TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva urged the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus to hold community input forums regarding the recent deployment of a blimp in Nogales that would provide surveillance of the border 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection failed to properly notify local and community stakeholders in advance of its deployment and has drawn public concern regarding privacy and security from Nogales residents.

Rep. Grijalva urged DHS and CBP to ensure transparency, oversight and community input moving forward:

“As U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Program Management Office Directorate continues to operate and expand Persistent Ground Surveillance System Aerostat blimp’s in Arizona, I urge you to hold public forums to ensure local governments, Tribal officials, migrant rights and civil rights experts, and local residents have an opportunity to hear from CBP about these types of border surveillance technologies, provide the opportunity for stakeholders to express their concerns, and protect the privacy and civil rights of all impacted communities.”

The full letter can be found here.