Return to Article: DHS asks industry to help secure borders
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14977
You mean, like letting a United Arab Emirates-based company take over the running of six of America's largest and busiest ports? Let's just outsource all of DHS while we're at it, and continue giving away our national security. Could you imagine the outcry in 1941 if someone had proposed turning over the operation of the Port of Honolulu to the Japanese, or the Port of New York to Nazi Germany?
Whatever happened to common sense? In the legal world, just an appearance of impropriety is enough to remove a lawyer from a case in court. Why not use the same standard here?
I worked with Customs and now ICE for over 25 years, at a major seaport, and I can't believe that politics takes precedence over national security in this case!
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14557
High tech IT for monitoring? Yeah, I guess so. However, on the low tech side, just ask the sheriff's department of Hidalgo County, New Mexico. They are overwhelmed and underfunded. Probably most counties along the border are, along with the states. Those coming across the border with backpacks full of drugs and then walking across the desert to pickup points at mile posts XX on I-10 don't give a damn about satellites except for their satellite phones.
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14541
Just when I was tiring of all these redundant stories and postings, along comes one that I just couldn't pass up. Let's see, DHS Deputy Secretary "White Glove" Jackson tells the crowd that, "We're asking you to come back and tell us how to do our business." How rich is that?!
Upper management never gives us, the troops on the beach head fighting the battles, the time of day nor solicit our input on what needs to be done yet they have no reservation asking a bunch of outsiders marketing their high-tech toys. That's just for openers. SBI's main initiatives are: improved border security (they could have accomplished that by returning the Border Patrol back to what it was when I was in and get them off the X's), stronger interior enforcement against illegals and employers who knowingly hire them (this is good...we had a program like that back in 1986; anyone remember IRCA? It would have stood a chance if the Service hadn't waffled and left the employers laughing in our faces), and a guest worker program (had that too; "Bracero Program" ring a bell?).
Emphasis placed on preventing illegal activity along the border. I believe that was my job when I was in the Patrol for 17 years, between the liberal whiners, the ACLU and the rest, it appears that it was usurped long ago. Jackson says that "...we have never had a credible plan for taking control of the entire Southwest border." There were a lot of sound strategies brought to the table but the do-gooders thought them too harsh and preferred to play mamby-pamby.
One last note: You want to eliminate the backlog of applications? Deny the ones that are fraudulent and without merit, sack up those individuals, and move them out! I know that takes copious amounts of money but, then again, one has to ask how much this trade show folly is going to cost. So much for taking care of undone business for certain field needs which have been lingering for the last few years.
The Gunny
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14540
Securing the border is nationwide ecology of its own. An action in one part of the country affects another. A moratorium on new benefits should be instituted for a limited time to gain control of the backlog of applications, no insignificant portion of which are outright fraud. You don't hose down a drowning man while trying to rescue him.
Each arrest for an illegal alien needs detention space, a government legal response, manpower . . . the list is extensive.
Currently we have a car that runs, with no steering wheel, mechanics who don't know much about fixing cars, and a driver that's going to apply the brakes long enough to jump before we go over a cliff.
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14538
It's articles like this from DHS which make me be ashamed to be employed with this agency. Who are these morons fooling into thinking this administration is serious about controlling our borders and enforcing illegal immigration in a serious way. Perhaps some well placed IED's along known smuggling routes used by narcotics traffickers and alien smugglers might be an effective deterrent!
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14535
Taxpayer:
I hope you were kidding. If not, how many "immigrants" can you take in? If this country adopts your "choice," and there are no limits on immigration, billions of people will want to come to this country. If that happens, we'll all have to do our part to provide them with shelter and food, since there won't be enough jobs for everyone who wants to come here, nor housing, social services, health care, etc.
You think things are bad now? Just wait.
What a stupid idea!
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14534
Go to the Korean DMZ. Borders are very sealable. Use wire, chain link fence and GI's with M16 rifles. Stop the pork sale of gizmos that are a waste.
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14533
It should be readily apparent that if we hired enough Border Patrol Agents to provide a constant presence within line of sight of each other on our borders our nation still would not be secure.
Hopefully, we are seeking the private sector's assistance in developing technology to detect tunnels underneath our borders. This smuggling technique is not a new phenomenon. Remember the "longest most sophisticated tunnel" ever that was located near Douglas, Ariz., in 1990?
Some 16 years later, the Border Patrol still believes that the answer to our nation's safety is to hire more Border Patrol agents to "cut sign."
It is encouraging that DHS recognizes the importance of cutting edge technology versus cutting sign.
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14532
Predator drones, NV goggles, better radios, new weapons, why, the shopping list is endless. First, the American people must clearly understand the difference between legal immigration and illegal infiltration. All the technology in the world is useless without the officers and support staff necessary to protect our borders. Don't spend one more penny on computer systems at the front door (airports, etc.). To paraphrase a former president: "It's the back door, stupid!" Until we can organize our priorities and re-discover our positive values, the One World/multicultural maniacs will win.
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14525
It is frustrating to see articles such as this and not be able to get your comments to DHS.
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14517
Again I say land mines do wonders.
Most of us are lucky we are here now because our past generations migrated from countries without any concern about quotes or limits in the United States. We have two choices:
1. Land mines
2. No limits on immigration. This seems to me to be preferred because it is in large part what made this country great and continues to do so!
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