Signal Breach: Why Secure Communications Matter in Cross-Border Leadership

Secure Communication, Secure Borders

This week’s headlines delivered a jarring reminder of the stakes involved in high-level government communications. In an astonishing lapse, classified details of a U.S. military strike against Houthi targets were mistakenly shared in a Signal group chat that included a journalist — exposing not just sensitive intelligence, but the fragility of digital communication even among seasoned national security professionals.

For those of us who have held top secret security clearances and worked at the intersection of national security, border enforcement, and international relations, this breach was both familiar and deeply unsettling.

When I served as Chief of Staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the largest law enforcement agency in the country, I held clearances that gave me access to high-level intelligence and sensitive operations. One of the most critical missions under my oversight involved the Predator Drone program — a key piece of our homeland security and border surveillance strategy. Information related to that program was tightly guarded. If it had been leaked in the way we just saw happen with Signal, the fallout would’ve been swift and severe: people would’ve lost their jobs, and worse, lives could have been endangered.

CBP’s work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It sits at the crossroads of trade, migration, and security — three pillars that demand constant vigilance and discretion. A breach of operational details like drone deployment locations, coordination with Mexican agencies, or cartel tracking technology would do more than just embarrass a government agency — it could disrupt international cooperation and put frontline officers, migrants, and civilians at grave risk.

We often talk about trade and investment as vehicles of diplomacy — and they are. But they depend on a foundation of trust, transparency, and, critically, security. When that foundation is cracked, everyone loses. This breach raises serious questions about how prepared we are — across agencies and administrations — to manage the ever-evolving challenges of cybersecurity and secure communication.

In cross-border leadership, confidentiality isn’t optional — it’s operational. It is the difference between success and catastrophe, between collaboration and confrontation.

The lesson here is urgent and clear: we must modernize not just our digital infrastructure but also the culture of discipline and accountability that surrounds sensitive communications. That includes enforcing strict protocols, using secure platforms appropriately, and recognizing that every misstep can reverberate globally.

As we navigate this upcoming election year and prepare for new administrations and international realignments, let’s remember that strong borders aren’t just physical — they are digital. And the way we protect information is as important as the goods and people we move across our frontiers.