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NYC Mayor Bloomberg on America’s Immigration Challenge

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September 26, 2011

Homeland security is a group effort, and immigration enforcement is a critical component. In working to keep terrorists and other criminals out of the United States, however, we must ensure that our immigration laws facilitate the arrival of hard-working people seeking a better, freer life. As a part of this ongoing dialogue about America’s immigration laws, on Wednesday, September 28, the National Chamber Foundation will host a half-day Business Horizon Series symposium, “Immigration & American Competitiveness: The Challenge Ahead,” featuring a keynote address from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

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Another Key to Cyber Security: Agility

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September 23, 2011

A lot of factors can lay claim to being a “key” to cybersecurity. I would offer another: agility. Presently, agility is the best friend of the Bad Guys. On the defensive side, we labor under a great disadvantage. Development of defensive means is slow and reactive; we have to follow strict rules for commercial deployment of products, and beyond the technical procedures, we have huge hurdles on the legal, policy and regulatory sides. In short, the good guys are anything BUT agile.

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Napolitano Writes about DHS "Study in the States" Initiative

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September 20, 2011

The Blog @ Homeland Security: Helping the Best and Brightest Study in the States By Janet Napolitano (The Blog @ Homeland Security) Today I visited the University of Wisconsin – Madison to announce an important new initiative to help streamline the international student visa process and encourage foreign students to study and lawfully remain in […]

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HSPI Ambassadors Roundtable Featuring Lt. Gen. Walter Semianiw

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September 19, 2011

On Friday, September 23, 2011, for an HSPI Ambassadors Roundtable event, Lieutenant General Walter Semianiw, Commander, Canada Command, will share his unique perspective.

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Aspen to the Homeland’s Rescue

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September 19, 2011

When the Aspen Institute does something, they do it exceptionally well. Last week, they announced the formal establishment of the Aspen Homeland Security Group, a reason for optimism about thinking and scholarship on homeland issues. Their membership is literally a “who’s who” on homeland issues. It was mentioned that this group would be available to DHS Secretary Napolitano and her successors to obtain strategic counsel on a range of matters. She certainly could not have asked for a better “kitchen cabinet” of people to talk to or meet with and that unfortunately is where there is a problem.

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Mr. "Ordinary" – An Unassuming Medal of Honor Hero

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September 19, 2011

With cameras rolling, lights blaring and an intent audience before me, I took to the stage at FEMA’s National Recovery and Resiliency Exercise Conference last Wednesday, ready to rock that crowd. That is until an ordinary-looking 23-year-old guy named Dakota Meyer grabbed the microphone and shook me (and everyone else in the room) to my core. This Mr. “Ordinary” is a decent-looking blond dude, but like each of us, it’s what he’s got on the inside that makes his story exceptional. He drove into battle to save his fellow soldiers, saving lives and winning the Medal of Honor in the process.

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DHS Secretary Napolitano launches new web site for international students

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September 16, 2011

DHS Secretary Napolitano visits UW–Madison; launches new web site for international students and exchange visitors Today, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano deliver remarks at UW–Madison highlighting innovative ways to encourage the best and brightest international students and scholars to study and remain in the U.S. and launched a new government website (studyinthestates.dhs.gov) […]

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How to Transcend Post-9/11 Homeland Insecurity

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September 16, 2011

Advisers resign, slam deportation program | program, report, tas – News – The Orange County Register   A group tasked with reviewing a controversial Obama administration deportation program blasted immigration officials as creating confusion and distrust, and advised the Department of Homeland Security to use the program to go after serious criminals who are in […]

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Integrating and Aligning Border and Aviation Security Approaches

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September 16, 2011

DHS is by no means perfect. However, its organizational promise – that concentrating large operational agencies under one roof would improve security – has been met at the border. The DHS border screening model – identifying bad guys around the world, finding out in advance who is traveling, and making sure that the bad guys cannot pretend to be someone else – also applies to aviation security, though it has not been used much at airports. We’ve run out of ways to check all passengers for weapons, and everyone—including TSA—agrees that new approaches are needed.

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Time for Pakistan to Clean Up its Backyard

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September 16, 2011

An al Qaeda-affiliated organization based in North Waziristan is now in the spotlight and crosshairs: the Haqqani Network. Yesterday evening, Defense Secretary Panetta and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker tagged the Haqqani Network with responsibility for this week’s attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, as well as a September 10 truck-bomb attack on a U.S. base there that injured 77 Americans. With the benefit of a safe haven in Pakistan in areas bordering Afghanistan, and a continuing relationship with Pakistan’s intelligence agency (ISI), the Haqqani network thrives and threatens the region as well as U.S. national security. The situation is, as Secretary Panetta stated categorically, “unacceptable.”

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