Geopolitics & Empire Todd Miller: CBP, DHS, & ICE Border Militarization Creating Police State
Feb 23, 2026
Todd Miller, journalist and author who studies border militarization, explains the long bipartisan buildup of CBP, DHS and ICE. He describes private contractors, surveillance tech like robotic dogs and AI towers, and how border powers and detention practices are moving into U.S. cities. The conversation also covers data-driven targeting, global export of border tech, and imagining alternatives to a militarized border.
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Bipartisan Build Up Created Today's Border Apparatus
- U.S. border militarization is bipartisan and built over decades, not just a single administration's policy.
- Todd Miller cites CBP and ICE budgets rising across presidencies and Biden pushing CBP/ICE spending above $30B as evidence.
Execution Style Killings Illustrate Border Violence
- Miller recounts execution‑style killings on the border to illustrate agency violence.
- He describes Raymond Mattia being shot over 39 times after complying, linking that history to current concerns about Renee Good and Alex Prady.
Border Powers Moving Inland Into Major Cities
- Border enforcement powers and practices from the 100-mile zone are moving into U.S. cities, creating a de facto domestic military.
- Miller details Border Patrol sweeps into LA, Chicago, Minneapolis and rappelling into apartments as examples.
