San Clemente’s City Council voted 3-1 in January, with one abstention, to permit U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to install a surveillance tower on city-owned land at the Avenida Salvador Reservoir. The decision allows CBP to deploy a $1 million system, including radar, cameras, sensors, and communications equipment, which the agency states is intended to monitor the coastline for vessels suspected of human smuggling. While CBP emphasized the system's primary purpose is to address dangerous human smuggling activities, concerns have been voiced regarding local oversight and the potential scope of its operation.
The agreement, which followed months of discussions between city staff and CBP, grants CBP full control and operation of the surveillance system and the footage it collects. During negotiations, CBP reportedly "could not accept specific language restricting surveillance of residential areas," asserting that the system might be necessary to track suspected smuggling activity on land. This aspect of the agreement has prompted questions about the extent of the surveillance capabilities on public land and the city's ability to oversee its use.
San Juan Capistrano City Councilmember and former Mayor, Sergio Farias, expressed concerns that this arrangement leaves San Clemente with limited oversight of a powerful surveillance system. Farias, who is also a candidate for Assembly District 74, stated that while he supports the responsible use of technology for public safety, such tools should come with a clear public-safety purpose, meaningful oversight, and established rules governing access to the information they gather. He emphasized that communities should not be asked to provide public land for advanced surveillance technology without significant safeguards defining its use.
Farias highlighted fundamental questions that he believes remain unanswered: what information the system can collect, how long that information can be stored, and who can access it. He argued that as surveillance technology becomes more powerful and widespread, the regulations governing its use must evolve accordingly. Farias underscored that residents expect elected officials to solve problems while upholding transparency and accountability, ensuring safe neighborhoods and responsive government.
The deployment of this federal surveillance technology affects more than just San Clemente, Farias noted, suggesting that residents of San Juan Capistrano and northern San Diego County also deserve to know when such systems are being deployed in their communities. He maintained that combating human smuggling and protecting the coastline can be achieved alongside insisting on clear rules and meaningful oversight for surveillance technology, asserting that public safety and local accountability are not conflicting priorities.
