Congressional Hearing Highlights Border Security Shortcomings
(Senate committee urges immediate action to strengthen U.S. border security) (670) By Anthony Kujawa Washington File Staff Writer The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing entitled "U.S. Borders: Safe or Sieve?" January 30 to access the security of U.S. borders and examine ways to strengthen homeland security. Officials from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the Customs Service and the Interior Department gave testimony on progress in implementing reform in border security procedures. Committee Chairman Charles Grassley said the purpose of the committee hearing was not to criticize government agencies. "We are here to improve our security," he said explaining the importance of Congressional oversight in the system of checks and balances. "We have to find out what's not working so we can make it better." "Today's hearing is not about closing our borders, but rather protecting our borders against those who mean us harm," added Senator Max Baucus. As part of congressional oversight to improve border security, the two senators requested an investigation in the summer of 2002 by the General Accounting Office (GAO) Office of Special Investigations to test border security at U.S. air, land and sea points of entry. Investigators identified significant security failures along the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico border, as well as when entering the U.S. by air. Describing results of the investigation, Robert Cramer of GAO said its agents had no difficulty entering the country and INS and Customs Service officials never questioned the authenticity of their agents counterfeit documents. "INS inspectors are not readily capable of detecting counterfeit identification documents," warned Cramer. Grassley added, "Sometimes the investigators didn't even need their fake IDs. And in every instance, undercover agents carried undeclared cash or credit cards across the border." Senator John Kyl of Arizona warned that the United States would not have enforceable rule of law until there is a "fraud-proof system of identification for all of us." Government officials described progress on initiatives to enhance security, such as the National Entry Exit Registration System, Student Exchange Visitor Information System, Dedicated Commuter Lane program, Advanced Passenger Information System, Free and Secure Trade, License Plate Reader program among others. Customs Service official, Robert Jackstra, for example, described technology and infrastructure improvements in addition to hiring of more customs inspectors and agents along the border with Canada. Yet, law enforcement officials continue to face grave danger and are under-equipped in the field, the officials said. "We are out manned and outgunned in a war zone," stated Daniel Wirth of the National Park Service in a plea for congressional support of Department of the Interior Secretary Norton's reforms. Wirth shared three video clips with the committee, which showed hundreds of drug smugglers and others entering the United States illegally through national parks and campgrounds at night. The August 9, 2002, murder of Park Service Ranger, Kris Eggle by a Mexican drug runner along the Arizona border at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument illustrated the danger faced by rangers along the U.S. border. Criticizing resistance to change in the National Park Service, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Interior Earl Devaney said, "I have never seen an organization more unwilling to accept constructive criticism or embrace new ideas." Devaney criticized the department's superintendent of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for diverting money from law enforcement activities to non-law enforcement activities. "Law enforcement is a dangerous full-time job and those superintendents and chief rangers who do not understand this fundamental principle of modern policing should not be approving supervising or managing law enforcement officers," he said. "Forget your turf and power, and think about people's lives," stated Senator Grassley in a message to bureaucrats "who stand in the way of law enforcement and border security." "Words are one thing, deeds are another," said Senator Baucus as he urged President Bush to follow through on talk of providing more funds for border security. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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