It came as a slight shock to me to learn today that the President of Guinea-Bissau was assassinated late Sunday/early Monday in the United States. What is also shocking is that there has been no mention of the assassination all day on any of the major new networks.
As of today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is under the leadership of Acting Commissioner Jayson Ahern. Commissioner Ralph Basham retired after decades of public service on Friday and leaves CBP in the good hands of Ahern.
US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Ralph Basham steps down as head of the agency, after agreeing to stay on board under the new Administration to help ensure a smooth transition.
Yesterday, Secretary Napolitano testified before Congress for the first time since her confirmation. One issue that spurred interest was the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Whole Body Imaging (WBI) program which screens passengers for explosives at the checkpoint by imaging bodies and looking for anomalies (in place of a metal detection wand inspection and physical pat-down).
Secretary Napolitano announces her appointment of Chani W. Wiggins as Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs. She also names Nelson Peacock and Sue Ramanathan as deputy assistant secretaries in that shop.
Time is running out to address the critical national security issue of Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Even the leading experts on the issue are divided on a solution, and time is running out.
Topics for hearings: Post-Katrina Gulf Coast rebuilding; the role of state and local law enforcement in immigration enforcement; unionization and the Department of Homeland Security.
While DHS officials have been reluctant to provide details on the future of DHS’ E-Verify in the early stages of the Administration, President Obama’s just released “A New Era of Responsibility” outlining the President’s FY 2010 Federal Budget vision may provide an early indicator of the Administration’s support for DHS program.
Julie Myers Wood, a Security Debrief contributor and the former head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, spoke with Mickey McCarter of Homeland Security Today to discuss making the E-Verify employment eligibility program permanent before it expires in May.
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