Border Security

Much has been written recently concerning the relationship between illegal immigration and border security (or the lack thereof). The concept of border security affects all of us, directly or indirectly. It seems that the closer we get physically to the border (any border), the more we are affected (by border security), and the more we consider it a real and valid concern.

Filled with relevant information, this holistic approach provides a timely foundation for anyone interested in the topic. Descriptive and analytical, the text is designed to offer readers a balanced and up-to-date overview of what border security is, as well as the constant revisions to it that have occurred over the past 109 years.

In this book, authors Phelps, Dailey and Koenigsberg describe and discuss:

• Various definitions of "borders," including geographical, political, and economic
• What "border security" actually is, in relation to different types of borders and how the concept developed historically
• The classical concepts of border security, including the Walled City, Hadrian's Wall, the Maginot and Seigfried Lines, and the Great Walls of China
• Border Patrol Operations, from 1904 to present day
• Present-day physical border security, including the various Border Fences, Operation Gatekeeper, and the effects of illegal immigration
• Maritime border security
• The relationship between border security and transnational crime
• Transportation security as impacted by borders
• "Solutions" to security along both the southern and northern borders of the United States

Dr. James Phelps is an assistant professor in the College of Media and Mass Communication at the American University in the Emirates.

Jeff Dailey is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice at Angelo State University. email: jeff.dailey@angelo.edu

Monica Koenigsberg is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice at Angelo State University.