism supplemental initiatives begun in FY 2002. Terrorists exploit legal and illegal 

means of coming to and remaining in the United States. INS enforcement activities continue to 

focus on protecting America from terrorism. 

With this budget, INS will advance strategic control of the Northern border while 

continuing to expand control of the Southwestern border. INS will also expand border 

enforcement functions beyond the physical borders of the United States through technology, 

cooperative international initiatives, and intelligence. 

The FY 2003 budget includes an additional 570 Border Patrol Agents ($76.3 million). 

With this increase, INS will achieve the goal of hiring the 5,000 agents authorized by the Illegal 

Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. The President has also identified 

$488 million in resources to continue securing the nation’s ports-of-entry. These resources 

support the addition of 1,160 new Immigration Inspectors and the development of an entry-exit 

system. 

Border Control at the Ports-of-Entry 

The FY 2003 budget will provide funds to hire an additional 1,160 Immigration 

Inspectors. Of these, 460 will be deployed to land border ports, 615 to airports, and 85 to 

seaports. Immigration Inspectors are critical to protecting the nation's security. They are charged 

with intercepting terrorists, smugglers, other criminals, and undocumented migrants seeking 

admission to the United States at the ports-of-entry while efficiently managing lawful travel and 

commerce across the borders. While ensuring the integrity of our borders remains our highest 

priority, INS expects to meet traffic management goals of processing 79 percent of all 

commercial airline passengers and 90 percent of land border crossers through primary inspection 

within 

30 minutes. ($85.5 million) 

The FY 2003 budget also requests resources for the development and infrastructure 

requirements for an entry-exit system. Of the $380 million in the request, $362 million is from

new resources. This system will implement departure control, track the arrival and departures of

all aliens, and monitor alien overstays. INS, in conjunction with U.S. Customs Service, 

Department of State, and other Federal agencies, will design, develop and deploy this system. 

As part of this effort, INS will acquire technology, modify facilities and make other 

infrastructure changes. INS’ goal is to complete implementation by the end of FY 2004. 

($380 million)

The FY 2003 budget also provides funding for the renovation of three Northern border 

ports. The ports at Porthill, ID; Fort Fairfield, ME; and Portal, ND, require new infrastructure 

for the additional personnel and expanding technology along the Northern border. These 

Prepared by the Office of Public Affairs • Immigration & Naturalization Service • (202) 514-2648
FY 2003 INS Budget – Border Enforcement

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projects are in addition to the $60 million provided in FY 2002 for remote housing and facility 

changes to accommodate the entry-exit system. Additional facility modifications are also 

requested in the 

FY 2003 entry-exit request. ($22.5 million) 

Border Control between the Ports-of-Entry 

The FY 2003 request will add 570 Border Patrol agents. Half of these agents will be 

deployed to the Northern Border. The remaining 285 new agents will be deployed along the 

nine corridors on the Southwest border that account for more than 80 percent of all illegal traffic 

into the United States. This will bring the authorized staffing for the Southwest and coastal 

borders to 9,829 agents. The 285 agents deployed to the Northern border will result in a total of 

898 agents on the Northern border, a 244-percent increase over current on-board staffing. 

($101.3 million)

The request will also ensure that the Northern, Southwestern and coastal borders all have 

dedicated air surveillance programs capable of responding on a 24-hour basis and that INS can 

sustain the positive deterrent that is the result of nine years of resource build-up along U.S. 

borders. ($10 million)

The request includes resources for enforcement systems technology (ENFORCE). The 

INS ENFORCE system is the principal database and processing system for enforcement 

operations. Included in this request are resources to enhance the Border Patrol, Investigations, 

Intelligence, and Detention modules of the system. Live scan 10-print fingerprint access to the 

FBI and other law enforcement databases will be made available to Border Patrol sites. Highpriority interfaces with other INS data sources and other Federal databases would be expanded, 

thereby increasing the integration of intelligence and case management data. These initiatives 

will ensure that all INS law enforcement personnel have the biometric identification tools and 

biographic data needed. In addition, the budget includes $51.7 million to continue 

emergency counter-terrorism supplemental activities to deploy force-multiplying equipment 

to monitor isolated areas where illegal entry may once have occurred. ($28 million) 

 The FY 2003 budget completes a number of ongoing construction and engineering 

projects, and continues leasehold projects in support of the Border Patrol. Of the $163.8 million 

being requested, $120.5 million is new resources. These projects will improve operational 

infrastructure on the Northern and Southwestern borders to a level that is adequate and safe for 

staff and detainees, and includes construction, alteration and leasing of station buildings; 

construction of border roads, fence and vehicle barrier systems and border lighting systems; and 

emergency maintenance and repairs to existing infrastructure. ($120.5 million) 
FY 2003 INS Budget – Border Enforcement

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FY 2003 Program Improvements Amount 

($ in millions) 

Border Control at the Ports-of-Entry 

 New Immigration Inspectors 

 460 Land Border 

 615 Airport 

 85 Seaport 

85.5

 Renovation of Three Northern Border Port-of-Entry Facilities 22.5

 Entry-Exit System (System Development and Infrastructure) 

 (includes $18 million in base resources) 

380.0

Border Control Between the Ports 

 New Border Patrol Agents 

 285 Northern Border 

 285 Southwestern Border

101.3

 Rotary Wing Aircraft 10.0

 Enforcement Systems Technology 28.0

Construction, Renovation and/or Leasing of Border Patrol Facilities 

Station Buildings, Processing Rooms, Vehicle Maintenance Areas and 

Supporting Infrastructure 

Traffic Checkpoint Systems 

Permanent Lights, Barriers, Fences, Roads

120.5

Continuation of Emergency Supplemental Activities 105.9