30 January 2003
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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