Thread: Border Czar Greeted with Applause, Skepticism

U.S. border czar appointment greeted with applause, skepticism
By Diana Washington Valdez / El Paso Times
Posted: 04/16/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT



The U.S. border czar will give El Paso and other Southwest cities a greater voice with the Obama administration, various Texas and Mexican leaders said Wednesday.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named Alan Bersin, 62, of San Diego, to the job. He previously was her assistant secretary for international and border affairs.

El Paso Mayor John Cook said having Bersin as a border specialist could only help.

"I am happy with the attention being placed on the border and the issues surrounding it," Cook said.

Mexican business leaders also welcomed the news because it means the border will be a priority for the U.S. government, said Jose Contreras, vice president of the Juárez National Chamber of Commerce.
"Everyone agrees that ending the flow of arms and cash to Mexico across the U.S. border will help tremendously to control the drug violence," Contreras said. "I believe Bersin will be well-received, as long as he doesn't express any negative views, such as building more border walls or sending soldiers to guard the border."

Contreras said border officials were already working on concerns that increased southbound border checks could slow legitimate commerce and generate new complaints about the crackdown on drug traffickers.

"We have asked for a comprehensive analysis of border traffic flows so the checkpoints can be set up in a safe manner and with the least interference to commerce possible," he said.

El Paso businesswoman Veronica Callaghan, vice president of the Border Trade Alliance, was among those who were invited to join Napolitano and Bersin for a private luncheon Wednesday.

"Bersin will be someone who is constantly monitoring the border, and who will have a direct line to Napolitano on these matters," Callaghan said. "It is not just about how to process the checkpoints at the international bridges faster; it is really about dealing with the human safety issues of illegal immigration and drug violence. People at the border want a sense of security and order. I am hopeful Napolitano and the new assistant secretary really mean business."

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he was unclear on at least some aspects of Bersin's new role.

"While I am glad the (Obama administration) is placing greater focus on and directing more resources to the challenges faced along our southern border, I am interested in learning more about the roles and responsibilities of this new position and how this person will interact with Congress and local leaders," Cornyn said.

Not everyone thinks appointing a border czar is the answer to complaints about Mexico's drug violence.

Santiago Ibarreche, a border expert who teaches at the University of Texas at El Paso, called it "a waste of time, and that it's being done for PR purposes. I would like to know what authority he will have, and how many more human-rights violations we might see. Having so many law enforcement agencies under Homeland Security is also a big mistake."

The national Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council issued a statement that questioned the creation of the new federal office.

"(Do) all the various leaders of the federal law enforcement agencies report to this new czar? Where does he fall in the chain of command, who does he report to, or does he report to the president. ... It's patently absurd to create this position, which raises the natural follow-up questions: What is the real agenda here and how is the position being budgeted by the Congress?"

The council, based in Chino, Calif., is a nonprofit advocacy organization for law enforcement officers. Sandalio "Sandy" Gonzalez, former chief of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's El Paso office, is the council's executive vice president.

Eight years ago, Texas state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, and U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, petitioned President George W. Bush for a border czar but were turned down.

In a resolution then, reasons for a border czar cited by Texas senators were a dramatic increase in trade related to NAFTA, strains on border roads and bridges, heavy traffic congestion, border-crossing delays and increased air and noise pollution.

The rampant drug violence that has attracted worldwide attention to the border was not an issue then as it is today.

In 2001, Mexican President Vicente Fox created a border czar position for Mexico, and named U.S.-born Gov. Ernesto Ruffel Appel to the post.

The Mexican border czar's office lost its luster and power after the U.S. government declined to create a similar post. Mexico's current president, Felipe Calderón, has yet to appoint a border czar.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.

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Comments


Anything this administration does to "further" border security is going to be predicated upon expediting amnesty for illegal aliens.

Their main concern now is not how to secure the border, but how to create that illusion and make amnesty more palatable to the American public. Since our public is so ignorant, uneducated and gullible, that won't be too hard a task.

They just want to stir up enough political dust and create enough confusion that, through the obliteration, they can sneak in the amnesty with as little objection as possible. The objections of the thinking public will be ignored while they propagandize the issues and create at least the impression that most people support amnesty and whatever other deleterious things they do. Maybe the majority will indeed support it, since the majority is now that uneducated, ignorant and gullible mass.

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O M G! Cook is all pro-illegal, anti-immigration enforcement, anti border fence, anti troops on the border...blah blah blah....He spends OUR tax dollars fighting any effort of the federal government to serve the interest of America.....But when he is surrounded by intelligent people who don't see it his way, he changes his tune....

El Paso Mayor John Cook said having Bersin as a border specialist could only help.

"I am happy with the attention being placed on the border and the issues surrounding it," Cook said

What a whimpy whiney loser! I wonder if he played a song on his guitar for them.

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Just how bad does it have to get before real change is made?

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http://www.elpasotimes.com/juarez/ci_12152277

Alan Bersin was appointed California’s Secretary of Education on July 1, 2005 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and served as Secretary until January, 2007. Immediately prior to his appointment by the Governor, he was Superintendent of Public Education in San Diego City Schools.

Prior to becoming superintendent, Mr. Bersin served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California for nearly five years. As such, he was the chief federal law enforcement officer in San Diego and Imperial counties, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Bersin also served as the Attorney General’s Southwest Border Representative, responsible for coordinating federal law enforcement activities on the U. S./Mexico border.

In January, 2007, Mr. Bersin was appointed by the Mayor of San Diego as Board Chairman for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, where he continues to serve.

Before entering public service in 1993, Mr. Bersin was a senior partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson where he specialized in complex RICO, securities, commercial and insurance litigation before state and federal trial and appellate courts. He is a member of the California and Alaska bars.

Other professional experience includes employment as Special Counsel to the Los Angeles Police Commission, as visiting professor of law at the University of San Diego School of Law, as a lecturer in law at University of California at Boalt Hall, and as an adjunct professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. He serves as a Member of the Board of Overseers for Harvard University.

Mr. Bersin received his A.B. in government from Harvard University (magna com laude). He attended Balliol College at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He received his J.D. degree from the Yale Law School. Mr. Bersin was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws (Honorary) by the University of San Diego, by California Western School of Law and by the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Another attorney. I think in the next elections of any kind we need to find out if the person running is an attorney. If so. don't elect them.