A memo from the Border Patrol obtained by NBC News states that “the nationwide issue has significant impact on operations.”

According to a memo from the agency sent early in October, nearly one-third (33%) of the Border Patrol’s primary surveillance system on the southern U.S. Border aren’t working. This leaves border agents without a vital tool for combating illegal border crossings.

A Border Patrol memo obtained by NBC News, sent to a section of agents on the southern border, states that “the nationwide issue has significant impacts on [Border Patrol] Operations.”

A large-scale failure has affected approximately 150 of the 500 surveillance cameras perched on towers along the U.S./Mexico border. According to the memo, it was caused by “multiple technical problems”. Officials, who spoke under condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive issues, blamed outdated technology and unresolved repair issues.

According to an internal memo, 30 percent of the cameras were not working. The cameras have stopped working at some point, but it is unclear when.

Customs and Border Protection officials stated that although some camera repairs were completed this month, there were still more than 150 requests pending. Officials said that some areas are not visible by Border Patrol due to broken cameras.

Customs and Border Protection has said that it has installed approximately 300 new towers using more advanced technology.

The spokesperson stated that “CBP continues installing newer, advanced technology which embraces artificial intelligence and machine-learning to replace outdated systems. This reduces the need for agents to work non-interdiction tasks.”

Last week, the Border Patrol Union in Laredo Texas raised this issue on Facebook. It said to its members that “it shares your concerns” that the inoperative camera towers at the border cause serious officer safety and border concerns.

The union wrote in a post dated Friday, “We hope that this issue will be resolved soon since the problem has been going on for a long time!” “The American taxpayers have made significant investments along the border in technology, and they expect this technology to be operational.”

The memo, obtained by NBC News, blames a federal agency other than Border Patrol for the problem. That federal agency is the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has internal problems in meeting the Border Patrol’s needs, according to the memo, but does not elaborate on these problems.

In a memo, it is stated that FAA personnel will be sent to the Southern border to repair the cameras.

Border Patrol leaders may replace the FAA by a contractor who can “provide adequate technical support for cameras,” the report adds.

Third Customs and Border Patrol Official: The agency is trying fix a major problem that hasn’t been managed properly for the past 20 years.

A spokesperson for the FAA declined to comment.

White House budget requests to Congress have routinely requested more money for surveillance systems at the border.

The House Republicans have blocked a bipartisan measure that would have improved surveillance systems significantly, hired more Border Patrol agents, and restarted the construction of border walls.