A Trip to the Border

This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit several of our facilities on the southwest border and meet many of our people who operate on the front line. I’d like to share with you some of the important work the men and women of DHS do everyday to protect our homeland.

In San Diego I visited the port of San Ysidro, the largest port in the country on one of the busiest days of the year. Observing our defense in depth I witnessed canine teams in action walking the inbound lanes and officers interviewing people. I met with the Border Patrol and inspected the double fencing we have in the San Diego area and was briefed on the violence that criminals trying to get into this country carry out at the border. This does not get a lot of press coverage in the Washington DC area, but make no mistake about it, this is a combat zone at the border and our men and women deal with an enemy who uses coordinated command and control, modern communications technology and distributed approaches with violence to enter this country illegally. I had the opportunity to visit “Smugglers Gulch” around sunset and saw people across the border assembling at various staging areas for what would most likely be an attempt to cross at night. I also saw first hand where secure borders that protect our citizens in this country can lead to strong economic development that benefits business and individuals.

I visited the Port of Long Beach, CA and observed large cargo ships being unloaded and observed our screening operations using X-rays, remote portal monitors and the new Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP). This is a business where profit margin to the port operators is low, time is money and time is measured in seconds and minutes. I was briefed on how the Director of Port Operations and the USCG Captain of the Port meet every morning to coordinate their operations. This serves as a multiplier in the use of their resources.

Traveling to Arizona, I met with the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) folks who run air operations and received a detailed briefing on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and the significant role they play in securing our borders. The Predator B UAS has the capability to fly for 30 hours at a time covering up to 2,800 nautical miles at altitudes over 50,000 ft mean sea level carrying a 3,500 pound payload. During 2006 and 2007 CBP Predator Bs flew more than 1500 flight hours in support of border security missions and contributed to the seizure of more than 15,000 pounds of marijuana and the apprehension of more than 4,000 illegal aliens.

Flying by helo to the Law Enforcement Center I observed the different types of terrain at the border, some very harsh, and saw first hand why an integrated architecture that utilizes a combination of fences, technology and manpower and not one of these alone, is required to secure the border.

The Tohono O’odham Indian Nation occupies a substantial portion of the Arizona land area and our relationships with this sovereign nation are a key element of our outreach in the state. I had the good opportunity to meet with representatives of the nation and understand how the Border Patrol and the nation cooperate in matters concerning security of the border.

Also during my visit I had the opportunity to observe first hand how our deployed biometric and biographic systems are aiding our Border Patrol agents. I observed agents identify an illegal alien that was caught – his seventh time trying to enter the country, and another illegal alien with many documented criminal warrants was apprehended.

On the ground I observed some of the various technologies that are being deployed as part of SBInet and spoke directly with the people doing operational testing of the P-28 system. When fully matured this type of capability will greatly enhance our border operations.

In Nogales, Ariz., the nation’s largest agricultural port, I learned about the complexities of controlling agricultural products and the tremendous job that our agricultural inspectors do. I saw how the inspectors approach the difficult task of trying to locate banned products, as well as the magnitude of the large number of commodities they look for. Most of the folks I met have biology or science degrees and have been working a range of jobs that employ this expertise. I also observed how technology is speeding the flow of traffic while still providing the assurance that we need. On one of the busiest days of the year I watched how visitors to our country are treated with respect and dignity while our people on the front line are enforcing our laws.

The challenge to our men and women on the front line is the myriad of documentation that they must scrutinize for 45-60 seconds to make a decision on whether or not to admit someone to this country. This is a very difficult challenge especially when you examine the large number of documents that people on the front line have to deal with. It puts into clear perspective why we are driving to implement many of our programs such as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

There has been violence in Nogales and until you visually eyeball the geography and realize it is a city with a wall through it – one side in the US and the other side in Mexico, do you get a good appreciation for how difficult this challenge is.

The greatest opportunity I had during this trip was to get to know many of our people. The people that work on the border come from a range of diversified backgrounds with ages that range from the early 20s to the 50s and higher. But perhaps what was very inspiring to me was that they all approach their work with enthusiasm, dedication and a sense of commitment that is probably without peer. We are all very fortunate that these dedicated men and women are on the front lines every day serving our nation.

Paul A. Schneider
Deputy Secretary (Acting)

Travel Safe, Travel Simple

As we take to the skies to visit friends and loved ones this holiday season, I’d like to share a few thoughts with you.

First, I want to point out the “non-news” story that failed to generate many headlines last month: the fact that most air travelers had an efficient, hassle-free experience during the week of Thanksgiving. Instead of long lines at security checkpoints and frustrated passengers, most will agree that air travel during Thanksgiving was relatively painless.

In fact, despite a record number of air travelers, (some 17 million) peak wait times at the busiest airports rarely exceeded 13 minutes, and in most places were substantially lower.

This was due in no small part to the thousands of TSA security officers who volunteered for extra shifts to ensure checkpoints were at full capacity during peak travel times (30,000 Transportation Security Officers worked on Thanksgiving Day). And it represents close cooperation by the traveling public and our partners at the airports and airlines.

To extend this safety and efficiency beyond Thanksgiving, we’ll again need your help. Please remember the liquid and gel ban for carry-on luggage. The formula is simple
3-1-1: three ounce containers or smaller in one quart-sized, clear, zip-top bag, with a limit of one bag per passenger. And of course, you can always place larger quantities in your checked luggage.

At Thanksgiving we launched a public awareness effort called SimpliFLY, which provides tips on packing smarter to get through security checkpoints faster. Keep your carry-on luggage organized by layering items. Be prepared by having your boarding pass and ID ready. Remember to wear easily removable shoes and outer garments. And please do not wrap gifts in carry on luggage, as we may need to inspect packages.

For more information on these programs and other travel tips, visit our website.

TSA’s highly trained security officers are there to help you reach your destination safely. By coming prepared to the checkpoint, travelers can improve their own experience and get through the screening process securely and efficiently.

On behalf of everyone at TSA, we wish you safe travels and happy holidays.

Kip Hawley
TSA Administrator

What a Difference a Year Makes

About a year ago, the Coast Guard’s $24 billion Deepwater capital acquisition program to replace and modernize virtually our entire fleet of offshore cutters, boats, aircraft, and command and control systems over 25 years, came under intense public scrutiny. The DHS Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, our Congressional overseers, and others voiced concern with significant challenges we faced in performance, cost and schedule. At the time, we committed to taking strong, decisive action to improve Coast Guard management and oversight of this vital modernization program. Here’s where the program stands today.

Much of the criticism last year centered around eight 110-foot patrol boats among a fleet of 49 boats kept well beyond their planned service life in a failed attempt to lengthen them to get additional years of service. These efforts did not live up to their promise, and we have since rescinded our acceptance. We will replace the remainder of our 110-foot patrol boats with a new fleet of 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRC), the first of which will begin to enter service in 2010. To speed project completion and increase competition in the market, we took the FRC project outside of the Deepwater contract last year and issued a request for proposals in record time. We are currently reviewing those proposals and look forward to announcing a new contract award this spring. In the interim, we have increased patrol days for some of the remaining patrol boats using the crews of the laid up cutters and are in the process of procuring four additional new 87-foot patrol boats.

Another area of significant concern focused on the fatigue life of our newest Deepwater cutter, the 418-foot National Security Cutter (NSC). In response to these concerns, we worked tirelessly with our own engineers, industry and our Navy counterparts to identify structural design modifications needed to help ensure a 30-year service life. We also undertook a significant re-structuring of the NSC project contract with industry last year. This has resulted in better conditions and cost control for the government while resolving numerous outstanding contractual issues that existed for more than two years.

We suspended work on our Vertical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VUAV) project due to our concerns with the technological maturity of the designs offered. We are studying several alternative technologies and continue to research the best way forward that will meet our surveillance and reconnaissance requirements, possibly in concert with other DHS efforts.

These improvements in the Deepwater program are the direct result of aggressive oversight and management reforms implemented in the past year to put the program back on track. We changed the way we are doing business overall by improving the organizations, policies and processes that govern how we acquire ships, aircraft and equipment. We call this strategy for business transformation our “Blueprint for Acquisition Reform.”

In July, we reached another milestone when we stood up the consolidated Acquisition Directorate (CG-9), which is comprised of several legacy acquisition offices, including the Deepwater Program Office. The new directorate manages services and supports a $27 billion investment portfolio that includes more than 20 major acquisition projects, including the Rescue 21, the Nationwide Automated Identification System (NAIS), and our Response Boat – Medium projects. Our vision for the directorate sets a new course for our acquisition community. This will enable us to be more effective in how we apply our resources; in the way we direct our workforce to the highest priorities in contracting and program management; in acquisition workforce professional development; and in our standard acquisition policies and processes.

We are just beginning to see the fruits of our labor as a result of many of the acquisition program changes made in the past year. USCGC BERTHOLF (WMSL 750), the first of eight NSC’s to be built, recently completed machinery trials as one step leading to commissioning next year. USCGC WAESCHE (WMSL 751) is thirty percent complete and we will cut steel for the third ship, USCGC HAMILTON (WMSL 752), next year. We also took delivery of three new HC-144 Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft and started construction on five more, upgraded our entire fleet of 95 HH-65C Dolphin helicopters with more powerful engines, and added new sensors and communication systems aboard 35 of our legacy Medium Endurance Cutters in the past year. Our Mission Effectiveness Project to sustain and refurbish our legacy fleet of 110-foot coastal patrol boats and both classes of medium endurance cutters is in on schedule and within budget. I had the opportunity to fly aboard the first MH-60T Jayhawk going through conversion at our Aircraft Repair and Supply Center in Elizabeth City, NC recently and was impressed with its significant improvements in state-of-the-art sensors, navigation and communications. This coming summer, the first of six newly missionized C130J Hercules long range surveillance aircraft will be operational. Moreover, we are seeing real results in the execution of our vital missions as a result of Deepwater, having removed more cocaine at sea (161 metric tons) than in any other year in our history of drug interdiction and set a new altitude record in the course of an HH-65C rescue in the state of Washington.

Undoubtedly, we will face additional challenges in the future as we struggle with simultaneously maintaining an obsolete fleet of ships and aircraft while we introduce a new fleet of more capable ships and aircraft into service. Yet, I am confident that the Deepwater program is back on course and optimistic that we will prevail in doing both to the best of our ability. Make no mistake about it. Deepwater is underway and making way.

Admiral Thad W. Allen
Commandant U.S. Coast Guard

Security and Freedom: Honoring our Values

Each year, more than one million individuals, including thousands of Americans, make a pilgrimage to the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj. This year, we expect that these travelers will return to the United States in the next few days, in time to be home by December 19, for Eid.

Because our Department is committed to facilitating travel in ways that enhance security and preserve freedom, CBP and TSA are providing their officers the necessary information to work with travelers attending this major religious event. TSA has published guidance on the Hajj, both on its website for travelers and for its officers in the field. Similarly, CBP has issued guidance to their officers around the country.

The guidance emphasizes that persons returning from the Hajj should be screened and processed using the same standards, procedures and care that would be afforded any traveler entering the United States. Security standards are not being changed one iota. The guidance provides background and context that will greatly benefit our officers as they interact with travelers in the upcoming days.

The guidance also explains what the Hajj is. It describes practices that may be associated with those traveling for the pilgrimage, and it identifies religious articles or items that these travelers may carry. It advises that pilgrims may wear very simple white clothing; that it is common for travelers to pray in public areas such as airports; that many will travel in groups; and that travelers may carry items of religious significance, such as the Qur’an or water considered sacred from the Zamzam well. For more information, you can visit TSA’s website.

Through such guidance, we are strengthening our cultural competence and honoring our proud traditions of civil rights and civil liberties -- including religious freedom -- as we protect our homeland and our travelers. We work closely with various religious groups such as Sikh and Jewish organizations concerning the screening of people who wear religious head coverings or carry certain religious articles when they travel. Similarly, we work with Christian and secular organizations concerned about immigrants seeking asylum here.

As the department’s Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I can attest that DHS remains strongly committed to these traditions. For the first time in the federal government, a Cabinet-level Secretary has placed two civil libertarians in senior leadership positions -- Hugo Teufel, our Chief Privacy Officer, and me. Our job is to ensure that security policies are designed in ways that preserve our constitutional and statutory rights.

While the challenge of enhancing both security and civil liberties can appear daunting, we are meeting it in two ways: by being innovative and by listening to a wide range of views from responsible people. Looking to the future, we will continue to address issues that have been debated for many years – like profiling or the use of satellite technology inside the country – with creative and practical solutions that include the public in the decision-making process. As we do so, we will honor our bedrock American values and ensure a safer and a better country for all.

Daniel W. Sutherland
Officer for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties

Real Progress on Real ID

All but one of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers carried government-issued IDs – mostly state driver’s licenses. The hijackers found it easy to obtain these documents, often by taking advantage of an underground network that services illegal workers.

The 9/11 Commission was as dismayed as the rest of us by how easy it was for the hijackers to beat the system, and it recommended an overhaul of the way states issue such documents. Congress responded with the REAL ID Act, which sets minimum standards for states to issue IDs.

Unfortunately, while many states have begun to secure their driver’s licenses, others have been slow to do so, claiming that security improvements are too costly. In any event, we do not think that the cost of secure identification is too high, especially compared to the cost of keeping the current system, which helped not just the 9/11 hijackers but millions of illegal workers who use fake documents to get jobs in the U.S. and identity thieves who take advantage of easily forged ID to invade the privacy and ruin the credit of tens of thousands of Americans each year.

At the same time, we recognize that the states do need time and help to build a more secure system for issuing driver’s licenses. DHS has found two ways to provide relief to the states while sticking to the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation.

First, after listening hard to the states’ concerns, we have recognized that the federal standards for secure licenses will need to give the states more time and flexibility. We hope that the new regulations, to be released in the next several weeks, will cut costs substantially. Based on the new flexibility, states as far apart as Arizona and New York have recently signed formal agreements to implement REAL ID, and we expect others to join once the regulations are published.

Second, today the department is issuing grant guidance to provide direct assistance to the states in meeting the new requirements. One of the new security features in the REAL ID act is a requirement that states double-check the documents that allow people to get licenses. There’s no point in having hard-to-forge licenses if they can be obtained by an easily forged and unchecked birth certificate.

The best way to stop such forgery is through an electronic network that allows one state to double-check birth certificates or licenses issued in other states. By allowing states to query each other’s records, we can avoid creating a consolidated database while ensuring that the data is kept up-to-date. (Such a system is already in effect to make sure that unsafe truckers don’t get commercial licenses from a dozen different states to beat the “points” system.) The federal government is taking the lead in getting such an electronic network off the ground. Today we are issuing grant guidelines that will give states access to $31 million dollars that could be used for that purpose. Once it’s built, all states will be able to hook up to the system, so all will benefit. An additional $4 million will help states electronically check birth certificates.

This is a good day for our nation’s security. It has been a long time coming, but REAL ID is finally building a head of steam. In the past few weeks, we have reached agreement with New York and Arizona on implementing the law and issued a blueprint for building an antifraud network. In the coming weeks we will provide detailed and flexible standards for improving the security of driver’s licenses across the board. And one of the last unimplemented recommendations of the 9/11 Commission will be on its way to completion.

Stewart A. Baker
Assistant Secretary for Policy

The Midwest Ice Storm Response

The holiday season doesn’t slow our work at FEMA.

Even before I returned to the United States last week from a trip to meet with our international partners in Brussels (NATO) and Russia, I was working to coordinate FEMA’s response to the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in Oregon and Washington. Then, right after I returned, the Midwest was hit by snow and ice storms.

I’ve been participating this week in our interagency calls on the storms and have talked with our people on the ground. It’s great to see the team working together, involving all federal and state partners. And the new technology we’re using to track the shipment of pre-positioned supplies is helping us “lean further forward.”

FEMA is continuing to work hand-in-hand with our partners in federal, tribal, state and local government, as well as the private sector and nonprofit community, as we respond to these winter storms. We're not only addressing the needs identified today, but we’re also looking ahead to anticipate the needs of the states for tomorrow and the next days ahead.

Even before officials asked for the disaster declarations, FEMA had been working with them to offer assistance. Federal assets are in the affected states to assist as needed with emergency power restoration, essential commodities and life-sustaining missions.

The new FEMA is about a stronger presence on the ground, and our Regional Response Coordination Centers have been activated to facilitate those efforts.

Regional disaster specialists have been deployed to assist with identifying needs and provide technical support to the state emergency managers in the affected states. Additionally, Preliminary Damage Assessment teams are standing by in each Region and are prepared to assist state and local emergency managers in assessing any damage and the need for more federal aid.

I'm extremely pleased with the coordination so far. Winter weather is already here but we’re all prepared and working together when weather emergencies hit.

R. David Paulison

FEMA Administrator

A Year of Achievements

This afternoon I had the privilege of giving remarks at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on our department’s accomplishments for the year and our priorities for 2008.

By any measure, 2007 was a year of strong progress and maturation for our department. From border security and immigration enforcement to passenger screening, critical infrastructure protection, and emergency response, we launched important initiatives to strengthen America’s security and we began to see the fruits of our labor in many vital areas.

To keep dangerous people from entering our country, we reached a landmark agreement with the European Union to share advance passenger information on international travelers. We also began collecting 10 fingerprints from foreign visitors at our international airports, which allows us to run more comprehensive terrorist and criminal watch list checks and identify unknown terrorists. We implemented new rules to improve screening of private international aircraft. And we strengthened passport requirements for air travelers in the Western Hemisphere.

To keep dangerous things from arriving here, we launched our Secure Freight Initiative to scan overseas cargo for radiation. We expanded our Container Security Initiative to 58 foreign ports so that our inspectors can screen cargo before it departs for the United States. We installed Radiation Portal Monitors at our land and sea ports of entry to prevent radiological materials and weapons from entering our country. We also seized record amounts of illegal drugs at our borders and at sea.

In addition, we strengthened critical infrastructure protection. We began implementing tough new chemical security regulations to protect chemical facilities from terrorist attack. To protect our ports, we provided port workers with a secure, tamper-proof TWIC credential. We deployed behavioral detection officers to more than 40 of our nation’s airports. And we expanded information sharing with our state and local partners through our participation in fusion centers.

In the area of emergency preparedness and response, we retooled and restructured FEMA, giving its employees better tools, logistics and tracking systems, and more effective disaster registration capabilities. We also hired full-time directors in all 10 of FEMA’s regions. As a result, FEMA’s response time was faster this year and the organization was widely praised for being on the scene quickly during the California wildfires and other disasters.

And to improve the department’s management and operations, we strengthened our information technology oversight and contracting, gave our employees new resources and on-line training tools, and moved forward to consolidate our headquarters operations into a single campus.

Next year we’re going to build on our success in these and many other areas. In particular, we’re going to continue to strengthen security at the border and enforce our nation’s immigration laws. We made a lot of progress this year to build fencing, hire new Border Patrol agents, and strengthen interior enforcement. Next year we will build even more fence, hire more agents, and deploy new technology at the border.

We’re also going to implement new secure identification requirements as part of our Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and we will release final regulations for secure driver’s licenses under the REAL-ID Act. Secure identification was a 9/11 Commission recommendation and remains one of our best tools to prevent terrorism and identity theft.

Finally, we’re going to accelerate our efforts in the area of cyber security and we’re going to continue to institutionalize our department and work with Congress and American people to do our level best to protect this nation.

Of course, behind every one of our accomplishments this year stand the 208,000 men and women of the department. These achievements would not be possible without their resolve, the continued support of our public and private sector partners at every level, and the American people.

Happy holidays and thanks for reading.

Michael Chertoff

America’s Lifesavers vs. Northwest Floods

Last week, a life-threatening storm, the Pineapple Express, swept through the Pacific Northwest. Within hours, hurricane-force winds with gusts close to 130 mph and torrential rains caused record-breaking floods throughout the region. Thousands of residents were stranded when major highways quickly became rivers, cutting off those who needed help. Communities throughout Oregon and Washington flooded like never before, taking the lives of ten people. The Coast Guard closed all river bars from Tillamook, Oregon, north to the Straits of Juan De Fuca, and pre-positioned additional people and equipment in advance of the storm.

Coast Guard rescuers saved more than three hundred people and six pets, in our biggest mass rescue operation since Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast more than two years ago. Working hand-in-hand with our local, state and Federal emergency response partners, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, air and boat crews rescued and evacuated storm victims from some of the most remote and inaccessible locations. In order to assist such a large number of people in distress, our local commanders brought in reinforcement from as far away as San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento. These Coast Guard men and women demonstrated selflessness and devotion to duty, concentrating on rescuing others despite being without power and communications at home and work, and having little contact with their own families. One Coast Guard watchstander stood 26 hours of continuous watch, coordinating landing zone logistics and air operations in Chehalis, Washington.

During one rescue operation, a Coast Guard aircrew helped evacuate a mother and her premature newborn baby. The infant was suffering from respiratory distress and needed transport to another hospital’s neonatal unit. The aircrew from Air Station Port Angeles responded by attending to the mother while another crewmember provided manual breathing for the newborn. The baby survived by breathing through a tube during the one hour in flight, while both mother and child were being safely transported to the hospital.

We also reached out to more than 500 volunteers through our regional Citizen’s Action Network to assist us in locating people in distress, identifying pollution incidents, and responding to discrepancies in aids to navigation as a result of the record flooding.

Coast Guard men and women, with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, are deployed all across the country and stand ready to respond to all threats and hazards as we carry out our duties as America’s lifesavers and guardians of the seas.

Admiral Thad W. Allen
Commandant U.S. Coast Guard

Biometrics: Unmasking Terrorists and Criminals

US-VISIT is a DHS program that collects fingerprints from visitors and biographical information in order to establish and verify identity, prevent fraud, and stop dangerous people from entering the United States. Collecting this information from international visitors is one of the best ways to maximize security while ensuring maximum privacy.

Since US-VISIT was added to the immigration inspection process in 2004, almost two thousand criminals and immigration violators have been prevented from entering this country. We’ve been successful because fingerprints are unique. Unlike names and dates of birth, they cannot be easily altered. Unlike documents, they cannot be forged. Digital fingerprints – also known as biometrics -- are revolutionizing our ability to keep legitimate travel moving while barring the entry of dangerous individuals.

We’re now improving this process by collecting all 10 fingerprints, instead of just two, from almost all non-U.S.-citizen visitors to our country. State Department consular officers already collect 10 fingerprints at almost all of its visa-issuing posts in order to make visa determinations before people can even travel to our shores. In November, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers began collecting 10 fingerprints from visitors at Washington Dulles International Airport. During the next year, this capability will expand to all air, sea and land ports of entry. CBP officers use this information to help them determine whether a visitor should be admitted to the United States.

The most visible benefit of transitioning from two- to 10-fingerprint collection is that we can actually improve the travel process by more accurately and efficiently identifying legitimate visitors. This means that we can focus our resources on those who pose the greatest risk.

But perhaps the most important and least obvious benefit is how this change helps us fight terrorists and criminals.

Terrorists thrive on their ability to move undetected around the world, but they do leave a trail of clues behind. For example, every day full or partial fingerprint images are left behind at crime scenes, terrorist safe houses, and even on bomb fragments or other battlefield debris. The defense and intelligence communities are collecting these latent fingerprints. US-VISIT adds these fingerprints to and checks them against our watch list of known or suspected terrorists, criminals and immigration violators and our database of immigration information.

Collecting a visitor’s full set of fingerprints instead of just two provides dual benefits: 1) Now, should we collect any part of a fingerprint at the scene of terrorist activity or any other crime and that same person applies for a visa or arrives at a U.S. port of entry, we could stop him or her; and 2) No matter what kind of fingerprint we find, we are more likely to identify the nameless suspect based on their U.S. immigration or criminal history.

This initiative was put to the test in 2005 when latent fingerprints lifted from the steering wheel of a suicide truck bomb detonated in Iraq were sent to US-VISIT for identification. US-VISIT identified the suicide bomber as someone who had once attempted—and been denied—entry to the United States. The suicide bomber was no longer anonymous. Removing this anonymity from terrorists helps us unravel their networks, disrupt their operations, and ultimately derail their plans to do us harm.

Robert Mocny
Director, US-VISIT Program

Guarding Our Coasts Since 1790

Today marks another milestone in Coast Guard history. This afternoon, I joined Director John Walters of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Mike Braun, Chief of Operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration, to announce that the Coast Guard seized more than 350,000 pounds of cocaine at sea this year, a record-breaking 160 metric tons worth an estimated street value of more than $4.7 billion. That’s half of the Coast Guard’s annual budget and surpasses all of our previous seizure records.

Our success is the direct result of Coast Guard men and women doing the hard things expected of those who “guard our coasts.” Every day, we execute this dangerous mission hundreds of miles from our borders to keep illegal drugs from reaching our shores where they threaten our families, our schools, and our communities here at home.



We are not alone in our efforts. We have tremendous cooperation among more than two dozen other nations throughout the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that make up the transit zone. Together with our federal law enforcement partners, Department of Defense counterparts, the Joint Interagency Task Force South, and 26 other nations in and around the transit zone, we are sharing more intelligence and rapidly deploying interdiction forces to seize more drugs than we ever have before. Whether suspected smugglers transit far offshore on the high seas to avoid detection or seek refuge in the territorial waters of coastal states, they ultimately cannot hide from the sights of our international partners who share in our determination to rid ourselves of this transnational threat to our collective safety and security.

We have the best interagency coordination and collaboration among our federal law enforcement partners and Department of Defense counterparts I have seen in more than 35 years in law enforcement. Following each successful seizure, our joint task forces for investigating and prosecuting drug cases, like Operation Panama Express, produce real-time, actionable intelligence to continuously improve our targeting. Our intelligence-based operations are great examples of the kind of interagency teamwork and coordination that exists among Customs and Border Protection, ICE, DEA, the Coast Guard, and other Homeland Security and Department of Justice agencies. This intelligence and information sharing among federal, state, local and international organizations is unprecedented and is shutting down drug traffickers.

New interdiction tools and tactics are forcing drug smugglers to go to greater lengths to change their own tactics in an effort to avoid detection and interdiction at sea. Smugglers are secreting cocaine into liquids, employing semi-submersible vessels that float just above the surface, and using less-traveled, lengthier routes far into the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to hide and evade law enforcement. Today, we are employing some of the most sophisticated, interoperable and capable hardware in our history to interdict smugglers at sea. Naval combatants from the U.S., Denmark, Great Britain and France routinely embark Coast Guard law enforcement teams for counterdrug patrols.

Our counterdrug strategy is working as we see growing amounts of drugs seized before they reach our shores. While the numbers are impressive, they don’t tell the whole story. The impact of these efforts is also unprecedented. This is made clear by the reduced supply of cocaine observed in more than 35 major cities throughout the United States.

In the last ten years alone, the Coast Guard has seized more than two million pounds of cocaine. With interagency teamwork, collaboration with our international partners, and ever-more effective tools and tactics, we will continue to tighten the web of detection and interdiction at sea, as we secure our maritime borders and keep illegal drugs out of the country.

For more than 200 years, the Coast Guard has been enforcing our nation’s laws and protecting our borders. Make no mistake about it: Our courageous men and women in law enforcement and those who support them are having a real impact on drug smugglers today. We can all sleep a little more soundly knowing the Coast Guard is on patrol.

Admiral Thad W. Allen
Commandant U.S. Coast Guard

Honoring Our DHS Heroes

Over 200,000 men and women proudly serve this nation each day at DHS. I am indeed grateful for the dedication they bring to their jobs and for the pivotal role they play in the defense of our country.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of recognizing a number of them at our Third Annual Honorary Awards ceremony. I recognized 81 individuals, 32 teams, and 18 Presidential Rank awardees. As in prior years, the awardees were selected for their outstanding contributions in carrying out our homeland security mission.

Let me tell you about a few of them.

Border Patrol Agent Gary L. Ortega was one of 12 recipients of the Secretary's Award for Valor. He earned this honor by rescuing several people from a burning vehicle. Agent Ortega risked his own life by repeatedly returning to the vehicle to help bring its occupants to safety.

Also receiving this award was Aviation Survival Technician Third Class Robert D. Emley of the Coast Guard. Petty Officer Emley rescued four fishermen from a boat which was rolling dangerously on rough seas.

I presented the premier award, the Secretary's Gold Medal, to Charlie Allen, our Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis. Following an illustrious career serving our country in the intelligence arena, Charlie came to DHS and has since become an institution at our department. I recognized him for his tremendous devotion and vision and for his role in creating the Homeland Security Threat Intelligence Group to improve intelligence-related decision-making across our department.

I'm honored to call these fine individuals and great Americans my colleagues. It is my hope that as we approach a new year, we will remember them and their counterparts across DHS in our thoughts and prayers as they give their all to keep us safe and secure.

Michael Chertoff

To Enforce the Law: The No-Match Battle

Sometimes wishful thinking can lead to embarrassing flights from reality.

A case in point was a recent ACLU press statement with a giddy headline that blared, “Government Abandons Current No-Match Rule Harmful to Legal Workers.”

What prompted this rejoicing was the government’s decision to issue a supplementary rule in response to a recent court decision temporarily halting our no-match rule. The rule gives businesses guidance on handling letters from the Social Security Administration informing them of workers whose names and Social Security numbers don’t match government records. It provides a safe harbor for honest employers while discouraging dishonest ones from knowingly keeping illegal aliens on their payrolls.

So why is the ACLU celebrating? It’s because it opposes virtually every measure – including this one – to enforce America’s immigration laws. But was its headline correct? Has the government abandoned the fight for the no-match rule? And is the rule harmful to legal workers?

Not at all.

Far from abandoning the rule, we’re going to fight hard to make it effective. To that end, we are pursuing two approaches. First, we’re addressing the discrete concerns the district court raised in October in our forthcoming supplemental rule. Second, we have filed an appeal of the district court’s order to the Ninth Circuit. We’re pursuing both options at once in order to get the quickest possible resolution.

Another ACLU myth is that the no-match rule hurts legal workers. False. It specifically tells employers that they should not fire employees on the basis of no-match letters alone. The lack of a match could reflect a clerical mistake or some other innocent explanation, rather than a nefarious attempt to evade our immigration laws. The no-match rule shows employers and workers how to correct this discrepancy – and it gives them a full three months to do it. Businesses that follow the procedures in the rule will have a safe harbor from enforcement action. Those that ignore no-match letters place themselves at risk and invite suspicion that that are knowingly employing workers who are here illegally.

The ACLU’s lawsuit has helped put this vital protection on hold. That’s bad for immigration enforcement, bad for America’s law-abiding employers and their legal employees, and good for dishonest businesses who deliberately hire illegal workers. And that’s why – contrary to ACLU fantasies – we’re not going away. We will continue to fight to enforce the laws on the books, as the American people expect us to.

Michael Chertoff

Fighting Terror: A New Consensus

It’s time to bury the myth of American divergence from the rest of the world in the fight against terrorism. Contrary to popular opinion, we are constantly working with our international partners to create a better, safer world.

Late last week I spoke in Dublin, Ireland at the Institute of European Affairs and then met in Germany with my security counterparts from six European nations, with the goal of strengthening transatlantic cooperation.

As I stressed in Ireland and in Germany, I remain struck by how remarkably our paths converge.

For starters, most nations, including those of Europe, clearly grasp the danger that terrorism poses to them and to our entire global system of security, safety, and prosperity. They know that Osama Bin Laden, his cohorts, and their ideology have become a major threat to the freedom- loving world. They recall the bombings in Madrid and in the United Kingdom (UK), and the thwarted plot against transatlantic airliners in London last year.

Our paths also converge on three key principles on how best to respond. First, nations are realizing that security begins beyond our own borders and ports of entry. So, we’re stressing the importance of partnerships with other nations. And our allies join us in pursuing a strategy that seeks to manage risk, not to eliminate it, since complete eradication is impossible.

And finally, there’s a growing consensus that information is a critical tool for applying these principles in an effective, risk-based way. By collecting only a few pieces of key commercial information, we can zero in on the handful of potentially dangerous individuals, without violating privacy rights or harming commerce by inconveniencing the vast throngs of legitimate travelers.

Through using personal name record (PNR) data, we can identify previously unknown individuals who are dangerous. In cases where we have no travel data, we will be using our new 10-point fingerprint program to match visitors’ prints against latent prints we’re collecting from battle fields, safe houses, and terrorist training camps abroad. And to guard against dangerous operatives masquerading as innocent visitors, we are creating secure identification through our Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Other countries now have adopted strikingly similar approaches. Earlier this month, the European Union released a proposed requirement for its member states that mirrors our own rules for PNR data usage in border management processes. The UK has embarked on a seven-year eBorders program. Ireland will roll out a similar program to secure its common travel area with the UK. The Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, the UK, and Malaysia have expedited entry and/or registered travel programs enabling pre-approved travelers to move quickly through passport control. Australia has long had an Electronic Travel Authorization program to facilitate travel while mitigating risks associated with visa-free travel. Japan has begun recording the fingerprints and photos of all foreign visitors.

When it comes to security, no two nations can ever be exactly alike, but clearly convergence is accelerating. Together with our international partners, we are working hard to enhance security, here and across the globe.

Michael Chertoff