Central ND News

Senator John Hoeven hosted U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott in Emerado, North Dakota, to review border operations in the Grand Forks sector and explore how the region’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry can support border security.

Hoeven highlighted North Dakota’s UAS ecosystem, which brings together private companies, the military, and government agencies to develop drone technology. This includes work on counter-drone research and development. He pointed out that recent federal funding has been secured through a legislative package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. The provisions aim to improve border security by completing construction of the border wall, upgrading infrastructure such as access roads and surveillance equipment, improving screening technology to combat drug trafficking and human smuggling, supporting hiring and training for border security personnel, providing $450 million for Operation Stonegarden grants to assist state and local law enforcement, and allocating $500 million for detecting threats from unmanned aerial systems.

Hoeven said North Dakota is well-positioned to help CBP develop counter-UAS capabilities because of resources like GrandSKY, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, and partnerships involving military organizations, federal agencies, universities, and private industry.

“With 861 miles of northern border and the one-of-a-kind UAS ecosystem we’ve built in North Dakota, we wanted Commissioner Scott to see firsthand the unique capabilities we are developing with our private, military and government partners that could be leveraged to assist law enforcement and help secure the border,” said Hoeven. “We connected Commissioner Scott with local law enforcement officials, leaders from our UAS test site and UND to build yet another partnership that will help our state lead the way.”

The visit also included meetings with community and business leaders from northern border areas. Discussions addressed challenges such as limited port of entry operating hours affecting local economies. Hoeven has worked to restore these ports’ pre-pandemic hours; after pandemic-related closures he helped expand hours but continues efforts for full restoration.