The U.S. Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector has introduced a new advanced vehicle barrier system at the Sierra Blanca immigration checkpoint in Texas. The system, known as the GRAB 350 and developed by Global GRAB Technologies, is designed to improve public safety and border security by stopping vehicles that attempt to evade inspection.
Located about 90 miles east of El Paso on Interstate 10, the Sierra Blanca checkpoint is the first among 45 permanent U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints nationwide to deploy this technology. The GRAB 350 aims to prevent high-speed vehicle escapes before they can reach one of the country's busiest highways.
“Interstate 10 is a major artery connecting communities across the country. When someone attempts to bypass an immigration checkpoint, they are putting innocent motorists and our agents at serious risk,” said Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Lloyd Easterling. “This system allows us to stop and contain those threats in a controlled environment, before they become dangerous pursuits on public roadways.”
The barrier uses an energy-absorbing ground-retractable device combined with an in-ground tire-shredding system, both certified under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act. These components enable agents to quickly disable fleeing vehicles within the checkpoint area.
The GRAB 350 meets American Society for Testing and Materials crash standards and has been shown capable of stopping large vehicles traveling over 50 miles per hour. Agents can operate it remotely from a protected location using vehicle-detection sensors to minimize accidental deployment.
According to officials, this technology is intended to lower risks associated with high-speed chases and collisions, helping reduce injuries or fatalities among motorists and law enforcement personnel. It also increases agent safety by allowing more distance during enforcement actions.
“This is not a pilot or a concept — it is a fully operational enforcement capability,” Easterling said. “We will use every appropriate tool available to protect the American public and our agents as we unapologetically enforce the law.”
The Sierra Blanca checkpoint processes thousands of vehicles daily through its strategic position along Interstate 10 in Hudspeth County. It serves as one of four permanent checkpoints in the Big Bend Sector, playing a key role in detecting illegal activity and preventing unauthorized entry into major population centers.
Officials stressed that only trained agents will use this less-than-lethal system when necessary for safe operations.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection describes itself as America's largest law enforcement organization responsible for border management across land, air, and sea domains.
