Rep. French Hill (AR-02) has named U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the latest recipient of his Golden Fleece Award, citing the agency’s previous failure to include several of the nation’s busiest Ports of Entry (POEs) in its federally mandated expansion of non-intrusive inspection systems (NII).
Hill said the oversight directly undermined efforts to combat the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
“Illicit fentanyl remains one of the most serious public safety threats facing our country and is the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, including in my home state of Arkansas,” Hill said. “A recent report found that CBP’s plan to expand non-intrusive inspection systems failed to include nine major passenger vehicle crossings on the Southwestern border, despite Congress directing CBP to deploy them at all sites. I am pleased to see this oversight corrected under the Trump Administration. Americans deserve to have their safety prioritized, and this is an important step forward in combating narcotics trafficking.”
Letter to Commissioner Rodney Scott
In a letter to CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott, Hill outlined the operational failures that led to the award, stressing the agency’s omission of key POEs from the 2021 Congressional directive. That directive required CBP to deploy and expand NII systems across all land Ports of Entry by 2027.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), CBP’s submitted plan excluded nine major passenger vehicle crossings—sites that collectively represent nearly 40% of all Southwest border passenger vehicle traffic. Hill wrote that the omission likely enabled additional illicit fentanyl to enter the country.
Hill also noted CBP’s failure to report two of the three key performance parameters for NII systems—examination rates and inspection rates—leaving Congress without crucial data to evaluate whether these technology systems are effectively intercepting drugs, cargo, and high-risk vehicles.
Fentanyl and Border Security
Hill emphasized that the majority of illicit narcotics enter the U.S. through official Ports of Entry, making the placement and performance of NII systems vital to national security. He praised Commissioner Scott and the Trump Administration for working to correct earlier errors.
“I recognize and thank you and the Trump Administration for your continued efforts to secure our Southwestern border,” Hill wrote, noting that illegal crossings were “consistently and dramatically lower” under that administration.
He added that strengthening border security is essential to reducing crime, drug trafficking, terrorism risks, and other national safety threats.
Hill Calls for Continued Partnership
Hill ended his letter by inviting CBP to offer technical guidance or Congressional recommendations needed to close statutory gaps and improve federal oversight of NII system deployment.
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