From Madrid:

The last few days have been productive...and exhausting. We left the hotel in Shannon yesterday at 7:30 AM for a flight to Dublin, where the Secretary had back-to-back meetings. She met with Irish Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to talk about implementation of our aviation preclearance agreement. I think it was clear in the meeting that both sides want this agreement in place. It will improve security for international flights coming to the U.S., and it will do so while making connecting in the U.S. easier. Just imagine: you land in the U.S. after a long flight from Europe, and instead of making stops at baggage claim, customs, baggage checking, and security, you can simply walk from one gate to the next. Before leaving Ireland, the Secretary also met with the Minister of Justice, Equality, and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern, to talk about a possible agreement to share information on transnational law enforcement, similar to the one she signed today with Portugal.

Then it was off to London. We landed at Stansted Airport just before 2 PM and headed to the office of the new Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, and then the office of the Transport Minister, Lord Adonis. These meetings covered a range of topics, including cybersecurity, air travel security, and combating violent extremism. These are all issues that are salient to both countries, and our close relationship is invaluable as we address these global threats. As we walked around the block from one minister's office to the next, I thought about the fact that each of these ministers has only been in office for a few weeks. Secretary Napolitano wanted to meet with her counterparts early in their tenure, to continue the US/UK discussion on these issues with the new team. Then there was the reception at the ambassador's residence, a home in a style befitting the emissary to "Her Majesty's Government."

Today, the Secretary had a series of media interviews in the morning before leaving London and flying to Portugal. There, the Secretary met with the Ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and the Interior. They all made a point of mentioning that Secretary Napolitano was the first member of President Obama's cabinet to visit Lisbon. The Portuguese and U.S. negotiators, lawyers, and translators were putting the finishing touches on the agreement only an hour before it was signed.

I noticed the folks back home already posted on the information sharing agreement. I'll give it one more plug. We look forward to cooperating with as many nations as possible in combating transnational criminals and terrorists. The Secretary has repeatedly said that these threats don’t respect borders, and that we have to work with our international partners to ensure safety for all our citizens. Check out the earlier post for more on this.

After the signing, it was another media availability and then straight to the airport for a 6PM flight to Spain.

It's settling on 12 AM here in beautiful Madrid. We have another full day tomorrow. The good news is that the agreement that the Secretary is to sign, on cooperating with securing aviation, is already agreed to - 12 hours before she signs it.

I'll try to send in a post on the day's activities tomorrow. Thanks for tuning in.

Mark

Mark Koumans is the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of International Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security

Tuesday, June 30th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From The Belfast Telegraph, on aviation preclearance:

A deal has been agreed to allow air passengers travelling from Shannon to the US to pass through all the necessary security inspections in this country.

Until now, immigration clearance has only been given on arrival in America.

The final touches were agreed between the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and the US Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today.

When the legislation is enacted, Ireland will be the first country in Europe granted a pre-clearance deal from the US.

From The Wall Street Journal, on a new Secret Service task force:

The U.S. Secret Service plans to unveil Tuesday plans for a pan-European task force charged with preventing identity theft, computer hacking and other computer-based crime.

The unit will be based in Rome, teaming up with an Italian anti-cyber-crime police unit and the Italian post office Poste Italiane SpA, which has developed software that can track electronic payments as it moves beyond traditional mail delivery. The European Electronic Crime Task Force's main job will group together the cyber-crime efforts of the European Union nations and the U.S., bolstering defenses against computer attacks on embassies and other government sites that host sensitive computer systems such as air-traffic control. It will also monitor computer networks for threats, as well as deal with attacks once they happen.

"The transnational nature of cyber attacks requires international collaboration and expertise, as exemplified by this joint professional partnership," said Robert Gombar, a special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Rome field office, which coordinates its activities in southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Under the terms of the agreement, the new task force will monitor computer networks across Europe using software designed by Poste Italiane. The software could comb through money transfers performed over the Internet for suspicious signs, such as an account being opened by the same person in several different places, according to Poste Italiane Chief Executive Massimo Sarmi.

Leadership Events
5:10 Local
Secretary Napolitano will participate in a media availability
MFA
Press Room
Necessida das Palace
Largo das Palace
Lisbon, Portugal

Public Events
8:40 AM EDT
NPPD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection James Snyder will deliver the keynote address at the 2009 Chemical Sector Security Summit
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna Street
Baltimore, Md.

10 AM EDT
Assistant Commissioner Dan Baldwin will participate in a fireworks safety news event with the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Washington Mall at 3rd Street
Washington, D.C.

8 AM MDT
ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton and ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson will sign an agreement formalizing a partnership to combat firearms trafficking at the Violent Crime and Firearms Trafficking Summit
Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown Hotel
2600 Louisiana Blvd, NE
Albuquerque, N.M. 87110

12:30 PM PST
Los Angeles Assistant Special Agent in Charge Debra Parker will participate in a news conference with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office on the results of Operation Falling Sun.
4075 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92502

Secretary Napolitano met this morning with Irish Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and discussed implementation of a Preclearance Agreement signed between the United States and Ireland. The agreement, signed last November, allows the Customs and Border Patrol to conduct full preclearance of commercial and private passenger flights to the U.S. So, what does this mean for travelers? Two main things:

First, the original agreement gave CBP the ability to conduct immigration inspections only. The new agreement gives CBP the authority to inspect based on customs, immigration, and agricultural laws, making a stop in Ireland on the way to the U.S. even more worthwhile for passengers and airlines alike – it’s all of the inspections in one fell swoop. CBP will also be able to screen aircraft for radiological and nuclear threats.

The benefit to the average traveler is more efficient baggage processing: passengers flying from Ireland to the U.S. can have their luggage transferred from their international flight to domestic flights without having to claim it first. Anyone who has ever flown into the U.S. and then had to make a connection – after collecting their bags, rechecking them, and going back through security – understands this one.

More on the Secretary's trip as it happens.

Monday, June 29th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From Homeland Security Today, on the Secretary's European trip:

The focal point of the trip, Napolitano explained, will be to extend collaborative relationships with a variety of nations on counter-terror initiatives.

Napolitano stressed a need to “keep focus on the counter-terrorism aspect” of the Department.

Napolitano said that while in Ireland she plans to evaluate aviation preclearance operations. Shortly afterward in the UK she plans to meet with the new home secretary Allen Johnson and the new transportation secretary Lord Andrew Adonis on a number of issues, including cyber security, violent extremism and civil aviation security.

Public Events

11 AM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Admiral Robert Papp will attend the District 5 change of command ceremony
431 Crawford Street
Portsmouth, Va.


3 PM EDT
National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) Director of the Office of Infrastructure Protection’s Infrastructure Security Compliance Division Sue Armstrong will present an overview of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program at the 2009 Chemical Sector Security Summit
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna StreetBaltimore, Md.

Secretary Napolitano paid a visit to a Customs and Border Patrol facility in Shannon, Ireland today. She thanked them for their service and pledged to do all she could on this trip to make sure that the aviation preclearance agreements between Ireland and the US are in place and implemented by the end of July. Stay tuned over the next few days for frequent updates on her trip.

As you can see Secretary Napolitano touched down moments ago in Shannon, Ireland, kicking off her European trip. She has several meetings scheduled over the next few days in Ireland, mainly focused on aviation preclearance operations. We'll keep you updated. Don't forget to check out some of the Secretary's thoughts on what she hopes to accomplish on this trip.

So it's been almost two weeks since we launched "The Blog @ Homeland Security." We've been posting some regular content, like the Morning Roundup, some highlights of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary’s travel, and of course, a lot of our statements and press releases. We've also started to get down to the purpose of the blog: transparency.

We've seen a lot of supportive comments roll in, and, naturally, we've seen some criticism as well. It's true, official blogging isn't easy. Look at this as an evolving discussion, a work in progress.

Secretary Napolitano just posted some thoughts on the Leadership Journal about her upcoming trip to Europe and Kuwait. We encourage you to check it out, and keep checking the blog while she's traveling. We'll be dedicating most of our posts next week to tracking her trip. We'll have some guests talking about how her trip, stop by stop, is connected to our efforts here at home.

Thanks for your interest. We're doing this because the President issued a call for transparency when he assumed the office, and Secretary Napolitano wants to answer it. And keep leaving comments – we're listening.

Yesterday I announced my upcoming trip and some of the initiatives we’ll be advancing with our overseas partners, especially with respect to our counter-terrorism mission.

We recently signed several important agreements with our European allies to improve information sharing and enhance collaboration on the development of science and technology. My trip, which begins this Saturday and will include visits to Ireland, Britain, Portugal, and Spain, with a final stop in Kuwait to visit our Coast Guard operations, will build on these and other efforts.

• In Ireland I will assess preparations for aviation preclearance operations, which are scheduled to begin on July 29.


• In the UK, I’ll be meeting with the new Home Secretary and the new Transport Secretary on a number of issues, including cyber-security, science and technology collaboration, countering violent extremism, and civil aviation security.


• In Portugal, we will discuss ways to improve and increase information sharing to counter threats in both of our countries.


• And in Spain we will discuss enhancing the security of air travel between our two countries, building off of the recent agreements we’ve made to improve criminal information sharing and science and technology cooperation.

In addition to these issues, we will focus on matters of interest to both the United States and European Union as a whole, including the protection of privacy while improving law enforcement and security cooperation, and the Visa Waiver Program and its security enhancements.

We have a strong partnership with Europe when it comes to fighting terrorism and other forms of transnational crime. In the coming weeks, I’ll be talking more about our counter-terrorism efforts both at home and abroad, especially as we approach the 5th anniversary of the release of the 9/11 Commission Report on July 22.

It will be a good opportunity to assess how far we’ve come in our fight against terrorism, our work to secure our country – and what steps remain.

Janet Napolitano

Secretary Napolitano sat down with some reporters and bloggers yesterday to answer questions and talk about her upcoming overseas travel and priorities for the summer. Reporters were free to ask questions on any topic – and so, the Secretary discussed counterterrorism, cybersecurity, PASS ID, and a number of other issues. We put the highlights together in the video below for your viewing pleasure. Check it out.





Click here for a transcript of the Secretary's remarks.

An admission: Efficiency isn’t the juiciest topic to blog about. It’s not easy to write about a dollar saved here, and a dollar saved there, and then expect to keep you interested and awake until the end of the post. I imagine most people hear the words “government spending” and begin to roll their eyes, envisioning boxes of over-priced hammers and rooms of underutilized computers.

When Secretary Napolitano was appointed, she made it her mission to do a top-down review of how this department spends your money. As the Governor of Arizona, she did something similar, saving Arizona almost $1 billion. And that’s in a state where the annual budget is about $10 billion.

So, from existing government contracts, to software, to office space, we are taking a detailed look at every dollar we use at the department. The goal is to engage in smart spending. We began the Efficiency Review less than three months ago, and have already identified savings throughout the department. Here’s a snapshot of the new initiatives we hear about each week:

• TSA: $433,000 in software savings


• USCG: $1.7 million in contract consolidation savings


• USCIS: $165,000 in equipment savings


• CBP will achieve a 25 percent reduction in energy costs at their new Border Patrol Sector Station in El Paso using "green" construction methods.


• ICE: $61,000 in savings by utilizing government vehicles instead of private rentals and more than $40,000 annually by eliminating subscriptions to publications available on-line.

The Secretary just delivered a message to department employees, thanking them for their work and continued commitment in making this a leaner, more efficient, and thereby effective department. We’ll bring you more updates on the review as it happens.

Friday, June 26th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From the Washington Times, on President Obama's commitment to immigration reform:

President Obama told lawmakers Thursday he wants to sign an immigration bill this year or early next year even though they don't have the votes yet to pass it -- and just in case they fail, the administration is ramping up talk of other actions it's taken to help immigrant rights.

Embracing yet another heavy lift for his legislative agenda, Mr. Obama convened an immigration summit at the White House and told members of Congress he will stand behind them as they try to craft a compromise. The lawmakers promised to fend off attacks from both sides of the political spectrum and craft a bill that cracks down on employers and legalizes illegal immigrants.

"After all the overheated rhetoric and the occasional demagoguery on all sides around this issue, we've got a responsible set of leaders sitting around the table who want to actively get something done and not put it off until a year, two years, three years, five years from now," Mr. Obama said.

From the Associated Press, on Secretary Napolitano's upcoming trip to Europe and Kuwait:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano leaves this weekend for meetings with officials in Europe and Kuwait on counterterrorism issues.

At a meeting with reporters Thursday, Napolitano said she will be meeting with her counterparts in Britain as well as officials in Spain, Ireland and Portugal.

Napolitano also said she is particularly interested in what the British do in their de-radicalization programs. In Kuwait she said she will be looking at U.S. Coast Guard operations there.

Napolitano leaves on Saturday.

Public Events

10 AM EDT
Deputy Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Philip Reitinger will participate in a panel discussion at the “Google D.C. Talks: Developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy” summit
1101 New York Avenue NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, D.C.

9 AM PDT
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Chief Financial Officer Rendell Jones will deliver remarks during a naturalization ceremony at the Los Angeles Sports Arena
Los Angeles Sports Arena
3939 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, Calif.

9:30 AM Local
Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan will participate in a roundtable discussion about DHS’ privacy compliance processes and practices
Field Fisher Waterhouse
35 Vine Street
London, England

Secretary Napolitano was at the White House yesterday with the President and members of Congress working on identifying a way forward on comprehensive immigration reform. From the White House blog:

While Congressional leaders are working to tackle the complexities of immigration reform, the Administration has already taken steps to improve the system. The FBI has cleared much of the backlog of immigration background checks, the Department of Homeland Security is speeding up citizenship petitions and in conjunction with the Department of Labor, they are working to crack down on employers who are exploiting illegal workers. The President also announced a new collaborative effort that will utilize technology to improve legal immigration:

"Today I'm pleased to announce a new collaboration between my Chief Information Officer, my Chief Performance Officer, my Chief Technologies Officer and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office to make the agency much more efficient, much more transparent, much more user-friendly than it has been in the past.

In the next 90 days, USCIS will launch a vastly improved Web site that will, for the first time ever, allow applicants to get updates on their status of their applications via e-mail and text message and online. And anybody who's dealt with families who are trying to deal with -- navigate the immigration system, this is going to save them huge amounts of time standing in line, waiting around, making phone calls, being put on hold. It's an example of some things that we can do administratively even as we're working through difficult issues surrounding comprehensive immigration.

And the idea is very simple here: We're going to leverage cutting-edge technology to reduce the unnecessary paperwork, backlogs, and the lack of transparency that's caused so many people so much heartache." --More on the White House Blog.

At the President’s direction, Secretary Napolitano will convene a group of leaders from the White House and Congress to begin identifying the way forward on comprehensive immigration reform.

For those who missed it, check out the video from earlier this week of FEMA Adminstrator Fugate's roundtable discussion on community service and preparedness. The discussion centered on the President's United We Serve initiative, and took place at a Denver fire house.




Visit Serve.gov for more information on how to get involved. jxmkp7t2sb

Thursday, June 25th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From IT World, on last week's "Eagle Horizon 2009":

The Department of Homeland Security conducted its Continuity of Operations plans yesterday. In their proclivity to assign all such operations mysterious sounding names, the disaster continuity exercise was called "Eagle Horizon 2009".

The mandatory exercise is held each year for all executive branch departments, and is coordinated by DHS through FEMA and the National Continuity Programs Directorate. The exercise is meant not only to test out the government's continuity of operations procedures, but also to ensure coordination between agencies in the event of an emergency. The coordination testing is an important part of any preparedness exercise, and one that private corporations should also consider. Recovering from a disaster is more than just getting systems back up and running, it also calls for a tremendous amount of coordination between areas of the enterprise that typically don't talk to one another. Recovery is, I venture to say, 50 percent procedural, and 50 percent just getting everybody to work together under unusual and stressful circumstances.

From the Washington Post, on the new "virtual fence":

After years of frustration, controversy and delay -- and some maddening technological glitches -- the first link in the federal government’s new $6.7 billion “virtual fence” is being erected here along the border.

We visited a newly constructed detection tower, out in the middle of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. Contractors were still plugging in the off-the-shelf components. The concept is simple. The execution is not. A previous test of the virtual fence concept was so plagued with snafus that the Department of Homeland Security scrapped it and announced a “do over.”

“We created a set of expectations that were unreasonable, and unfortunately it didn’t work as well as we would have liked,” says Mark Borkowsky, director of the project in the Customs and Border Protection agency.

'According to Borkowsk, this is the basic idea: In a 23-mile-long section of Arizona desert, the agency and its contractor, the Boeing Company, will erect a picket line of 17 towers -- nine towers will hold the detectors, eight will handle communications.

Atop each 80-foot-tall detection tower are a radar and two cameras -- one camera works with daylight and another detects heat signals at night. A nearby communications tower will send data back to a command center in Tucson.

From the Associated Press, on the latest Homeland Security spending bill:

The House passed a $44 billion spending bill Wednesday that awards the Homeland Security Department a 7 percent budget increase, with money for more border patrol agents and for anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.

As part of a GOP campaign against President Barack Obama's order to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the bill requires the department to conduct threat assessments for the terrorist suspects being held there. It also requires that the department ensure that detainees are placed on its "no-fly" list and denied an array of immigration benefits, including admission into the United States and refugee status.Those moves complement steps to block the release of Guantanamo detainees into the United States contained in a newly-enacted war-funding bill.

Leadership Events
12 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will participate in a pen & pad session with DHS beat reporters and bloggers
DHS Headquarters
Building 21
3801 Nebraska Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.


Public Events
10:30 AM Local
Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan will deliver remarks at the European e-Identity Management Conference
Cardinal Palace
100 Victoria Street
London, England


11 AM EDT
ICE Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge John Kelleghan, will join USDA, CBP and USPIS to donate seized exotic beetles to the Smithsonian Institution
200 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, Pa.


12 PM EDT
National Protection and Programs Directorate Acting Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Rear Admiral Michael Brown will deliver remarks at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Cybersecurity Symposium
Capital Hilton
1001 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C.


2 PM EDT
TSA Public Affairs Manager Sari Koshetz will participate in a media event to introduce Orlando’s Proprietary canine teams
Regional Transportation Authority
LYNX Bus Station/Central Station
455 N. Garland Avenue
Orlando, Fla.

Wednesday, June 24th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From the Washington Post, on Secretary Napolitano's decision to end the National Applications Office program:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced yesterday that she will kill a controversial Bush administration program to expand the use of spy satellites by domestic law enforcement and other agencies.

Napolitano said she acted after state and local law enforcement officials said that access to secret overhead imagery was not a priority.

Two years ago, President George W. Bush's top intelligence and homeland security officials authorized the National Applications Office (NAO) to expand sharing of satellite data with domestic agencies. But congressional Democrats barred funding for what they said could become a new platform for domestic surveillance that would raise privacy and civil liberties concerns.

Earlier this month, House Democrats expressed surprise that Obama included funding for the program in the classified portion of the Department of Homeland Security's 2010 budget, and they threatened to kill the office.

"The Secretary's decision is an endorsement of this Committee's long-held position," Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement.

From USA Today, on increased use of E-Verify:

Construction company CEO David Dominguez no longer worries about inadvertently hiring workers who are in this country illegally. That's because he uses E-Verify, the federal program that allows him to quickly check the legal status of potential employees.

Dominguez, who builds residential interiors in Arizona and California, said that as word gets around about the program, job applicants without legal status avoid businesses such as his, Andrew Lauren Co., which use E-Verify.

"The system works," Dominguez said. His San Diego-based company has been using E-Verify for several years in hiring office workers and laborers.

The voluntary federal program has seen a rapid growth in use this year, Department of Homeland Security records show. More than 1,000 employers are signing up each week on average, and employment checks are approaching 200,000 a week.

Use rises each year"If the goal is not to hire illegal citizens, then you should have it," Dominguez said.

Halfway through this year 5.5 million worker checks have been made by employers through the E-Verify online service. In 2008, 6.6 million checks were made, twice the number in 2007."From a year ago, it's just tremendous" growth, said William Wright, spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that administers the program.

Leadership Events
4:45 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano and Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba will sign a letter of intent on science and technology information sharing
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Press Room
Ronald Reagan Building, Concourse Level
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
9 AM EDT
FEMA Administrator Fugate will deliver remarks at the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Conference
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

9 AM EDT
Secretary Morton will participate in a panel discussion at the 6th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference
Georgetown University Law Center
600 New Jersey Avenue NWWashington, D.C.

10 AM EDT
Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Bart Johnson will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment, about the fiscal year 2010 budget request
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

10 AM EDT
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary will consider the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to be U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director
226 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.

Interested in a career at the Department of Homeland Security? We're always updating career postings on dhs.gov. Check out the most recent opportunities from our Office of Cybersecurity and Communications here, and visit our careers page for openings from around the Department.

Tuesday, June 23rd Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From the Associated Press, on Administrator Fugate's roundtable in Denver:

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency visited Denver Monday to help kick off President Barack Obama's campaign to promote public service.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate (FEW'-gate) met with firefighters and other emergency workers at Fire Station 8. He said the emergency responders he spoke with are inspiring because "you forget a lot of them are coaching Little League" and helping in other ways.

"They're one of the busiest fire stations in the state," Fugate said of Station 8. "People sometimes have the tendency to see them as just firefighters, but they are working and doing a lot of stuff on their off duty hours."

Fugate began his emergency management career as a volunteer firefighter before becoming emergency manager in his Florida county for 10 years. He became Florida's state director of emergency management in 2001. He said he was inspired by the extra community work the emergency workers do.

"Sometimes it's simple things," he said, "being able to read to a child or helping a student with their homework."

He said Obama's campaign, called United We Serve, goes back to the president's early days of community service, when he took action and didn't assume someone else would.

From the Orlando Sentinel, on funding for baggage screening upgrades at the Orlando International Airport:

Orlando International Airport will receive $15 million to finish overhauling its checked-bag screening systems to make them quicker, more secure and simpler for passengers.

With the money, a federal grant presented Monday by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority can finish its four-year, $178 million program of replacing free-standing TransportationSecurity Administration baggage-inspection stations with machines that can screen bags placed on conveyors at ticket counters.

The airport has installed three such systems, serving most of its airlines. Monday's check will pay for the final two, mostly for AirTran Airways and Delta Air Lines.

"What it means is a more secure, more efficient and higher-tech way to screen passenger-checked bags," Napolitano said. "What it means for the traveler is you will no longer have to walk your bag to the screening location."

From the LA Times, on the suspension of the Clear Program:

A major vendor that fast-tracks fliers through airport security for an annual fee of $199 will end operations tonight, according to its website and a former employee, leaving hundreds of thousands of customers in the lurch.

The website of the so-called Clear program, launched by New York-based Verified Identity Pass Inc. four years ago, today carried this message: "At 11:00 p.m. PST on June 22, 2009, Clear will cease operations. Clear's parent company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations."

No one answered the company's phone this evening, which simply carried the recorded message, "You've reached Clear Registered Traveler." But in a phone interview, Cindy Rosenthal, former vice president of media relations for the Clear program, confirmed that it is shutting down.

Leadership Events
9:30 AM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks at the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) Conference
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center
Third Floor Ballroom
1950 Eisenhower Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Public Events
8:30 AM EDT
The Privacy Office will host a Government 2.0: Privacy and Best Practices Workshop
The Washington Court Hotel Atrium Ballroom
525 New Jersey Avenue
Washington, D.C.

10:30 AM EDT
Office of Cybersecurity and Communications Chief Technology Officer Peter Fonash will participate in a panel discussion at the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) American Council for Technology (ACT) Executive Session.
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City
1250 South Hayes Street
Arlington, Va.

10:00 AM CDT
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Public Affairs Manager Jon Allen will participate in a media availability about the instillation of CT-80 EDS equipment
Alexandria International Airport
1611 Arnold Drive
Alexandria, La.

This afternoon, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate sat down at a firehouse in Denver and talked with some local first responders and volunteers about the President's new call to service, United We Serve. Administrator Fugate was joined by Harold Schaitberger, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, and five Colorado first responders. The group discussed what drew them to service, and how others can respond to the President's call.

The video is available at DHSon.tv, and we urge you to watch. We can't necessarily predict when a natural disaster, or terrorism, or another event will affect our daily lives, but it's up to us to stand up and be ready.

While Administrator Fugate was in Denver, Secretary Napolitano was in Orlando, participating in a volunteer project with FEMA's Citizen Corps and Deputy Secretary Lute will be in New York this evening to lead a citizenship class. More on those later. For now, what is United We Serve?

The idea is simple: Get involved. Get involved now. Make change, and preparedness, and recovery real in your community. This summer, the President is urging all of us to visit http://www.serve.gov/ to find service opportunities in our communities. Serve.gov provides volunteer opportunities around the country, connects Americans to local charities and non-profits, and allows people to create their own service events and invite their friends and neighbors to join in.

Remember that the work doesn't end this summer.


Visit Serve.gov today to get started.

Monday, June 22nd Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

From CNN, on the importance of smuggling issues

The new U.S. border czar, Alan Bersin, has arrived to inspect operations at one of his most critical facilities, the Maricopa port of entry outside Nogales, Arizona.

It's the largest port of entry in Arizona, handling about 1,500 commercial trucks a day, making it a major trade corridor between the United States and Mexico, Officer James Tong of U.S. Customs and Border Protection tells Bersin.

It is also a major corridor for the smuggling of cocaine, heroin and marijuana into the U.S.

Last year, 37,000 pounds of marijuana were seized along this arid stretch of border. And on the day of Bersin's visit, two teenage girls were caught trying to sneak heroin past border guards in Nogales.

"That told me that in reaction to increased enforcement ... the cartels are ... recruiting teenagers as their new couriers," Bersin said.
Bersin said the Obama administration is forging a new alliance with Mexico in the campaign to combat the drug cartels.

"This is now viewed as a set of problems that we share in common," he said.

The cartels are implicated in more than 7,000 killings last year, including the assassination of police, judges and high-ranking government officials.

"We're very concerned about the spillover of the kind of public shootings where bystanders are caught between the cartels and between the cartels and the government," he said.

The solution, he said, is to stop not only the flood of drugs to the north, but also the flood of guns and money south into Mexico. His troops are charged with stopping the traffic in both directions. He was told that so far this year more than $2 million in narco dollars have been seized in Nogales.

From The Buffalo News, on security upgrades

You may not give it a second thought when you board a Metro Bus, descend into the subway or hop a flight at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

But in the last four years alone, about $12 million has been poured into Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority facilities by the federal government - just to make them safe from terrorists.

Aside from major transit systems in cities like New York and Chicago, the NFTA ranks among the biggest recipients of Department of Homeland Security dollars in the nation. In the post-9/11 transportation world, such huge expenditures are now part of everyday operations.

"Technology plays an important role in keeping our transit infrastructure safe," said Sara Kuban, a Homeland Security spokeswoman.
"The goal is to reduce the threat."

In Buffalo, the new expenditures mean:

• An increase from 73 surveillance cameras in the Metro Rail system to 170.
• The addition of sophisticated new screens to monitor the subway in Metro Rail's operations center in downtown Buffalo.
• New and strengthened fencing at major bus garages and at the airport.
• The introduction of security card systems at NFTA facilities.

While attacks on U.S. transit systems have been practically non-existent, violence on commuter trains and subways in Tokyo, London and Madrid have heightened awareness around the world wherever large numbers of people are conveyed.

The mere fact that such crowds gather in commuter systems demands that precautions be taken, said Kim Minkel, the NFTA's director of health, safety and environmental quality.

Secretary’s Events

12:30 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will participate in a media availability
Orlando International Airport
East Checkpoint, Terminal A
Hyatt Atrium
1 Airport Blvd
Orlando, Fla.

1:15 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will participate in a United We Serve project with members of the FEMA Citizen Corps
110 Andes Avenue
Orlando, Fla.

Public Events

9 AM EDT
Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan will speak at the Government 2.0: Privacy and Best Practices Workshop hosted by the DHS Privacy Office
The Washington Court Hotel Atrium Ballroom
525 New Jersey Avenue
Washington, D.C.

11:00 AM MDT
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate will participate in a roundtable discussion with fire fighters to highlight President Obama’s United We Serve initiative.
Station 8, Denver Fire Department
Denver, Colo.

6:30 PM EDT
Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute will lead a citizenship class as part of President Obama’s United We Serve initiative
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights
665 West 182nd Street, First Floor
New York, N.Y.

Join us today at 1 PM EDT for a live webcast at http://www.dhson.tv/.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate will host a roundtable discussion at a Denver, CO firehouse with local firefighters and community volunteers. The discussion will help kick off President Obama's United We Serve initiative, an unprecedented nationwide call to community service. Find out what it's all about, and what you can do in your community. Watch the event as it happens at http://www.dhson.tv/.

Friday, June 19th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

News Highlights
From the LA Times, on expanded powers for ICE agents:

Reporting from Washington - In an effort to plug a hole in U.S.- Mexico drug enforcement, the U.S. departments of Justice and Homeland Security announced an agreement Thursday that will give designated immigration agents expanded powers to pursue drug investigations.

A key goal is to end the long-standing turf battles between the Justice Department's Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement that many critics believe have hampered investigations.

The agreement will allow an "unlimited" number of ICE agents to be cross-designated as DEA agents, giving them the authority to investigate suspected drug smugglers at the border and internationally -- a prerogative that in the past has been jealously guarded by the DEA.

Both departments also pledged greater information sharing and better coordination of activities.

"Moving past old disputes and ensuring cooperation between all levels of our Departments has been one of our top priorities since taking office," U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement.

The agreement "will strengthen our efforts to combat international narcotics smuggling, streamline operations and bring better intelligence to our frontline personnel," they said.

From the Associated Press, on a local dialogue:

Alan Bersin, the Obama administration's border czar, said Thursday the key to achieving comprehensive immigration reform rests with a secure border.

"The only way we believe we will have immigration reform is if we have strong enforcement," Bersin, assistant Homeland Security secretary for international affairs, told a border communities task force.

Bersin, who is in charge of illegal immigration and border issues, said strong enforcement at the border, in the work place and in the interior is vital "so that the American people come to believe that there are labor markets that work, that there are communities that work and that there's a border that works."

He and other DHS officials held a 90-minute dialogue over immigration-related issues with southern Arizona members of a border task force.

Speakers including several clergymen offered suggestions and criticism in particular of the Border Patrol, from the need for a streamlined complaint process and feedback on complaints to an abrupt manner in which agents sometimes toss food at illegal immigrant detainees in holding cells.

From the Associated Press, on Secure Flight:

Don't be surprised if you're asked to provide your date of birth and gender when booking plane tickets later this summer.

The Transportation Security Administration has launched a new program called "Secure Flight" to improve security and reduce misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watch lists.

As part of Secure Flight, airlines will ask passengers buying tickets to provide their name exactly as it appears on the government-issued identification they plan to use when traveling. Later this summer, airlines also will begin asking passengers to provide their birthdates and gender.

From WWTI-TV, on a new addition to CBP's ranks:

Unmanned aircraft deployed at Fort Drum (John Moore, NewsWatch50) A monitor inside an operations trailer shows a close-up view of a boat skimming across the water on Lake Ontario.

The image was taken from an unmanned aircraft more
than three miles away.

A Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) has been temporarily based at Fort Drum since early June in an experiment by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office.

The Department of Homeland Security is using the extensive restricted air space over Fort Drum to test whether the drone could be a good fit along this stretch of the northern border.

Video of a boat on Lake Ontario captured from 19,000 feet above (John Moore, NewsWatch50) U.S. Customs and Border Protection has five of the aircraft but so far none of them based permanently in the Northeast.

The Predator will operate out of Fort Drum for about three weeks for testing and training, and to evaluate its use to law enforcement.

John Stanton, director of CPB's Office of Air and Marine, said state, provincial and local law enforcement agencies were quick to take up the offer of added surveillance of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River."So while we were flying, we were asked by our partner law enforcement agencies if we would be kind enough to be on the lookout for suspicious activities," Stanton said.

Secretary's Events
9 AM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast
JW Marriot Hotel, Ballroom
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
6 PM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard Band will perform
The George Washington University
21st and H Streets NW
Washington, D.C.

As you may know, one of Homeland Security's components, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), has a terrific blog.

TSA is always asked about what folks can and can't bring on a plane. Blogger Bob, a Transportation Security Officer for TSA and popular voice on the TSA blog, took on the topic of traveling with camping and hunting and fishing equipment.

I received an e-mail from someone today asking about bear mace, and thought maybe I should write a blogpost for all of you summer campers, hunters and fishermen out there. (And in case you didn’t know, bear mace is more effective than a gun, as bullet wounds usually just make bears more aggressive)

• Animal repellants can go in your checked luggage if the volume is less than 4 ounces and its active ingredient is less than 2%. Bear Mace usually exceeds these limits.
• Camp Stoves can go in either your carry-on or checked bag. Oh yeah, you do have to empty the fuel first. (It has happened)
• Insect repellents that are sprayed on the skin are considered a personal use item and are permitted in carry-on (3-1-1 applies) and checked baggage.
• Insecticides that are used to kill little creepy crawlies (Ant killers, cockroach killers, spider killers etc) are prohibited altogether."
• Empty Gas Cylinders are allowed in checked or carry-on bags as long as the regulator valve is removed and we can see inside.
• Flare Guns are allowed in your checked baggage, but they have to be stored and declared just like a regular firearm. The flares are a no go and have to be purchased at your destination.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak at the World Affairs Council Global Education Dinner about our Department’s increasing focus on the issue of cybersecurity.

Of all the threats America faces, the integrity of our cyber infrastructure demands special attention. These are no longer emerging threats. They are with us now, and are happening every day. Over the past two years, for example, cyber crime has cost Americans more than $8 billion.

Any victim of identity theft understands the damage and permanent harm that this can cause to personal finances, credit, and reputation. Cyber threats also pose clear national security risks to major public and government networks and systems – from banking and energy to communications and transportation.

For this reason, President Obama has made cybersecurity the object of one of his first executive actions, declaring our nation’s cyber infrastructure as a strategic national asset and outlining a comprehensive plan for how our nation will prepare for and respond to cyber threats.

Our Department is playing a key role in this effort. For example, we are taking the lead in defending federal executive branch networks and systems – the “dot-gov” domain – as well as coordination with the private sector to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure and key resources.

What the Department is Doing

This is a top priority for us. Accordingly, I have centralized all of the Department’s cybersecurity functions under a new deputy undersecretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, Philip Reitinger. This individual will coordinate cyber security across the Department, including our U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) and our National Cyber Security Center.

We’re also in the process of recruiting some of the best and brightest to lend their talents to our Department. We recently asked a well-known former computer hacker to join the Homeland Security Advisory Council to help us better understand the kind of threats that can come from hackers seeking to do harm.

Because cyber threats are not limited by international boundaries, we are also working with our overseas partners. For example, we are part of a coalition called the “International Watch and Warning Network” where 15 countries collaborate on policy issues, and response to cyber attacks.

Of course, the government can’t do this work alone. Everyone has a role to play in making cybersecurity a regular habit. For more information on that front, I encourage you to visit the U.S. CERT website to learn about how you can help.

By taking prudent, common-sense measures, we can reduce our individual and collective vulnerability to cyber threats and increase our resiliency as a nation. Because cybersecurity is not an end point, but rather an ongoing set of efforts, this will continue to be a major priority for our Department in the weeks and months ahead.

Janet Napolitano

Thursday, June 18th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

News Highlights
From the Chicago Tribune on a drug ring disrupted:

Federal authorities say they've disrupted a Canada-to-United States Ecstasy ring with the arrest of 20 people, most in western New York.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Buffalo and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say the suspects are charged in a 24-count indictment with conspiracy to smuggle the drug into the U.S. from Canada and distribute it.

Of those arrested, 17 live in the Buffalo area, two are from New York City and one is from Chicago.

If convicted, they face up to 40 years in prison and fines of $2 million.

From Govtech. More on grants:

The new allocations include steps the DHS has taken to improve the ability of state, local and tribal governments to apply for and use FEMA grants, according to the release, including: considering stakeholder feedback; ensuring that state, local and tribal governments understand how funds can be used to sustain long-term project; and developing a more transparent, efficient application process.

The tribal grants target an area heretofore, overlooked, according to some. "We are particularly happy with the funds designated to tribal emergency managers who are a critical yet often overlooked partner in the nation's layered emergency management system," said Russell Decker, the International Association of Emergency Managers president. "We are also encouraged by the secretary's pledge to make the grant process less cumbersome for local, tribal and state recipients. It's clear the administration is listening to the key stakeholders."

From the Wall Street Journal, on a new GAO report linking U.S. guns to cartel violence in Mexico:

A new study by the Government Accountability Office says most firearms recovered in drug violence in Mexico come from the U.S., a finding that will likely fuel the politically charged debate over the U.S. government's efforts to stem gun trafficking across the border.

Drug-related murders have more than doubled in number to 6,200 last year from 2,700 in 2007, according to the GAO study, a draft of which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The study is set to be released Thursday.

Mexican officials have pushed for the U.S. to enact tougher gun laws and to help restrict arms smuggling as Mexico attempts to battle drug cartels on its territory. "The availability of firearms illegally flowing from the United States into Mexico has armed and emboldened a dangerous criminal element in Mexico, and it has made the job of drug cartels easier," said Rep. Eliot L. Engel, (D., N.Y.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, which is holding a hearing on arms trafficking Thursday. "It is simply unacceptable that the United States not only consumes the majority of the drugs flowing from Mexico, but also arms the very cartels that contribute to the daily violence that is devastating Mexico."

Secretary's Events
6:30 PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks at the Fifth Annual Tribute to the U.S. Coast Guard dinner
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
8:00 AM EDT
Office of Risk Management and Analysis Director Tina Gabbrielli will deliver remarks at the Security Analysis and Risk Management (SARMA) Annual Conference
George Mason University
3401 Fairfax Drive, Room 329
Arlington, Va.

10 AM EDT
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) representatives will participate in the Montgomery County Workplace Safety Committee Annual Safety Fair
Montgomery County Courthouse
2 East Airy Street
Norristown, Pa.

10 AM EDT
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Assistant Commissioner for International Trade Dan Baldwin will testify before the House Committee on Small Business about textiles enforcement
2360 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

10 AM EDT
National Protection and Programs (NPPD) Deputy Under Secretary Philip Reitinger will deliver remarks at the Federal Computer Week Solutions Seminar
The Willard InterContinental Washington
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.

12:00 PM EDT
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Michele Leonhart will participate in a news conference to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate the cross-designation of ICE agents with Title 21 authority
The National Press Club, Studio Room, 4th Floor
529 14th St. NW
Washington, D.C.

3:30 PM MDT
TSA Public Affairs will participate in a news conference about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding going to Jackson Hole Airport for construction on a new in-line baggage screening system.
Jackson Hole Airport
1250 East Airport Rd.
Jackson, WY 83001

2 PM EDT
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Office of Civil Rights Director Terri Dickerson and Chief of Staff Admiral Clifford Pearson will testify before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, about civil rights and diversity in USCG
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2 PM EDT
Acting Chief Financial Officer Peggy Sherry will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization and Procurement, about oversight of the federal government’s consolidated financial statement
2154 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

Yesterday, we took a broad view on how this year’s preparedness grants are being allocated. It’s a lot of money, but what does it mean for communities across the country? Let’s take a look at where some of this money is going, and how our state and local partners are planning to use it. This is a snapshot of just a few recipients, with highlights of some local news on each set of grants.

Straight to the numbers:

Buffalo: $5.5 million will go to Buffalo and the surrounding areas as part of the Urban Area Security Initiative program. This is a 10 percent increase from the previous year. More from Empire State News.

Oklahoma: $14 million to Oklahoma. $4.4 million specifically for Oklahoma City and $2.2 million for Tulsa. More from the Oklahoman.

Syracuse: $2 million will go to Syracuse specifically for antiterrorism. More from News10Now TV.

San Diego: $16.2 million for preparedness and antiterrorism. More from KPBS-TV.

New York non-profits: “Sixty-one non-profit organizations throughout the city will receive more than $4 million. The money will fund security measures at targeted institutions, namely yeshivas and synagogues. Under the grant program, organizations will receive up to $75,000 that can be used to train security personnel and purchase security cameras.” More from NY-1 TV, New York.

Tampa Bay: $8 million dollars for antiterrorism. More from The St. Petersburg Times and The Tampa Tribune.

Jersey City-Newark: $41 million dollars focusing on “first responders and safety programs.” More from The Jersey Journal.

Tennessee: $20.3 million to be distributed across Tennessee’s 11 Homeland Security Districts. More from The Chattanoogan.


Toledo: $2.2 million for preparedness and security initiatives. More from WTVG-TV.

We’ll feature a rundown on the preparedness grants in a few minutes, but for now, the news...

Wednesday, June 17th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events

News Highlights

From McClatchy, on the tough but necessary steps ahead toward immigration reform:

President Barack Obama, Democratic congressional leaders and advocates of revamping the nation's immigration laws say that developing a comprehensive immigration bill this year is a top priority, despite an already full legislative plate that includes a Supreme Court confirmation hearing, overhauling America's health care system, addressing climate change and conducting two wars.

They got a reality check on the potential bumps ahead when the White House recently postponed a bipartisan meeting on immigration that had been set for Wednesday - the second cancellation this month - because of "scheduling conflicts," administration officials told invited guests.

Still, supporters of an immigration overhaul think that Obama will succeed where other presidents have failed and will push through a comprehensive plan that will allow illegal immigrants to come out the shadows and provide them with a path to citizenship.

From the Associated Press, on a decline in Border Patrol apprehensions:

The number of Border Patrol apprehensions nationwide dropped for a third consecutive year, falling more than 17 percent to a level not seen since 1973, according to new government data.

The U.S. Border Patrol - charged with catching illegal immigrants near the nation's boundaries - had 724,000 apprehensions in 2008, according to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics. That was down from nearly 1.2 million in 2005.

Ninety-seven percent of those apprehensions were on the southwest border with Mexico and 91 percent of those caught were Mexican.

The report cited the slow U.S. economy and tougher border security as possible factors contributing to the drop.

The number of apprehensions reached its highest level in 1986, when Border Patrol made nearly 1.7 million apprehensions.

But the statistics are a crude measure of immigration since they only count those who are caught.

Jeffrey Passel, senior demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, said the data appear to follow other reports that showed steep declines in illegal immigration from Mexico.

From Government Technology, on new legislation aimed at improving and standardizing ID security requirements:

"The PASS ID Act takes positive steps toward addressing state legislatures' implementation challenges with the REAL ID." -- Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka

The Real ID Act of 2005 was designed to improve security of state-issued driver licenses and ID cards and bring them up to a uniform federal standard. However, states objected to provisions of the act, and its estimated $12 billion cost, so a number of states passed laws prohibiting its implementation, and things ground to a halt as all states asked for, or were given, extensions. Janet Napolitano, as governor of Arizona, objected to Real ID and later, as secretary of Homeland Security, asked for some viable options.

Yesterday, Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and George Voinovich (R-OH) introduced just such an option. The bipartisan "Providing for Additional Security in States' Identification" Act of 2009, or Pass ID Act, was met with generally positive reactions from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) the National Governors Association (NGA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"This legislation will strengthen national security by offering real solutions within a framework that is more workable for states," said the NCSL in a release."The PASS ID Act takes positive steps toward addressing state legislatures' implementation challenges with the REAL ID. NCSL urges Congress to continue to work with NCSL and its members as this legislation moves through the congressional process and to take all possible efforts to ensure state costs for implementation of the Real ID, and any corrective legislation, be fully funded by the federal government."

Secretary’s Events

7 PM EST
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks and receive an award at the 20th Annual World Affairs Council Global Education Dinner
Willard InterContinental Washington Ballroom
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.

Public Events

9 AM EDT
Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Biodefense Chief Scientist Diane Berry will participate in a panel discussion about biodefense products at the 2009 Biodefense Vaccines and Therapeutics Conference
Almas Temple Club
1315 K Street NW
Washington, D.C.

10 AM PDT
ICE - Resident Agent in Charge David Wales will participate in a news conference hosted by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department to announce the initial results of a joint investigation targeting a major local drug trafficking organization.
1445 Kansas Ave.
San Luis Obispo, C.A.

This afternoon, Secretary Napolitano and FEMA Administrator Fugate made an announcement on the nearly $1.8 billion in FEMA preparedness grants being issued to states, urban areas, tribes, and non-profits. The grants are designed to help our state and local partners prepare for natural disasters and guard against terrorism. We can't necessarily predict when one of these events will befall a city or a community, but as the Secretary noted today, fear is not an appropriate response to terrorism, and we cannot be complacent when thinking about natural disasters. We must encourage our nation's communities to put preparedness first when faced with these issues.

This year, the department conducted unprecedented outreach efforts to our state and local partners, ensuring that every grant dollar is invested in smart, sustainable programs. The department undertook this aggressive strategy because those state and local partners have the biggest stake in this process. Simply put, they have the ground level insight on where the threats are, and how best to prepare for and guard against them.

Now, nearly $1.8 billion is no small number, so how do we split the funding, and where does it go? Check out the breakdowns:

Tuesday, June 16th Morning Roundup - Featured News and Public Events


News Highlights

From The Associated Press, on the agreement signed yesterday between the U.S. and Mexico on strenghtening border security:

The U.S. and Mexico formalized an agreement Monday to work together to secure legal travel and trade across the countries' shared border.

The agreement is outlined in a letter of intent signed by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mexico's Finance Minister Agustin Carstens.

It expands a 2007 agreement and formalizes plans announced earlier this year to search vehicles at border crossings for bulk weapons and cash being smuggled from the U.S. into Mexico where more than 10,800 people have been killed by drug violence since December 2006.

Napolitano said the cooperation will include sharing information such as data about stolen cars.

Officials have said many of the weapons used in cartel violence in Mexico have come from the U.S.

Both countries are responsible for what goes into Mexico from the U.S., Napolitano said Monday at a news conference. "Our view is that we can either point fingers at each other, or we can work together," she said.

Officials said the agreement will improve communication and strengthen coordination on border enforcement. For instance, the U.S. will train Mexican customs agents and dogs and use more technology along the border.

"The more we work together, the better the service and security we provide to our peoples and economies," Carstens said in a statement.

From The New York Times, on a long overdue reunion:

Growing up among strangers in a refugee camp in the Darfur region of Sudan, 4-year-old Wesal Adam knew her parents mostly as faces in photographs and voices on the phone.

She knew that her father, Motasim Adam, and her mother, Wejdan Adam, lived in Brooklyn and that Mr. Adam drove a cab. But she did not know what they felt like or smelled like or how much they loved her - if at all.

Wesal did not know why she had been separated by deserts and oceans from her parents, but once she learned to talk she knew that her lack of certain papers was keeping her from them.

But on Monday morning at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Wesal and her father walked off a plane, reuniting the family and bringing a joyful end to a struggle that lasted more than two years.

From The Philadelphia Inquirer, on a big step forward for the Philadelphia International Airport's baggage screening system:

Mark Gale, acting Philadelphia Aviation Director, said the total cost of the new baggage handling systems at the airport's international terminal will be $50 million. The balance will be paid from airport funds, primarily bond funds,
Gale said.

The first part of the project for the A-East international terminal is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2010. A second phase will involve construction of an airfield building for rescreening bags arriving on international flights.

Gale said much of the screening by the Transportation Safety Administration is currently done manually, and the new machines will greatly speed the process.

Napolitano said in a statement: "These state-of-the-art baggage screening systems will enhance, airport security, streamline check-in procedures for passengers, and increase safety for TSA employees."

Secretary's Events

1:30PM EDT
Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate will announce FEMA preparedness grants and participate in a media availability
Location: DHS HQ, Washington, D.C.



Public Events

9AM EDT
Customs and Border Protection Aire and Marine reps will participate in a demonstration of a Marine Advanced Concept Technology vessel.
Location:
1900 SE 15th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL



9:30 AM EDT
US-CERT Director Mischel Kwon will participate in a panel discussion at the Symantec Government Symposium
Location:
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.



10AM EDT
Under Secretary for Management Elaine Duke will testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia, on pandemic influenza preparedness and the federal workforce
Location:
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.



10AM EDT
National Protection and Programs Infrastructure Protection Security Division Director Sue Armstrong will testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security about Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS)
Location:
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.



10:30AM CDT
ICE San Antonio Field Office Director, Michael J. Pitts will participate in a press conference with the Webb County Sheriff’s Office announcing the deployment of Secure Communities to six additional Texas counties.
Location:
902 Victoria Street
Laredo, Texas



2PM EDT
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Peter Fonash will testify before the House Science and Technology, Subcommittees on Research and Science Education and Technology and Innovation on federal response to the 60-day Cyberspace Policy Review
Location:
2318 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.



3PM EDT
National Protection and Programs Risk Governance and Support Division Assistant Director Robert Kolasky will deliver remarks about building a homeland security national risk assessment at the Security Analysis and Risk Management (SARMA) Annual Conference
Location:
George Mason University
3401 Fairfax Drive, Room 330
Arlington, VA

Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mexican Minister of Finance and Public Credit Agustín Carstens signed a Letter of Intent that will strengthen bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico. The agreement aims to increase security in both countries and facilitate the flow of legal travel and trade. The agreement builds upon an unprecedented level of collaboration between the two nations and provides a roadmap for critical bi-national initiatives between the U.S. and Mexico.

Specifically, the agreement seeks to strengthen border enforcement by creating a framework for establishing bi-national Port Security Management Committees, developing a joint implementation plan for cooperative capacity building, and increasing trade facilitation between the two nations through increased information sharing and a harmonized customs clearance process.

Read more on the agreement in the Press Room.

Welcome to The Blog @ Homeland Security, a new way for us to offer an inside-out view of what we’re doing every day to secure our nation. Our efforts, from border security to cybersecurity, counterterrorism programs to preparedness and response efforts for natural disasters, airport security to naturalizing thousands of new citizens each year, affect every American. Secretary Janet Napolitano works every day to strengthen these and many other initiatives, unifying the department behind a common mission and set of principles.

The Secretary outlined our overarching responsibilities and priorities in a recorded message to department employees last week in the video below, and we wanted to kick things off by sharing it with you. We’ll be posting more about how these priorities impact our daily operations in the coming days, but this blog’s primary mission focuses on one simple goal: transparency.

We’ll of course keep you up-to-date on the Secretary’s activities and the department’s public events. We’ll feature the efforts of our front line workforce and bring first glimpses of the technology we’re developing and deploying to support our efforts.

We also want to hear from you. Our comment policy allows for a direct and open dialogue on each post. We’ll look for your feedback and suggestions along the way, incorporating them into this growing effort.

We’ll continue to update The Leadership Journal, the policy-based companion to The Blog that features the department’s leadership and issues that drive and influence our mission. Check out the Secretary’s latest Leadership Journal.

Look for frequent updates to both, and let us know how we’re doing.

Secretary Napolitano On the Department's Five Responsibilities

Download Secretary's Message in WMV (WMV, 27 MB)

When President-elect Obama nominated me to become our country’s third Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, I was warned that the vast Department was too cumbersome to lead; that the 225,000-strong workforce was too big to manage; that the 22 agencies with 22 corresponding missions that were brought together in 2003 were too disparate to meld into a coherent structure with a clear vision.

Yet, nearly five months into my tenure, the purpose of our Department is unambiguous: we must guard against terrorism; we must secure our borders; we must enforce our immigration laws; we must improve our readiness for, response to, and recovery from disasters; and we must unify the Department so that we can even more effectively carry out our mission.

On each of the five fronts, we have already made important strides.

Protecting the American people from terrorist threats is the founding principle of the Department and our highest priority. This is an effort where everyone--families and communities, first responders, the private sector, state and local governments, as well as the Department--must contribute. My approach is simple: direct every resource available towards prevention and preparedness, and ask Americans to live in a constant state of readiness, not a constant state of fear.

Since January, we have forged new partnerships with our international allies to provide more tools in the fight against terrorism. We have dedicated new resources to detect threats at our transportation hubs and protect our critical infrastructure. And, we are strengthening information-sharing efforts, working hand-in-hand with state, local and tribal law enforcement.

Fulfilling our mission also means securing our borders—our Southern border, our Northern border, and our air and sea ports. Every year, we apprehend and deport more than one million illegal immigrants, no doubt deterring countless more from trying to cross the border. Recently, we announced a new initiative to strengthen security on the Southwest border to disrupt the drug, cash and weapon smuggling that is helping to fuel cartel violence in Mexico.

When it comes to immigration, we need to facilitate legal immigration while we crack down on those who violate our nation’s laws. A few weeks ago, we issued new guidance to our agents in the field to focus our efforts on apprehending criminal illegal aliens and prosecuting employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. At the same time, we are committed to providing employers with the most up-to-date and effective resources to maintain a legal workforce. This new focus is drawing widespread praise--from law enforcement to the business community--because it addresses the root cause of illegal immigration.

As a nation, we must develop a more urgent sense of readiness. Hurricanes happen. Tornadoes happen. Floods happen. And as we recently experienced, so do health outbreaks like the H1N1 flu. The Department plays a critical role in helping communities in all stages of a disaster--preparation, response and long term recovery. Since January, we have worked in close coordination with state and local authorities to respond to severe storms in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri and flooding in North Dakota and Minnesota. We have taken bold new steps to accelerate recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region, streamlining decision making and consolidating offices to eliminate redundancies.

And we took immediate and aggressive steps to lead the federal government’s efforts to confront the H1N1 flu outbreak.

Finally, we must unify and mature our Department. Our goal is simple: one DHS, one enterprise, a shared vision, with integrated results-based operations. Through a consolidated headquarters, we are bringing 35 locations together. We have launched an expansive efficiency initiative that is leveraging the economies of scale in our Department in order to recover hundreds of millions of dollars and create a culture of responsibility and fiscal discipline.

Throughout these five priority areas, we are applying a series of cross-cutting approaches. We are bolstering cooperation with our partners at the local, tribal, state, federal and international levels; we are expanding our capabilities through the deployment of science and technology while developing and maturing new technologies for tomorrow; and we are maximizing efficiency to ensure every security dollar is spent in the most effective way.

We cannot afford to relent on any of these five fronts because together, they amount to our one overarching mission—a mission whose scope is massive, challenging, and humbling, but also a mission so straightforward and clear that it is contained in our name: securing the homeland.

Janet Napolitano