From The Press Republican, on a 2009 roundup for CBP:

Customs and Border Protection officials have reported an increase in drug and cash seizures made at borders across the country.

So far this year, officials have seized more than 4.47 million pounds of narcotics and $57.9 million in currency, which is a 74-percent increase from 2008.

In addition to seizures, customs officers have encountered more than 224,000 inadmissible immigrants at national borders and arrested more than 556,000.

They have also facilitated nearly $2 trillion in legitimate trade.

"This data illustrates the tremendous work the men and women of CBP perform every day on the front lines protecting our borders while ensuring the efficient flow of travel and trade," Customs Acting Commissioner Jayson Ahern said in a news
release.

From CQ Homeland Security, on confirmation hearings for the nominee for undersecretary for intelligence and analysis:

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a confirmation hearing this week to consider President Obama’s nominee for undersecretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security.

The nominee, Caryn Wagner, currently is an instructor in intelligence-resource management at the Intelligence and Security Academy, a company that provides education, training and consulting in national security issues and intelligence analysis.

As DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis, Wagner would oversee DHS’s intelligence operations, leading a number of critical initiatives involving information sharing, engagement with state and local fusion centers and management of the security of classified information systems. The undersecretary also serves as the department’s primary point of contact for the intelligence community.

“Effective intelligence collection and analysis and robust information-sharing are essential to our mission of securing the nation,” said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano after the White House announced Wagner’s nomination in October.

“Caryn’s extensive experience in the intelligence community will enhance our capability to collaborate with federal, state and local partners to assess and protect against homeland security threats.”

From the Cincinnati Enquirer, on the busiest travel day of the year:

The new security checkpoint at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport's Terminal 3 will get its first major test this week, as more than 25,000 travelers are expected to pass through in the coming week, a big jump from last year.

And after a rocky opening to the $23 million screening area earlier this month, local federal security officials say they're ready for the annual travel rush, which could be bigger than last year.

"I'm not going to go out on a limb and say everything will be sweetness and light, but I feel that we're about 90 percent there when it comes to learning the new layout and changing things as we go to make it more efficient," said Paul Wisniewski, the federal security director for the Transportation Security Administration's CVG operation. "This has been a non-event for the last three years, and I don't see any reason to expect any different this year."

Wisniewski said that he expects more than 16,000 passengers to pass through the checkpoint between Monday and Wednesday, including 6,400 on the day before Thanksgiving. There could be as many as 8,000 on Sunday alone, with those visiting Cincinnati for the holiday making their way back home.

He said peak wait times could reach 30 minutes, but unless something breaks down, they shouldn't be any longer than that. This year, there is one more security lane in Terminal 3 than before, allowing the TSA to process as many as 1,800 travelers an hour through the checkpoint that now sits on the ticketing level instead of downstairs.

From the Wall Street Journal, on a story of citizenship:

A naturalization test at an immigration office in Boston was the last hurdle standing between me and U.S. citizenship. But for me this journey had actually begun years before, on a rickety vessel you may have heard of-The Mayflower. Except in my adaptation, that leaky ship sailed down the Red Sea to the New World of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where I proudly played the role of a pilgrim in a kindergarten play at the American school. Decked out in a gray frock and a hat fashioned from black construction paper, I prepared to welcome a band of friendly Native Americans to the very first Thanksgiving.

In my five-year-old mind, it seemed perfectly logical that a scrawny Indian girl with brown skin and a Canadian passport should be charged with inviting those other Indians (feather, not dot-although I'm Muslim so we don't have either) to celebrate the founding spirit of America. In a desert nation, no less, thousands of miles from Plymouth Colony.

"Sarah, is it?" asked the immigration official testing me. "So, where are you from?"

Easy question, no easy answer.

Leadership Events
Secretary Napolitano and Minister Van Loan will participate in a media availability
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Press Room
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C.

The White House posted this video on their site not long ago. We encourage you to check it out. It features the Secretary at an event hosted by Michelle Obama for women serving in the military.

I know we throw a lot of acronyms out there – even after just a few months in government, you can’t resist! – but this is one that has meaning for all of us. CIKR stands for “Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources” – an umbrella term referring to the assets of the United States essential to the nation's security, public health and safety, economic vitality, and way of life. Simply put, it’s power grids and water filtration plants; national monuments and government facilities; telecommunications and transportation systems; chemical facilities and much more.

The vast majority of our national CIKR is privately owned and operated, which means ensuring its protection and resiliency involves an unprecedented partnership between government and the private sector. This partnership is at the heart of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, which establishes a unique coordination and information-sharing framework that unifies protection of our nation’s CIKR into an integrated plan. The partnership now includes more than 200 trade associations from every CIKR sector, representing more than 4 million members.

Check out the video below to learn more about how this public-private groundbreaking partnership works to safeguard the nation’s Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources.

From Computerworld, on H-1B Enforcement:

U.S. immigration officials are taking H-1B enforcement from the desk to the field with a plan to conduct 25,000 on-site inspections of companies hiring foreign workers over this fiscal year.

The move marks a nearly five-fold increase in inspections over last fiscal year, when the agency conducted 5,191 site visits under a new site inspection program. The new federal fiscal year began Oct. 1.

Tougher enforcement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services comes in response to a study conducted by the agency last year that found fraud and other violations in one-in-five H-1B applications.

In a letter to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Alejandro Mayorkas, director of the Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the agency began a site visit and verification program in July to check on the validity of H-1B applications. Mayorkas' letter was released on Tuesday by Grassley.

"[The inspection program determines] whether the location of employment actually exists and if a beneficiary is employed at the location specified, performing the duties as described, and paid the salary as identified in the petition," said Mayorkas in his letter to Grassley.

Mayorkas is a former federal prosecutor who was recently appointed by President Barack Obama. He was sworn in August and said since then, "I have worked tirelessly to learn of the condition of our anti-fraud efforts and other critical programs in our agency."

From the Associated Press, on a huge drug bust in Arizona:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers say two Scottsdale men are in custody after allegedly trying to smuggle nearly 2,000 pounds of marijuana across the border into Arizona.

Authorities say the marijuana worth an estimated $4.7 million was found hidden in a trailer being pulled by a pickup truck that was stopped Monday at the Lukeville port of entry.

A drug-sniffing dog alerted customs inspectors to the presence of narcotics near
the floor area of the trailer.

When inspectors searched the trailer, they discovered 1,968 pounds of marijuana in 128 bundles concealed inside the flooring.

The truck and trailer were seized and the two men - whose names were not released - were arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Public Events
10 AM EST
NPPD Under Secretary Rand Beers and Federal Protective Service (FPS) Director Gary Schenkel will testify about the transition of FPS from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to NPPD before the House Committee on Homeland Security
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2 PM EST
Bruce McConnell, Counselor to NPPD Deputy Under Secretary Philip Reitinger, will participate in a panel discussion about critical infrastructure protection as part of Aviation Week’s Cybersecurity Webinar

2 PM EST
Transportation Security Administration Assistant Administrator for Global Strategies Cindy Farkus will testify about protecting the flying public and security at foreign repair stations before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

From the Savannah Morning News, on a panel discussion including Craig Fugate:

It takes teamwork to react effectively to disasters, Federal Emergency Management Administrator Craig Fugate said Monday. Participating on a panel at Savannah State University, Fugate warned against "government-centric" responses to calamities.

He said various emergency responder agencies should work more closely with the private sector and the public.

"A government-centered approach can't get to everybody fast enough," Fugate told more than 100 people at the event.

The FEMA chief suggested that agencies recruit grocery stores and faith-based private groups to help distribute food and water.

That would provide more resources and let people focus on the things they do best, Fugate said.

"Ask police or emergency people what they would rather do," he said. "Provide security or hand out stuff?"

All too often, he added, emergency responders treat the general public as a problem rather than a potential resource.

"The first responder is oftentimes you and me, a bystander or a neighbor," Fugate said.

From USA Today, on proposed inspections for airplane maintenence shops:

Thousands of airplane maintenance shops in the U.S. and abroad would get increased scrutiny to make sure they are not easy prey for terrorists looking to sabotage U.S. jets during routine repairs, a government proposal says.

Some experts and lawmakers have warned for years about potential terrorist saboteurs infiltrating airplane repair shops, and have urged security oversight. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says the greatest danger is posed by repair shops that are on or next to airports because a terrorist could take control of an airplane.

A TSA regulation proposed Monday would for the first time enable the agency to inspect airplane repair shops. If the TSA found a problematic repair shop, the agency would tell the Federal Aviation Administration to suspend the shop's operating license.

TSA Assistant Administrator Lee Kair said the new requirement "guards against the potential threat of an aircraft being destroyed or used as a weapon." The agency is soliciting public comments on the proposal and could finalize it later this year.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on counterfeit cash:

Consumers and businesses should expect to see more bogus bills this time of year, said Jeffrey T. Gilbert, special agent in charge of the United States Secret Service Atlanta.

WSB-TV reports that two Atlanta-area residents received counterfeit $20 bills from an ATM in DeKalb County.

The station says the man and woman tried to use the bills for purchases. It says no charges were filed against them and the counterfeit currency was confiscated.

"We cannot reiterate enough how important it is to look at your money," said Gilbert. "Counterfeiting is a crime of opportunity.

And it can be devastating on a business, a family, even our economy."

With the advancements in color copiers, counterfeiters are getting more creative. By bleaching the notes of $5 bills they are able to reprint them as $100 bills.

These bills, printed on official U.S. Treasury paper, are passing the counterfeit pen test.

Public Events
10 AM PST
TSA Public Affairs Manager Dwayne Baird will host a media event to highlight Holiday Travel Tips with the Federal Security Director at Portland Oregon International Airport (PDX).
Portland Oregon International Airport
7000 NE Airport Way
Portland, Ore.

10 AM PST
TSA Public Affairs Manager Andrea McCauley will conduct a joint media event with Continental Airlines and TSA to launch the paperless boarding pass program at Dallas/Ft.Worth International Airport (DFW)
Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport
Terminal E Continental ticket counter and checkpoint

1 PM EST
Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Acting Deputy Director Dr. William Hagen and CBP Cargo and Conveyance Security Executive Director Todd Owen will testify about the operations of advanced radiation monitors before the House Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight
2318 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2:30 PM EST
Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alexander Garza will testify about H1N1 vaccine distribution before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
342 Dirksen House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

4 PM EST
Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan will deliver remarks about the Department’s approach to new technologies from a privacy perspective at Kelley Drye’s Second Annual Privacy Law Seminar
Washington Harbour
3050 K Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C.

From the Los Angeles Times, on the Secretary's speech on immigration:

The government has beefed up border security and workplace immigration enforcement, and now should begin the work of overhauling immigration laws, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Friday.

"The hope is that when we get into the first part of 2010, that we will see legislation begin to move," Napolitano said. The legislation should not only give law enforcement
officials more tools to fight illegal immigration but create a "tough pathway" for undocumented workers to gain legal status, she said.

Napolitano said the government's progress in shoring up the border with Mexico and enforcing laws at the workplace meant that more Americans and more lawmakers would support an overhaul of laws than during the last effort, in 2007.

"I've been dealing hands-on with immigration issues since 1993, so trust me, I know a major shift when I see one. And what I have seen makes reform far more attainable," Napolitano told the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington.

From the Dallas Morning News, on Secure Communities:

More than 22,000 illegal immigrants with criminal charges or convictions have been arrested in Texas through a 1-year-old program that links FBI and federal immigration databases, Homeland Security officials said Thursday.

Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Irving, Mesquite and Dallas and Denton counties are among the jurisdictions using Secure Communities processes, the feds said.

Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security Secretary, said the entire Southwest border now uses the Secure Communities program. But its national scope is limited to 95 jurisdictions across 11 states.

"By 2013, assuming Congress continues to fund our effort, Secure Communities plans to be available to every law enforcement agency in the country," Napolitano said.

In Dallas, Nuria Prendes, ICE's head of detention and removal, said the costs for counties and cities to use the program was minimal and accuracy in catching dangerous criminals was enhanced.

With other ICE programs, the agency checks on persons after they receive a call from the law enforcement agency because they believe someone may be in the country illegally.

"This doesn't depend on them calling us," Prendes said.

"With Secure Communities, we get a hit back or we don't. It is biometric, and fingerprints don't lie."

Public Events
8:15 AM EST
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Detroit Field Operations Director Chris Perry will participate in a panel discussion about balancing trade goals with security needs at the U.S.-Canada border
Union Club Hotel
Purdue University
Memorial Union
101 North Grant Street
West Lafayette, Ind.

1 PM EST
TSA Public Affairs Manager Jim Fotenos will participate in an event to mark the opening of a new Terminal 3 checkpoint
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
2939 Terminal Drive
Hebron, Ky.

2 PM EST
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate will deliver remarks about emergency preparedness
Savannah State University
Mary C. Torian Auditorium, Howard Jordan Building
3219 College Street
Savannah, Ga.

Earlier this month DHS announced the 2010 DHS Headquarters Student Summer Employment Program. This program is an opportunity for students ages 16 or older who are enrolled or accepted to college to work at DHS Headquarters in a variety of jobs. The students will be expected to work full time (40 hours per week) and will be paid.

Getting to work in the federal government and actively partake in securing the homeland is an excellent opportunity for college students. The reason that I know this is that I am an intern here at DHS Headquarters. I am a college senior who is spending my last semester in school interning at the Department of Homeland Security, getting to work with the Office of Public Affairs and with the White House Liaison’s Office.

Since joining the team here at DHS Headquarters, I have been able to see firsthand just how actively, personally engaged the federal employees here are in securing our country. And by being in the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) I have seen how DHS makes communicating information with the media and directly to the American people is an important part of this still-young department’s mission.

Since joining the team here at DHS Headquarters, I have been able to see firsthand just how actively, personally engaged the federal employees here are in securing our country. And by being in the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) I have seen how communicating information with the media and directly to the American people is an important part of this still-young department’s mission.

I work with the New Media team here in OPA. In addition to helping write posts for this blog, I contribute to the Our Border social network, and I’ve helped film events for the DHS website, such as the interview with Ambassador Jim Jones and a pen and pad session with Secretary Napolitano. In the White House Liaison’s Office (WHLO) I have been able to see some different ways the federal government interacts with the American people – for example, I have helped direct emails that come into DHS with comments on immigration to the appropriate person. That’s right – we really do read your email and try our best to respond to the questions we get.

My internship here at DHS has taught me a lot about the federal government. I have also learned a lot about using new media to communicate over different channels, including this blog. Being a part of the team that keeps our country safe has been an excellent opportunity for me and I recommend to anyone interested, that they apply.

Lauren is an intern in the Office of Public Affairs at DHS HQ

The Secretary is delivering remarks on the Obama administration’s efforts to reform the U.S. immigration system. You can check it out at the following link:

http://www.americanprogress.org/events/2009/11/Napolitano.html/streaming.html

From the New York Times, on Secure Communities:

Federal authorities have identified more than 111,000 immigrants with criminal records being held in local jails, during the first year of a program that seeks to deport immigrants who have committed serious crimes.

Among the immigrants identified through the program, known as Secure Communities, more than 11,000 had been charged with or convicted of the most serious crimes, including murder and rape, domestic security officials said Thursday.

About 1,900 of those have been deported.

At a news conference in Washington, John Morton, the top official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, called the program "the future of immigration enforcement," because, he said, it "focuses our resources on identifying and removing the most serious criminal offenders first and foremost."

About 100,000 of the detained immigrants identified through the system had been convicted of less serious crimes, ranging from burglary to traffic offenses, the officials said. Of those, more than 14,000 have been deported.

Obama administration officials have worked to distinguish their immigration enforcement strategy from the Bush administration's, which centered on high-profile factory raids and searches in communities for immigration fugitives.

The Bush operations drew an outcry from immigrant advocates, who said they led to racial profiling, especially of Latinos, and ensnared many immigrants who lacked legal status but had not committed crimes.

From the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and no word on whether the submarine was yellow or not:

The Coast Guard cutter Jarvis returns home today after seizing 5 tons of narcotics last month from a small submarine off the coast of Central America.

The Coast Guard said the drug seizure occurred Oct. 21 after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft detected the submersible in international waters in the Eastern Pacific off the coast of Central America.

The Jarvis, already patrolling in the area, intercepted the submersible, boarded the vessel, and found that it was loaded with 5 tons of narcotics. The crew of the Jarvis seized the vessel and detained the four crewmembers.

The seized vessel, cargo and crew were taken to Guatemala. Initial field tests indicated the presence of cocaine, heroin and possibly other substances.

From Government Executive, on veterans hiring:

Senior Obama administration officials on Thursday offered details on how agencies will follow up on the president's new directive to boost employment of veterans.

Implementation of the Nov. 9 executive order will begin at Cabinet-level and large independent agencies, said Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, during a press conference in Washington. But eventually every agency likely will designate a veterans employment liaison, he said.

These officials and OPM will educate former service members on job opportunities, help them determine which openings are the best match for their skills and career goals, and mentor them to help them adjust to the differences between military and civilian culture, said Scott Gould, deputy secretary at the Veterans Affairs Department.

Targeting veterans makes sense, since service members already have demonstrated the talents that make good civil service employees, he noted.

Leadership Events
9 AM EST
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks about the Obama administration’s efforts to reform the U.S. immigration system
1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, D.C.

1:30 PM EST
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks highlighting the importance of protecting privacy and civil liberties when sharing information with international and domestic partners
Renaissance Washington Hotel
Renaissance Ballroom, Ballroom Level
999 9th Street NW
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
8 AM EST
NPPD Director of Critical Infrastructure Cyber Protection and Awareness Jenny Menna will participate in a panel discussion about government and private sector collaboration on national cybersecurity initiatives at the 10th Annual Security Conference and Exhibition
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.

11:30 AM CST
USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas will participate in a media availability about his vision for the agency and current initiatives
USCIS District Office
126 Northpoint
Houston, Texas

3:30 PM EST
NPPD Deputy Under Secretary Philip Reitinger will participate in a panel discussion about cybersecurity and cyber warfare at the 19th Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law Conference
Renaissance Washington
Renaissance Ballroom 999 9th Street, NW
Washington, D.C.

From the Washington Times, on Veterans Day:

President Obama visited Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday as part of Veterans Day events across the country honoring U.S. service members who have sacrificed to preserve America's freedom.

"We honor your service. We are forever grateful," Mr. Obama said while standing in a cold drizzle with the cemetery's Tomb of the Unknowns in the background. "To our veterans, to the fallen and to their families - there is no tribute, no commemoration, no praise that can truly match the magnitude of your service and your sacrifice."

The president, dressed in a dark suit and overcoat, also participated in the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery in Arlington, across the Potomac River from Washington.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama began the day by hosting a Veterans Day breakfast in the East Room of the White House.

The Obamas joined Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and wife Jill, whose son Beau recently returned from Iraq, at the cemetery. The first couple concluded their visit by going to a section of the cemetery reserved for those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While Memorial Day commemorates those military members who are deceased, Veterans Day provides an opportunity to thank America's 23 million living veterans for their service.

The Bidens later hosted a lunch at the Naval Observatory for veterans, active duty service members and their families, and Mrs. Obama spoke at an event at George Washington University, where she hailed military members' commitment to service:

"They don't just want to serve for a certain number of years of deployment - they want to make their entire life a tour of duty."

From Homeland Security Today, on the new veterans page at dhs.gov:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) marked Veterans Day with a new Web portal to inform veterans of job and business opportunities with DHS components.

The Web site, located at www.dhs.gov/veterans, informs veterans of hiring opportunities to become a civilian employee of the department, which employ roughly 47,000 veterans, or 25 percent of its civilian workforce.

"This new website reflects the shared commitment across the department to hiring American veterans," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. "Veterans play a vital role in the Department of Homeland Security's mission to protect the nation, and this website will help us build our veteran workforce to more than 50,000 department-wide by 2012."

The Web site also links to overviews of veteran contracting and to opportunities for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs). Federal law requires DHS and other agencies to award 3 percent of its annual contracts to SDVOSBs--a mark that many federal agencies regularly miss.

From the Miami Herald, on "Hidden in Plain Sight":

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is spearheading a campaign in Miami and 13 other U.S. cities to enlist the public's help in identifying possible victims and suspects involved in human trafficking.

Known as a form of modern-day slavery, human trafficking involves people -- usually women -- being forced or lured into unpaid labor as servants, agricultural workers or prostitutes.

Victims generally come from poor countries and are smuggled into the United States and other rich nations to serve as veritable indentured servants.

Several harrowing human trafficking cases have been discovered in South Florida in recent years. Local cases involved a Peruvian woman found working long hours for little pay in Key Biscayne and a 14-year-old forced to work as a prostitute by a Fort Lauderdale man who operated an escort service.

The campaign -- with the slogan ``Hidden in Plain Sight'' -- will feature billboards and ads that include a toll-free number (866-DHS-2-ICE or 866-347-2423) that people can call to report cases to law-enforcement authorities.

Leadership Events
11 AM EST
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks and join ICE Assistant Secretary Morton for a media availability to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Secure Communities initiative
ICE Headquarters
500 12th Street SW
Washington, D.C.

Public Events
9 AM EST
NPPD Director for Software Assurance Joe Jarzombek will deliver keynote remarks at the Open Web Application Security Project AppSec 2009 Conference
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW
Washington, D.C.

9:40 AM EST
NPPD Under Secretary Rand Beers will deliver keynote remarks about the role of broadband in public safety and emergency response communications at the Federal Communications Commission Broadband Field Hearing
Georgetown University, Leavey Center
3900 Reservoir Road, NW
Washington, D.C.

11:15 AM EST
NPPD Cyber Security Evaluation Program Director Patrick Beggs will participate in a panel discussion about information technology sector risk management at the 10th Annual Security Conference
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.

11:30 AM CST
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas will participate in a media availability about his vision for the agency and current initiatives
USCIS District Office
8940 Fourwinds Drive
San Antonio, Texas

1:45 PM EST
DHS Director of Privacy Policy Toby Levin will participate in a panel discussion about federal enterprise architecture security and privacy at the 10th Annual Security Conference
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Hemisphere A
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.

1 PM CST
USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas will deliver remarks about immigrant integration and USCIS’ coordination with local partners at the National League of Cities’ Congress of Cities and Exposition
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
555 South Alamo Street
San Antonio, Texas

“The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world.”

That quote is inscribed on the Kennedy Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. JFK delivered it as part of his inaugural address in January of 1961, and was referring not to a scientific venture, nor to contentious legislation, but to the cause of “defending freedom in its maximum hour of danger.” He went on to challenge the nation, asking us to find it within ourselves to better serve our country. Generations of Americans have answered that call and many others through service in our armed forces; we honor them today.

Today is Veterans Day, and the Secretary, the President, the Vice President, and other government officials participated in events around the country today to pay respect to our veterans' contributions.

Secretary Napolitano joined U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen at a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony to honor all those who have served in the 219 years since its inception:

“Today we pay our deepest respect to the courageous men and women of who have served the U.S. Armed Forces and who currently risk their lives at home and abroad. The tragic events of recent weeks remind us of the tremendous sacrifice those in uniform make every day for our Nation, and I am proud to count the Department of Homeland Security’s 47,000-strong veteran workforce and the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard as colleagues in our mission to protect the country,” said Secretary Napolitano.

The Secretary also penned an entry in our Leadership Journal - committing the department to employ 50,000 veterans by 2012 - and reminding us that we must work to honor their contributions throughout the year. We encourage you to check it out, and to visit the White House Blog for a roundup of events and remarks from the President, Vice President, and other cabinet secretaries.

As we honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans on this Veteran’s Day, I hope you’ll join me in honoring the tens of thousands of veterans who serve our country as members of Department of Homeland Security.

DHS’ civilian workforce includes approximately 47,000 veterans, comprising 25 percent of all employees—including Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute—in addition to the 42,000 active duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Every day, these men and women play a critical role in our nation’s security – guarding against terrorism, securing our borders, enforcing immigration laws, preparing for and responding to disasters, and strengthening our Department’s operations.

Monday, I joined President Obama as he signed an Executive Order establishing the Veterans Employment Initiative to increase employment opportunities in the federal government and help recently hired veterans succeed in their jobs.

Engaging veterans and veterans’ organizations at the Department continues to be one of my top priorities. We want and need veterans to lend their unique skills, experience, and clear commitment to service to our mission. That’s why we have set a goal to have 50,000 veterans on-board at the Department by 2012.

To help us achieve that goal, today we launched a new website specifically for veterans – www.dhs.gov/veterans. This one-stop-shop contains information about hiring and business opportunities for veterans, ways to get involved in community-based efforts like Citizen Corps, and special veteran programs such as Operation Warfighter and Wounded Warrior, which provide employment opportunities for severely wounded or recovering service members to assist their transition back to the military or civilian workforce.

We’re proud to have so many veterans at DHS contributing to our mission every day. On Veterans Day and every day throughout the year, let’s continue to give thanks to veterans, both inside and outside the Department, for all they've done to serve our country.

Janet Napolitano

Earlier today, the Secretary recorded a message honoring our nation’s veterans, nearly 47,000 of who continue to serve today at the Department of Homeland Security. These veterans bring with them special skills and experiences that are invaluable to our ability to carry out our mission. As the Secretary said in her message, we are proud to have as many veterans among our ranks as we do, and we’re working actively to bring even more veterans – along with their proven skills and dedication to protecting our nation – on board.

To support our recognition and recruiting efforts, we launched a new page on the DHS website last night to provide more resources for veterans who want to work at or with DHS. At www.dhs.gov/veterans, you can see profiles of a few of the 47,000 veterans within the DHS workforce and read how their military experience prepared them for work at DHS, in their own words. We are grateful every day for their service, not just on Veterans Day - we encourage you to take a look at the new page, and share any thoughts you might have in the comment section there.

From the Associated Press, on the seizure of 8 pounds of heroin at Newark airport:

Customs officials have arrested a man they say tried to smuggle 8 pounds of heroin in his luggage on a flight from Guatemala City to Newark Liberty International Airport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers arrested Guatemalan citizen Jose Arevalo on Oct. 31 after he was selected for routine baggage inspection. Inspectors say they found an unusually thick supportive backing on bags Arevalo was carrying, as well as false compartments in his luggage that contained a brown powder-like substance.

Authorities say the substance tested positive for heroin and has an estimated street value of nearly $370,000.

From the Wall Street Journal, on the Coast Guard's rescue of two men stranded on an offshore oil platform:

Two Chevron Corp. employees were rescued from an offshore oil platform 80 miles south of New Orleans on Monday after the facility was damaged because of Hurricane Ida, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The workers called for help because they were worried that their living quarters "could fall into" the waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry, a spokesman for the Coast Guard.

A walkway that connects crew members' living area to the rest of the platform was damaged by a wayward lift boat, stranding the two men, O'Berry said. A video shot by the Coast Guard shows rescuers hoisting the men into a helicopter in 28 mile-per-hour winds and choppy waters.

"It's a good thing we got the call when we did," Lt. Marc Lanore, a pilot at Air Station New Orleans who flew the helicopter during the rescue mission, said in a news release. "If it were any later, we may not have been able to perform the rescue because of the effects of Hurricane Ida."

From the Austin American Statesman, on DHS's efforts to eliminate human trafficking:

The Department of Homeland Security agency charged with investigating cases of modern-day slavery is enlisting the public's help to root out those involved.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants people to take action if they encounter possible victims of human trafficking and call its tip line anonymously at 866-347-2423 (866-DHS-2-ICE). It is part of a public service campaign called Hidden in Plain Sight, unveiled last week to draw attention to the plight of thousands of human trafficking victims in the United States.

According to the State Department, as many as 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked around the world each year, as many as 17,000 in the United States. Lured with false promises of well-paying jobs, victims are forced into prostitution, domestic servitude, farm or factory labor, or other types of work.

Public Events:
10 AM EST
Erroll Southers will participate in a hearing considering his nomination to be Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2 PM EST Bruce McConnell, Counselor to National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) Deputy Under Secretary Philip Reitinger, will deliver remarks about balancing privacy and civil liberties protection with effective national cybersecurity via a live webcast entitled, “A Perspective on National Strategy for Identity Management and Cyber Security.”
www.DigitalGovernment.com

From The National, on the Secretary's visit to the UAE and her comments on the tragedy at Fort Hood:

The killing of 13 people by a Muslim psychiatrist at an American army base must not lead to the victimisation of Muslim Americans, the US secretary of homeland security has said.

On a visit to the capital, Janet Napolitano said grassroots efforts were vital to preserving relations between Muslim Americans and the wider community after Friday's shootings at Fort Hood in Texas.

"We object to, and do not believe, that anti-Muslim sentiment should emanate from this," she said. "This was an individual who does not represent the Muslim faith."

Describing the killings as "a terrible tragedy", Ms Napolitano said a civil rights and civil liberties directorate in her department aimed to "prevent everybody being painted with a broad brush"."That work is ongoing and is part and parcel of how we view security," she said. "One of the things we'll do is make sure that we're reaching out to the state and local authorities within the US, because they often have better outreach to members of the Muslim community than we do." Ms Napolitano was speaking to female students at Zayed University, and took part in a private question-and-answer session with them.

From CNN, on a weakened Ida:

Hurricane Ida weakened to a tropical storm Monday morning as it neared the U.S. Gulf Coast, where it could come ashore in the next 24 hours.

Ida's top winds fell to 70 mph (110 kph), the National Hurricane Center said in its 10 a.m. ET update.

Coastal communities between Grand Isle, Louisiana, and the Aucilla River in Florida are under a tropical storm warning.

Ida is expected to dump up to eight inches of rain in some parts of the affected area. It will begin drenching the area hours before its expected landfall Tuesday morning.

The hurricane center also warned of "large and destructive waves" caused by the storm, as it heads northwest near 16 mph (26 kph).

From the Associated Press, on a new cutter for the Coast Guard:

The U.S. Coast Guard has taken delivery of the second in a new class of
cutters built by Northrop Grumman Corp.

The first was delivered in May 2008; the latest, Friday, at the company's
Pascagoula shipyard. Eight Legend-class cutters are planned.

Bob Merchent, Northrop's vice president of surface combatants and U.S. Coast
Guard programs, called the cutters flagships of the Coast Guard fleet.

While the Waesche is only the second in her class, Merchent said she's "far
ahead" of her predecessor, the Bertholf, in fit, finish and mission
readiness.

The ship, which includes two aircraft hangars and a flight deck capable of
handling rotary wing and manned and unmanned aircraft, can accommodate a crew of up to 148.

Commissioning is planned for May.

Public Events
9 AM EST
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials will conduct a demonstration of CBP’s Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator vessel
Comachee Cove Yacht Harbor
3070 Harbor Drive

10 AM CST
Science and Technology Directorate and Army Corps of Engineers officials will demonstrate the latest Portable Lightweight Ubiquitous Gasket (PLUG) concepts for closing levee breaches
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service
Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit
9501 W Lakeview Rd
Stillwater, Okla.

9:15 MST
Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Bart R. Johnson will deliver remarks about the homeland security intelligence role and information sharing with state, local and tribal governments through fusion centers at the National Homeland Defense Foundation’s Symposium VII
Broadmoor (Boeing Conference) Hall
Broadmoor Hotel
Colorado Springs, Colo.
St. Augustine, Fla.

Today Secretary Napolitano and World Customs Organization Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya joined together in Brussels to announce the results of an unprecedented international law enforcement operation that led to the seizure of more than $3.5 million in smuggled cash over a five day period.

Dubbed Operation ATLAS (Assess, Target, Link, Analyze and Share), this groundbreaking investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from over 80 countries worldwide to target and disrupt cash couriers--people employed by criminal organizations to move their illicit funds across international borders.

Operation ATLAS focused on identifying these illicit cash couriers by employing several different methods to detect cash carried in baggage, on travelers and in shipments aboard commercial flights at designated airports. ATLAS also promoted the sharing of information and intelligence among customs agencies. In the United States, this operation was led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with participation from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and coordinated by the World Customs Organization.

Operation ATLAS is the latest and largest example of how increased international cooperation among law enforcement and customs agencies has resulted in the identification of new smuggling routes and methods used by criminal organizations throughout the world.

In September, ICE worked closely with law enforcement partners in Colombia and Mexico to uncover more than $41 million smuggled in shipping containers bound for Colombia. And in July, an ICE-led multilateral operation targeting cash couriers seized more than $3.5 million and detected an additional $4.2 million in undeclared currency at ports of entry around the globe.

This level of multilateral coordination is truly unprecedented and illustrates how the Department and our international allies are working together to shut down criminal organizations’ old ways of doing business.

John Morton
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Let's start with a simple fact: DHS is a great big agency – the third largest, in fact. We have upwards of 20 components, directorates, and offices; a staff of over 225,000; our budget for fiscal year 2009 was over $40 billion. Now, if you are an average American, chances are that among all of those components and directorates, you interact with one of them more than the rest combined: the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Whether you are boarding a flight to Des Moines, on an AMTRAK train that shares a track with freight transports, or on the road behind a truck carrying hazardous materials - TSA has a hand in making sure that you are safe along the way. (Planes, trains, and automobiles, indeed.) I suppose it goes without saying that with this level of public interaction comes with a lot of opinions. The rules for what you can and can't bring onto an airplane are complicated, and sometimes frustrating. Why in the world would a government agency tell you that you have to take your flip-flops off before going through a metal detector? Well, flip-flops can be modified to conceal a small compartment – just about any shoe can, even the slimmest stiletto. Who knew? Behind each of these rules is a lot of research, intelligence, and consideration - and that's not easy to explain at an airport checkpoint.

So, almost two years ago, TSA began an experiment, launching a blog to directly engage with the public. Today the idea might seem pedestrian, but in January of 2008 it was among the first ten government blogs in existence, and "risky" would have been an understatement in describing what TSA was proposing: an online public forum where one of the government's newest and most controversial agencies would discuss its most controversial rules and decisions and let travelers do the same. Good times.

Almost two years later, the results speak for themselves. Over one million hits to date; dozens if not hundreds of public comments and discussions on each post; and a reputation as a space where government responds quickly to public concern, and proactively addresses issues that may generate questions and confusion. Now, it goes without saying that the DHS blog would laud the efforts of one of its component blogs, right? Except today, you don't have to take our word for it.

Yesterday, Adobe and MeriTalk honored the TSA Blog with a Merit Award during a ceremony at the Ronald Reagan building here in Washington, D.C. Merit Awards "recognize excellence in innovative implementations that aim to deliver a more efficient and transparent government." The TSA Blog earned the award for "demystifying airport security processes and debunking myths by providing simple, non-bureaucratic explanations of why TSA does what it does to keep the traveling public safe."

So, big ups to our friend to Curtis "Blogger Bob" Burns and the entire team who work every day on the TSA Blog to combat misconceptions, respond to public questions and criticisms, and explain in human terms the reasons behind our security measures. From the President on down, this administration has worked since day one to make government a more transparent, open, engaging institution, a place from which the public can expect more information and answers from their elected officials and government employees. Congratulations to TSA for staying ahead of the curve on this one.

"Blogger Bob" Burns just after receiving the Merit Award.

Head over to the TSA Blog to check out some of their latest responses.

From Congress Daily, on the newly confirmed Under Secretary for the department's Science and Technology Directorate:

The Senate late Wednesday confirmed by voice vote Tara O'Toole as undersecretary of the Homeland Security Department's Science and Technology Directorate.

Her nomination had been held up by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., over concerns about past lobbying work. But an aide to McCain said he would allow the nomination to go forward after she responded to questions.

"Dr. O'Toole is assuming her role at a critical time, as the H1N1 flu pandemic is spreading across the nation at an alarming rate," Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman said in a statement. "Dr. O'Toole brings a remarkable breadth of experience to this job that is so crucial to our nation's security. She is an inspired choice and I congratulate her on her confirmation."

From Information Week, on IdeaFactory:

The Department of Homeland Security is latching onto one of the Transportation Security Administration's most innovative IT initiatives, a Web 2.0 crowd-sourcing portal called IdeaFactory. Like TSA, Homeland Security will use the platform to encourage its employees to come forward with new ideas on how to do things.

IdeaFactory is a custom-built, .NET Web application that lets employees submit ideas for new programs and rule changes. Other users can rate the ideas, comment on them, pick favorites, and forward them to others. When a proposal gets enough attention, it's sent to an "idea committee" that reviews it and decides what steps to take. It's essentially a digital, and transparent, ideas box.

From Homeland Security Today, on the first public meeting of the Long-Term Disaster Recovery Working Group:

The departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) hosted the first public meeting of their Long-Term Disaster Recovery Working Group Wednesday in New Orleans, La., to begin the development of a national disaster recovery framework.

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, along with representatives from about 20 federal offices, joined the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Louisiana Recovery Authority, and the City of New Orleans at the University of New Orleans to discuss 16 specific topic areas.

Questions debated by the government officials at the form ranged from the roles of federal, state and local governments in disaster recovery to unmet needs in recovery to best practices for incorporating public input into recovery efforts.

Napolitano called the public forum a useful means of strengthening the ongoing recovery of the Gulf Coast region, which is still rebuilding more than four years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.

Public Events
1:40 PM Local
NPPD Cyber Protection and Awareness Director of Critical Infrastructure Jenny Menna will deliver remarks about the Cyberstorm exercise at the Swedish EU- Presidency International Conference on Resilience-Resilient Electronic Communications
Folkets Hus at the Stockholm City Conference Centre
Barnhusgartan 12-14
Stockholm, Sweden

3 PM Local
NPPD United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team Acting Director Randy Vickers will deliver remarks about the Government Forum of Incidence Response and Security Teams at the Swedish EU- Presidency International Conference on Resilience-Resilient Electronic Communications
Folkets Hus at the Stockholm City Conference Centre
Barnhusgartan 12-14
Stockholm, Sweden

10 AM EST
ICE Office of Investigations Deputy Assistant Director Janice Ayala will testify about organized retail crime before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
2141 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

2:15 PM EST
NPPD Counselor Bruce McConnell will deliver remarks about DHS’ cybersecurity initiatives at the INPUT Fed Focus Conference
Tyson’s Corner Ritz Carlton
1700 Tyson’s Blvd
McLean, Va.

2:30 PM EST
NPPD Deputy Under Secretary Philip Reitinger will deliver closing remarks about the importance of integrity, security, and reliability in software and the DHS’ perspective on software security progress at the 11th Annual Software Assurance Forum
Crystal Gateway Marriott 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Va.

cross posted from The Coast Gaurd Compass



For well over two centuries, the Coast Guard has worked to safeguard our Nation and its citizens, to secure our maritime borders, and to serve as a responsible steward of our oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. – Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard

The Coast Guard has a centuries-old tradition as America’s primary federal maritime law enforcement agency. Over the years, the missions have changed, but the Coast Guard’s roles have remained the same: maritime safety, security and stewardship. Tomorrow, Admiral Allen will discuss the merits of a National Ocean Policy and improved governance framework as he testifies before Congress as a member of the Obama Administration’s Ocean Policy Task Force. This initiative represents a significant opportunity to employ a “whole government” approach to manage the use and protection of our marine resources and maritime waterways with an emphasis on sustainability and predictability.

Guardians are no strangers to big picture approaches to the governance of our nation’s waterways. For nearly two decades, Guardians have participated in scenario-based strategy development exercises aimed at forecasting the threats and opportunities to the Coast Guard’s missions through the Evergreen Process and as recently as 2007 issued a Coast Guard Strategy for Maritime Safety, Security and Stewardship which called for a national policy to “address concerns ranging from increased use of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to new uses in the Arctic.” More recently, Coast Guard cutters have assisted researchers at NOAA by deploying global drifter buoys to help us better understand our oceans while the polar icebreaker Healy has been involved in multiple initiatives to map and better understand the changing Arctic landscape.

Log on to Coast Guard Compass tomorrow morning for more on Admiral Allen’s appearance on Capitol Hill and check out the Commandant’s Twitter page to follow his testimony live.

For more information on the Coast Guard’s role in the Ocean Policy Task Force, please visit Admiral Allen’s blog posts on the establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force’s Arctic Awareness trip, marine spatial planning, and the Ocean Policy Task Force’s Interim Report.

cross-posted from the White House Blog

With National Cybersecurity Awareness Month now finished, I would like to remind everyone that cybersecurity is not an issue that requires our attention only one month a year. Instead, we need to be thinking about cybersecurity every time we turn on a computer. Further, as the threat of cyber attacks continues to increase, the U.S. Government and the nation as a whole need to continue to develop and identify the young cybersecurity experts who will keep our computers and digital networks secure and resilient.

One of the ways the U.S. Government cultivates future cyber defenders is through competitions such as the U.S. Cyber Challenge. This program, which is comprised of three separate cybersecurity challenges, has the goal of identifying 10,000 young Americans with the skills to fill the ranks of cybersecurity practitioners, researchers, and leaders. The program nurtures and develops their skills, gives them access to advanced education and exercises, and where appropriate, enables them to be recognized by colleges, companies, and government departments and agencies where their skills can be of the greatest value to the nation.

One of the amazing stories from this year’s U.S. Cyber Challenge is Michael Coppola. Michael is a high school senior and is the leading point scorer through two rounds of the Netwars challenge. Despite not having much formal cybersecurity training, Michael is beating teams of adults and cybersecurity professionals, and, as you can see in the interview excerpt below, remains humble and grounded. Keep up the good work, Michael!

Q. So, Michael, what we'd really like to hear about is what it was like to participate in the NetWars competition. But for starters, how did you even find out about it?
A. In May, a news collective, Digg, pointed me to an article on Forbes.com that described the NetWars contest but didn't provide any information on how to actually participate. About a month later, a link to the contest surfaced on the 2600 news feed, and the rest is history
Q. And just out of curiosity, you're in your senior year in high school - had you already taken computer science courses at school?
A. Yes, I've taken a few, but they don't offer computer security classes. I've taken Graphic Design, Web Design and Animation, and Computer Networking and Repair. I enrolled to take Introduction to Programming this year, but they cancelled it, because they couldn't find a suitable teacher.
Q. Did you ever wonder about what you might "win" or get out of it?
A. The original flyer said something about "cyber camps," but I didn't really know what that meant. I played just to play, and if I won anything from it, then all the better.
Q. Were you surprised when you won? Did you know that the second highest score came from a TEAM of five (?) players working together?
A. I was actually very surprised to be honest. I didn't expect to win, because I assumed that the people I was competing against would be in college with formal educations. Also, I had no idea the second place contestant was in fact a team of five until you asked me!

John Brennan is Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

Today, the Secretary joined her Spanish counterpart, Minister of Interior Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, in giving keynote addresses to the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Madrid, Spain. This is the 31st annual data protection commissioner conference, but one of the few times when policy makers shared their views on data collection AND protections.

The conference hall was packed this morning, as privacy professionals from around the world crammed together to hear from royalty - the Prince of Asturias, the Spanish heir to the throne - and politicians alike.

The Secretary and the Minister both made clear that their vision of information sharing had to be consistent with privacy and civil liberties protection. Minister Rubalcaba began his speech with an emphatic statement - security and privacy are common principles, and can co-exist! He also warmly welcomed Secretary Napolitano, recognizing that her presence at this conference demonstrated the shared will of Europe and the US to work together.

Secretary Napolitano specifically acknowledged the completion of the work of the High Level Contact Group in crafting data protection principles, and encouraged movement towards a binding data protection agreement, stressing "what unites us far outweighs what divides us - including a long-standing respect for human rights and individual liberties."

As a privacy professional, this interaction between privacy leaders and policy leaders heralded a new era in transparency, one of the hallmarks of the Obama Administration; personally, it was heartening to witness this important dialogue. As both the Minister and Secretary Napolitano made clear, security and privacy can reinforce each other. At the Department of Homeland Security's Privacy Office, we try to implement this principle every day.

Mary Ellen Callahan is the Chief Privacy Officer for the Department of Homeland Security

From the AFP, on the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy in Madrid:

Hundreds of privacy experts from around the world met in Madrid on Wednesday for a three-day conference which aims to arrive at a global standard for the protection of personal data.

US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as well representatives from data protection agencies from 50 nations and top managers from key Internet firms like Google and Facebook are taking part in the event, billed as the world's largest forum dedicated to privacy.

Artemi Rallo Lombarte, the director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency, an independent control authority which is organising the 31st International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy, said laws regulating privacy vary greatly around the world.

"These differences are far from being an obstacle, they should instead enrich our initiatives to promote the effective guarantee of rights through a global convention for the protection of privacy and personal data," he said in a opening address to the conference.

"This is one of the main goals of this international conference," he added.

Participants hope the international standards reached at the gathering will serve as the basis for a universal, binding legal instrument on data protection.

From the Associated Press, on the increase of gun and cash seizures at the Mexican Border:

U.S. authorities on Tuesday reported a spike in seizures of guns and cash along the Mexican border since they began assigning more agents to stem the flow of southbound contraband.

Nearly 600 illegal weapons were seized along the border by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials from March through September, an increase of more than 50 percent from the same period of 2008.

The agencies seized more than $40 million in cash along the border from mid-March through September, nearly double the amount in the year-ago period.

The seizures represent a tiny fraction of business done by Mexican and Colombian drug lords. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, those drug lords generate $18 billion to $39 billion in wholesale drug proceeds in the United States each year. Cash proceeds are smuggled across the border to Mexico.

But U.S. officials said the figures demonstrate that heightened enforcement is paying off.

From the Homeland Security Today, on the standardized tribal ID cards:

Tohono O'odham Nation is latest to move on enhanced ID card The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has struck a fourth agreement for enhanced tribal identification cards compliant with US travel laws with a Native American tribe, the department announced Tuesday.

DHS and the Tohono O'odham Nation, which has lands in Arizona and Mexico, agreed to standards for an enhanced tribal card to be carried by the roughly 28,000 registered members of the tribe. The identification card complies with the specifications of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which mandated strict requirements for travel documents for citizens of the United States, Canada and Bermuda--who may previously have not required a passport--on June 1.

"This agreement will strengthen safety along our borders while providing Tohono O'odham members a secure and standardized ID card," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. "In the months ahead, we will continue to build upon these efforts-from secure identification to preparing for emergencies-with our tribal partners across the country."

Public Events

9 AM EST
CBP Acting Commissioner Jay Ahern will deliver remarks at the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee quarterly meeting
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Atrium Hall
Washington, D.C.

10 AM EST
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen will testify about the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force process and coastal and marine spatial planning before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
253 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.

...from the Danes, but not the weather. It's been a bit dreary here in Copenhagen since our arrival late last night, but we've enjoyed a very productive visit to Denmark. The Secretary met this morning with Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelson to talk about cooperation on counter-terrorism. With the Headley case in the news the visit was quite timely. The Minister and the Secretary also talked about crime in cities and security in transportation, including ways to improve coordination between the two sides.

Human Trafficking is a crime that isn't limited by the borders of a country or the culture of a society or community. It has ballooned into an organized, international practice that robs men, women, and children of the opportunity to pursue their own potential.

Now, chances are that you don't think you know a family member, friend, or neighbor affected by this criminal behavior. This is not a crime that always happens out in the open; it's not as common a news story in this country as theft or fraud. However, every day individuals are quietly moved or "trafficked" from their homes in other countries - often through deception or coercion - and moved across land borders and bodies of water, where they are forced or even sold into prostitution and servitude. It's not just an international problem, though - trafficking regularly takes place within countries and states. No community is immune to this crime of exploitation, even here in the United States.

The Secretary addressed the issue of Human Trafficking this morning during a discussion with students, faculty, journalists and representatives from government, law enforcement and the NGO community at the Danish Institute for International Studies in Copenhagen. She sees it as an urgent problem that affects the United States, our international partners, and particularly less developed nations - where much of the trafficking originates.

“Human trafficking is a global problem that requires a global solution.” said Secretary Napolitano. “The United States, Denmark and all our international partners must continue to work together to better identify and dismantle criminal trafficking organizations.”

The Secretary talked about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) role in combating the practice, and particularly ICE's work with the Danish National Police and other international partners to dismantle the infrastructure that helps to facilitate the movement of individuals across borders. ICE also employs more than 300 Victim Assistance Coordinators worldwide who work with non-governmental organizations to help provide long-term assistance efforts.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also manages an international Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign, aimed at raising awareness about the issue.

The Secretary also discussed the public's responsibility. We often talk about our shared responsibility to prepare for disasters, to be alert and vigilant in recognizing potential criminal or terrorist activity, and to protect ourselves and each other from the spread of communicable diseases like the seasonal and H1N1 flu strains. Add this one to that list.

You'd think that human trafficking isn't always visible or noticeable. However, victims of this crime are commonly domestic servants or employees at a "sweat shop." ICE launched a campaign last year called "Hidden in Plain Sight," an initiative designed to raise awareness about this issue in the United States. Individuals who suspect someone is being held against their will should call the ICE tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Secretary's trip.

From the Washington Post, on the increasing involvement of young people in Mexican cartel operations:

The number of minors swept up in Mexico's drug wars -- as killers and victims -- is soaring, with U.S. and Mexican officials warning that a toxic culture of fast money, drug abuse and murder is creating a "lost generation."

Although the exploitation of children by criminals is timeless, authorities say the cartels are responding to new realities here. They have stepped up recruiting to replace tens of thousands of members who have been killed or arrested during President Felipe Calderon's U.S.-backed war against the traffickers.

The crackdown has led the cartels to diversify their operations, moving from the transshipment of narcotics to extortion, immigrant smuggling and kidnapping. It also has sparked intense rivalries, with youngsters serving as expendable foot soldiers in battles over trafficking routes to the United States and local markets that serve a growing number of Mexican drug users.

"The cartels recruit by first involving them in some drug trafficking, then in selling drugs and finally, in some cases for as little as $160 a week, they are given the job of tracking down people the cartel wants to assassinate," said Victor Valencia, public security secretary in Chihuahua state, where Ciudad Juarez -- Mexico's most violent city -- is located.

From KVOA-TV Tucson, AZ, on the seizure of a million dollars worth of marijuana:

U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety executed a search warrant on a residence Thursday evening, resulting in the seizure of more than 1,100 pounds of marijuana.

Border Patrol Agents from the Tucson Station observed a pickup truck traveling northbound from the U.S.-Mexico Border in a remote desert area notorious for drug smuggling. Agents were able to track the vehicle to a local residence. Additional agents responded to the location and, with the assistance of a canine unit, discovered several bundles suspected to be marijuana stacked up inside the house.

Upon entry, agents and officers discovered 52 bricks of marijuana with a combined weight of more than 1,100 pounds and an estimated street value close to a million dollars. The marijuana is being held by ICE for further processing.

From Chattanooga Times Free Press, on E-Verify:

Nearly two months after most federal contractors and subcontractors were required to use the government's employment verification program, local employers report things are running smoothly.

"We've been using E-Verify since the new rules went into effect Sept. 8, (and) so far we've not experienced any adverse financial or administrative issues using the system," said BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee spokeswoman Mary Thompson. "It's simply been another step in the hiring and employment verification process."

E-Verify is a free Web-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration that compares information from the employment eligibility verification form, the I-9, against federal government databases to verify workers' employment eligibility.

Leadership Events:
11:45 AM LOCAL
Secretary Napolitano delivered remarks about expanding international coordination to combat human trafficking.Danish Institute for International Studies
Copenhagen, Denmark

Public Events:
10:30 AM MST
National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) Office of Cybersecurity and Communications Assistant Secretary Greg Schaffer will deliver remarks highlighting the Department’s commitment to addressing cyber risk to control systems environments at the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team Coordination Center dedication ceremony.
1690 International Way
Idaho Falls, Idaho

10 AM PST
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Assistant Commissioner for Field Operations Thomas Winkowski will participate in a media availability with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Director Kenneth Melson about new initiatives to target cross border crime.
Omni Hotel, Salon E675 L Stree
tSan Diego, Calif.