FROM HORSE PATROLS TO DIGITAL FRONTIERS: THE EVOLUTION OF THE U.S. BORDER PATROL IN THE CONTEXT OF CHANGING THREATS

Savinov Alexey Leonidovich, Fadeev Yuri Evgenievich, Kuptsov Maxim Alexandrovich, Chernov Alexander Mikhailovich

The article examines the historical transformation of the U.S. Border Patrol from its official establishment in 1924 to the present stage. By analyzing key stages of institutional development — from combating smuggling during Prohibition to countering transnational drug trafficking and ensuring national security after September 11, 2001 — the authors demonstrate how external challenges determined the expansion of powers, technological modernization, and the organizational structure of the agency. Special attention is paid to the dilemma of balancing the effectiveness of border control with the observance of human rights, as well as contemporary challenges related to the politicization of immigration and adaptation to new threats.

Keywords:U.S. Border Patrol, border control, immigration policy, national security, transnational crime, institutional evolution, Department of Homeland Security.