Border Security

Homeland Security or Wildlife Security – Chertoff Decides

November 27, 2007

With all due respect to our friends championing the green cause and saving our planet, it sometimes seems as though their fight treats other, equally worthy issues too dismissively. Take, for example, this new lawsuit brought against DHS Secretary Chertoff. The complaint alleges that the REAL ID act is unconstitutional because it gives the secretary the authority to void any law that would impede construction of a border fence. Defenders of Wildlife filed this suit after Chertoff voided laws that would force an environmental impact survey of plans to build the fence across the San Pedro River. They argue that striking a law is the same as changing it, which thereby violates the principle of separation of powers.

Critics of DHS's Immigration Crackdown Should Direct Their Ire at Congress

Chris Battle |

November 20, 2007

As DHS gets its feet beneath it and becomes increasingly more efficient at enforcing immigration laws, those who oppose those laws become proportionately more vocal in their criticisms of the Department. But DHS shouldn’t be the target. DHS didn’t draft the nation’s immigration laws. Congress did.

Giving Legal License to Illegal Immigrants

Chris Battle |

November 18, 2007

Politicians like Eliot Spitzer of New York prefer the politically popular tact of criticizing the federal government for not enforcing the nation’s immigration laws even while they keep attempting to pass other laws and regulations (like legal driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants) that undermine the federal govenrment’s ability to enforce the immigration laws currently on the books.

It’s Not Over Until The Alien Wins!

admin |

November 15, 2007

I laugh and then cringe when I hear talk about efforts to increase immigration enforcement in our country. Don’t misread me; we need to enforce our immigration laws and remove people who have violated those laws after they have had their day (not days or years) in court. However, the current immigration removal process is complicated and fragile. Any number of events and actions can delay the process for inordinate amounts of time or stop it dead in its tracks.

Don’t forget her record…

Rich Cooper |

November 13, 2007

The recent coverage of Julie Myers stalled nomination to be Assistant Secretary for ICE is missing something…discussion of her performance record in her office. While it is more than appropriate to ask tough questions as to what happened at the Combined Federal Campaign Halloween Party at which she and two others were costume judges, there also needs to be analysis of how she has performed since she took the position in early 2006.

To Issue or Not to Issue…the Question of Issuing Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants Hits the Presidential Campaigns

Security Debrief |

November 13, 2007

Gov. Spitzer’s grenade in the form of his proposal to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants landed square in the middle of the Presidential Campaign recently, resulting in mixed responses and informative insight on how the candidates view immigration as an issue of national security.

Unauthorized Access at O'Hare Exposes Continued Border Security Concerns

Security Debrief |

November 12, 2007

Last week’s arrest of 23 workers at O’Hare International Airport for allegedly using fraudulent airport security badges exposed continuing weaknesses in securing the border. This should not have happened in the post-9/11 environment where access to secure areas at our air and seaports was tightened through enhanced background checks and investigations of current and prospective employees.

Local Law Enforcement Stepping Up on Immigration

Chris Battle |

November 8, 2007

The Hispanic elephant in the living room that nobody wants to talk about is this: Those who call for greater enforcement of immigration laws rarely acknowledge that the entire agent force of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is about 6,000.

Narcotics and Counterfeit Goods Operation Linked to Terrorism

Security Debrief |

November 7, 2007

The Los Angeles Times reports that a dozen people were arrested yesterday on charges of narcotics trafficking, money laundering and selling counterfeit goods after a two-year counter-terrorism and drug investigation centered in Los Angeles’ downtown garment district. The link between drug smuggling and counterfeit goods operations with the financing of terrorist activities is well known […]

DHS-Gov. Spitzer Showdown At The Real ID Corral … and Gov. Spitzer Blinks

Security Debrief |

November 4, 2007

On September 21st, New York Governor Spitzer’s unexpectedly announced that New York would issue driver’s licenses to illegal aliens – signaling the latest challenge to the REAL ID law. Unbeknownst to Gov. Spitzer at that time, his brazen proclamation would wither under the intense and ruthless national immigration debate. Gov. Spitzer immediately found himself under siege not only within the State of New York, but also from a large and vocal national constituency.

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