By Merle David Kellerhals, Jr.
Washington — While the U.S. government seeks to enhance security along the border between Mexico and the United States, it is also implementing effective law enforcement strategies with state, local and tribal partners, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says.
“Over the past 18 months, this administration has devoted more resources — including manpower, technology and infrastructure — to the southwest border than at any point in America’s history,” Napolitano said. “We are committed to further bolstering our cooperation with our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners as we continue to implement strong, smart and effective enforcement strategies.”
The United States is also working closely with Mexican authorities to keep communities on both sides of the border free from border-related violence and crime, and violence associated with illicit drug trafficking, she said.
“We are not satisfied. There is more work to do,” Napolitano said at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, a public policy research organization, June 23.
While at the center, Napolitano announced additional measures to shore up the border region. These include new working partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies; expanded information sharing among law enforcement agencies; enhanced technology and targeting to crack down on cross-border smuggling; additional tools to enforce U.S. immigration laws while also setting priorities for the arrest and removal of dangerous criminal aliens; and expanded cooperation with Mexican authorities.
President Obama announced the deployment of up to 1,200 Army National Guard troops along the southwest border in support of federal law enforcement officials in May, and on June 22 also requested $500 million in emergency supplemental funds from Congress to further enhance border security.
The Department of Homeland Security is also creating a new partnership with the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which represents the largest police departments in the United States and Canada, to create the “Southwest Border Law Enforcement Compact,” which is designed to boost law enforcement at the border by permitting nonborder state and local law enforcement agencies to detail officers to state and local law enforcement agencies along the border.
Napolitano also said that while efforts are under way to bolster border security and enhance assistance to law enforcement, Congress must move forward on comprehensive immigration reform.
“There is no silver bullet. It will require Congress to enact changes,” she said.
Holding up reform legislation until the southwest border is sealed is not the answer, she added.
“The border is as secure now as it’s ever been, but we know we can always do more and that will always be the case,” the former Arizona governor said. “It’s a big border. It is 1,960 miles [3,154 kilometers] across that southwest border. It’s some of the roughest, toughest geographical terrain in the world across that border.”
Repairing the nation’s immigration system is something Congress must do because the immigration system is a responsibility of the federal government, Napolitano said.
