A 15-month investigation titled 'Dying on Camera' has analyzed the effectiveness of the 'virtual wall'—a network of AI-enabled surveillance towers deployed by the U.S. government along the U.S.-Mexico border. The investigation seeks to determine why the presence of advanced monitoring technology has not prevented migrant deaths in these regions.

Journalists from MIT Technology Review and the Times of San Diego compiled a comprehensive map of fatalities occurring near these surveillance sites. The report highlights specific instances, such as the case of José Morales Bernal in April 2024, where individuals crossed into the U.S. in areas equipped with surveillance technology but were not intercepted by authorities. In several documented cases, individuals died in proximity to these towers, yet their bodies remained undiscovered for extended periods.

The investigation suggests that the current surveillance infrastructure is failing to achieve its stated goal of tracking and apprehending migrants before they face life-threatening conditions. The researchers have proposed four potential policy and technological adjustments to address these systemic failures, arguing that the current deployment of billions of dollars in surveillance equipment is not effectively mitigating the humanitarian risks associated with border crossings.