Today marks 24 years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, which claimed 2,996 lives, left 25,000 people injured, and 24 missing. One of the deadliest attacks in history, the tragedy remains etched in the world’s memory. It also reshaped the course of border security and gave rise to several binational initiatives.
Since the September 11 attacks, the U.S. Border Patrol has focused on detecting and deterring terrorists and terrorist weapons. One of the agency’s core activities is linewatch operations, which include the detection, prevention, and apprehension of undocumented migrants, terrorists, and human traffickers along the border.
The Department of Homeland Security Was Born Out of 9/11
The Homeland Security Act, signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 25, 2002, created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a new branch of the Executive Office. Its mission was to implement measures to safeguard the United States.
In 2003, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was established as part of DHS to address gaps in border management exposed by the September 11 attacks and to unify various agencies under a single command structure focused on national border security
Mexican Victims of 9/11
While the September 11 attacks struck at the heart of the United States, their impact crossed borders. Among the nearly 3,000 victims, at least 16 were of Mexican origin, according to the Mexican government and consular reports. Of those, only five were formally identified through DNA testing by U.S. authorities.
Confirmed names include Antonio Meléndez, Antonio Javier Álvarez, Leobardo López Pascual of Puebla, Juan Ortega Campos of Morelos, and Martín Morales Zempoaltécatl of Tlaxcala. They worked in different sectors across New York, primarily in services and construction, as part of the migrant community seeking better opportunities.
September 11 not only reshaped approaches to security and international cooperation but also left lessons that remain relevant more than two decades later. The goal endures: to prevent tragedy and to protect human life.
