Feed: Obama team set to reduce border security measures - AggScore: 12.9

Obama team set to reduce border security measures

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blockquoteemDHS is replacing its border security measures, which could temporarily reduce oversight, and reports it may reduce resources requested for securing the southwest border. GAO Report emblockquotecaption id alignalignleft width210 captionImmigration enforcement executives Janet Napolitano and John Morton claim the USMexico border has never been safer. Photo DHS img srchttpcdn2b.examiner.comsitesdefaultfilesstyleslargehashf3bcf3bca2db45e249b249820ef18751b6f9.jpg alt width210 height113 captionOnly days after Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano complained about law enforcement commanders exaggerating the threat of the Mexican drug war on Americans, two of her own Immigration amp Customs Enforcementspecial agents were ambushed by suspected members of Mexicos deadliest crime gang, Los Zetas.Secretary Janet Napolitano also reported the obvious during her testimony before the U.S. CongressThe nearly 2,000mile U.S. border with Mexico is vulnerable to crossborder illegal activity.The Office of Border Patrol, within DHSs U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP, is responsible for securing the border between U.S. ports of entry and has divided responsibility for southwest border miles dividedamong nine Border Patrol sectors. CBP reported spending about 3 billion on Border Patrols southwest border efforts in fiscal year 2010, apprehending over 445,000 illegal entries.The HouseHomeland Security Committee under the leadership of Rep. Peter King RNY requestedthe Government Accountability Office report its observations on the extent to which DHS reported progress in achieving operational control Border Patrol was able to detect, respond, and interdict crossborder illegal activity of the southwest border.In addition, the GAOwould report onthe extent to which operational control reflects Border Patrols ability to respond to illegal activity at the border or after entry into the United States and how DHS reports the transition to new border security measures will change oversight and resource requirements for securing the southwest border.The subsequenttestimonywas based on GAOs ongoing work for the House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO analyzed DHS border security documents and data supporting border security measures reported by DHS for fiscal years 2005 through 2010, and interviewed DHS officials.Border Patrol reported achieving varying levels of operational control for 873 of the nearly 2,000 southwest border miles at the end of fiscal year 2010, increasing an average of 126 miles each year from fiscal years 2005 through 2010. Border Patrol sector officials assessed the miles under operational control using factors such as the numbers of illegal entries and apprehensions.CBP attributed the increase to additional infrastructure, technology, and personnel. Yuma sector officials reported achieving operational control for all of its 126 border miles however, the other eight southwest border sectors reported achieving operational control of 11 to 86 percent of their border miles. Border Patrol attributed the uneven progress across sectors to multiple factors, including prioritizing resource deployment to sectors deemed to have greater risk from illegal activity.Border Patrol reported that its levels of operational control for most border miles reflected its ability to respond to illegal activity after entry into the United States and not at the immediate border. Operational control encompassed two of the five levels used to classify the security level of each border mile. The two levels of control differed in the extent that Border Patrol resources were available to either deter or detect and apprehend illegal entries at the immediate border controlled versus a multitiered deployment of Border Patrol resources to deter, detect, and apprehend illegal entries after entry into the United States.GAOs preliminary analysis of the 873 border miles under operational control in 2010 showed that about 129 miles 15 percent were classified as controlled and the remaining 85 percent were classified as managed.Border Patrol officialsstated that operational control does not require its agents to be able to detect and apprehend all illegal entries. Yuma sector reported operational control for all its miles although Border Patrol did not have the ability to detect and apprehend illegal entries that use ultralight aircraft and tunnels. DHS is replacing its border security measures, which could temporarily reduce oversight, and reports it may reduce resources requested for securing the southwest border.Border Patrol had established border miles under effective control as a measure of border security. DHS plans to improve the quality of boarder security measures by developing new measures with a more quantitative methodology. CBP is developing a new methodology and measures for border security, which CBP expects to be in place by fiscal year 2012. In the meantime, the absence of border security outcome measures in DHSs Fiscal Year 20102012 Annual Performance Report could reduce oversight.CBP does not have an estimate of the time and efforts needed to secure the border however, DHS, CBP, and Border Patrol headquarters officials said that this new approach to border security is expected to be more flexible and costeffective. As a result, Border Patrol headquarters officials expect that they will request fewer resources to secure the border. For example, the socalled virtual fence project has been canceled after the U.S. government spentupwards of a billion dollars on security measures that either didnt work as promised or the equipment malfunctioned within weeksof being installed.