Homeland Security Industry

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A Mosque of a Mess – Absence of Candor at Ground Zero

August 19, 2010

Politics and religion have always been lightening rods in life, and the twisting of both issues in the current debate over the proposed mosque two blocks from Ground Zero has proven true the standing axiom that you shouldn’t mix the two. In the sweeping rhetoric that has gripped the recent mosque debate, I’ve sadly not heard much distinction between those who are fighting for the soul of Islam against the extremist elements as those who seek to perpetuate it. The fault for this condition lies in the hands of everyone involved in the current debate. For as much as I believe that there is a right for the organizers and developers to have a mosque in lower Manhattan, I also believe the organizers and developers have failed in appreciating the sensitivities that people have for blood-stained soil.

Arizona Worksite Statistics an indicator of ICE Audits

admin |

August 19, 2010

By Dawn M. Lurie and Kevin Lashus
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Investigations (OI) in Arizona released a snap-shot of its weekly operations. The report provides evidence of the increasing worksite enforcement activity affecting employers. Some may be questioning whether the snap-shot is representative of national trends: we are of the opinion it is. What should employers do? Be proactive. At a minimum, review and correct your I-9s before ICE does.

Steven Bucci |

August 18, 2010

Next week, the Heritage Foundation will host “Homeland Security 2010: The Future of Defending the Homeland.” This will be a week-long series of panels aimed at providing a good background for Congressional Staffers new to Homeland Security issues. Heritage did this last year, and it was an excellent event. I will be sitting on two of the panels – maritime security and cybersecurity. The panels are open to the public and all are welcome. I highly recommend it.

Business groups blast proposed immigration reforms

Media Watch |

August 18, 2010

Business groups blast proposed immigration reforms (8/11/10) — GovExec.com Two major industry groups Wednesday blasted proposals to reform U.S. immigration policy, including pending legislation in Congress that would raise work-visa fees for foreign companies operating in the United States. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Council on International Personnel issued a report calling […]

Chris Battle |

August 17, 2010

Back in 2006, before George W. Bush’s approval ratings dropped through the basement into somewhere around the fourth circle of hell, it made political sense for the congressional Democrats to attack the Republican administration on cargo security. They were fighting to regain control of Congress and had to show that they, too, were capable of protecting the American people from another terrorist attack. They found themselves an effective–if inaccurate–sound bite in accusing the administration of screening a mere 5 percent of cargo coming into the country. But are they seriously going to continue this bizarre effort? Even President Obama’s Administration thinks this is a terrible idea.

Distrust Hampers Public-Private Cybersecurity Partnerships

Media Watch |

August 17, 2010

Distrust Hampers Public-Private Cybersecurity Partnerships – CQ Homeland Security
Mutual distrust has stymied the creation of an effective cybersecurity partnership between the federal government and the private companies that own most of America’s critical infrastructure, according to a report released Monday.

Group says body scanners can store, transfer images

Media Watch |

August 17, 2010

Group says body scanners can store, transfer images – NextGov
The Electronic Privacy Information Center said Tuesday that documents it has obtained show that the body scanners being used at federal courthouses can store and record the images of those scanned with the devices.

Security Debrief |

August 9, 2010

Since its inception in 2001, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) approach to enforcing its rules generally has been a cooperative one. Recognizing the burdens on industry from new security regulations and a difficult economic environment, and understanding that harsh enforcement actions can be counterproductive, TSA generally has sought to educate and train rather than punish. Monetary fines have been uncommon, and serious punishment – steep fines or greater severity – have been rare. While this approach has worked reasonably well, there is reason to believe it will not last forever.

The Battling Bills of Chemical Security – Much Ado About Nothing?

admin |

August 6, 2010

Late last week, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) unanimously approved a bill to extend the DHS Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program for an additional three years. The bill includes several contentious provisions, including “inherently-safer technology (IST)” review, chief among the attention-getters. IST is great idea in theory but looking at IST in the larger scheme of chemical facility issues, IST is really just a component of a more complex trade off assessment, going well beyond merely switching out chemicals.

Security Debrief |

August 4, 2010

The active shooter who killed eight people in Manchester, Conn., revives sentiments among the employers and co-workers that come with every active shooter: how could this happen and why couldn’t we foresee it? It concerns me just as much that such questions within the community are joined by a predictable refrain from the likes of me: Now that there has been one, expect others. An active shooter incident lowers the emotional burden for others to do the same, and both employers and law enforcement must be proactive in managing this low probability, high impact risk.

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