NCJ Number
217747
Journal
Homeland Defense Journal Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2007 Pages: 18,20,24
Date Published
January 2007
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article on border security provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) implementation of the president's policy of comprehensive immigration reform, as well as the security industry's perspective on border control.
Abstract
Comprehensive immigration reform addresses not only security at the border itself but also the enforcement of immigration law in the interior of the country as it deals with the economic factors that fuel most illegal migration. In implementing this policy, DHS ended the policy of "catch-and-release" at the border. A SBInet contract reflects commitment to a comprehensive technology that will provide the Border Patrol with the tools they need to characterize intrusions at the border. The first phase, which covers 28 miles of the border, will begin in early 2007. This will complement a commitment to double the Border Patrol to over 18,000 by the end of 2008. In the meantime, the National Guard is providing additional personnel to monitor the border. An important component of the comprehensive immigration strategy is the installation of a temporary worker program, which will place controls on which persons can cross the border in order to work in the United States. This will help ensure that an excessive number of individuals and undesirable individuals will not be able to obtain jobs in the United States at the expense of American workers. Other areas of focus are the development of secure documents and biometrics for identification. The security industry is focusing on the development of surveillance technologies, information technologies, and surveillance vehicles for marine and air patrols. The emphasis is on flexible and cost-effective security solutions and multiple deterrents.