Posted: 02/24/2009 12:00:00 AM MST


EL PASO -- Although UTEP's homeland security center focuses on science and technology, the center's executive director says he ultimately wants to attack problems where they start, even if that's somewhere beyond the nation's borders.
"We want to try to eliminate surprise at the point of interdiction" of drugs, weapons or illegal immigration, said retired Brig. Gen. Jose Riojas, UTEP vice president for strategic initiatives and executive director of the National Center for Border Security and Immigration.

"I don't like being re-active. It's not my nature."

That means the center will be broadening its focus to include such things as business, diplomacy and foreign policy during its symposium "Educating to Make a Difference in Border Security and Immigration," which will be Thursday and Friday at the University of Texas at El Paso. The event was designed to encourage the interaction of students, business people, law enforcement officials and members of the general public who are interested in homeland security issues.

Protecting the nation's borders overwhelmingly has been perceived as a law enforcement issue, Riojas said, but keynote speakers -- including Cecilia Levine, a longtime El Paso/Juárez businesswoman -- will provide a slightly different angle on the issues.

"There is always an economic dimension to homeland security, and economically, we stand to gain also," said Luis Barker, former Border Patrol-El Paso Sector chief who is now the center's managing


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director and responsible for organizing the symposium.
The center's mission is to bring in a wide array of disciplines with the goal of providing three-dimensional, long-term solutions to the problems faced by the U.S. Homeland Security Department, which funds the program, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, Riojas said.

"Who's looking deep into what some people term 'generation after next?' " Riojas said.

"That's what we're tasked to do."

That will involve training students to standards set by DHS and training homeland security agents using distance learning tools such as Internet classes, Riojas said.

The center won't become obsolete, despite the change in administration, Riojas said, because it is working directly with the various homeland security agencies to tailor programs identified as providing the most relevant support, adding, "When you do that, the ice is very thick."

"I have not heard of any change from the new administration to de-emphasize or slow down that process," Riojas said. "We are asking them, 'What do you anticipate your shortfalls to be generation after next?' "

That includes allowing recent U.S. citizens with valuable cultural and linguistic knowledge to get security clearances, Riojas said, which could open doors for some UTEP students. "You can study language, but that's a skill," Riojas said. "We need to talk more about the culture."

Chris Roberts may be reached at chrisr@elpasotimes.com;546-6136.






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