Thread: Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff visits border

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Jennifer Reardon Reports
Homeland Security chief visits border

Aug 18, 2006 08:05 AM PDT


Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff spent the day Thursday touring the Arizona-Mexico border.
The purpose of Chertoff's visit to Nogales was to see how President Bush's plan, to add National Guard troops along the border, is working.

So far, he says it has been a success, but in light of the nation's orange alert at airports across the country, his department must multi-task.

Even though security is so high at airports, Chertoff says, "...Security at the border is still at the top range of priorities."

Chertoff says, the next step along the border will be to add more high tech tools, like additional cameras, sensors and fiber optics.

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles ... state1.txt

Chertoff: Guard deployment helping greatly on border security


Thursday, August 17, 2006 8:20 PM PDT


NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) - The deployment of National Guard troops to support the U.S. Border Patrol has contributed immensely to helping secure the border with Mexico, the nation's homeland security chief said Thursday.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff visited with Border Patrol and National Guard troops and officials here to see firsthand results of the commitment President Bush made in May to place 6,000 National Guard troops in non-enforcement support roles from Texas to California.

‘‘I'm delighted to say the National Guard lived up to and exceeded their testing by the president,'' Chertoff said of Bush's Operation Jump Start, ‘‘and it's added real value.''

Chertoff's trip was at least the second to the Arizona border in about 15 months. The Arizona border is considered the most vulnerable stretch of the 2,000-mile southern border to illegal entry and remains the most heavily trafficked area for smuggling of illegal immigrants.


Chertoff, whose attention in recent days has been focused largely on dealing with British authorities' foiling of an alleged plot to bomb trans-Atlantic flights from Britain, also said there has been no indication of any terrorists crossing the southern border.

‘‘There's no question that the No. 1 priority for the Border Patrol, the National Guard and everybody else involved in border security is let's keep dangerous people from crossing the border,'' Chertoff said.

More than 900 troops currently are working side-by-side with Border Patrol agents along the Arizona-Mexico border, freeing up agents. The Guard jobs include working with cameras or manning observation posts near the border to detect illegal immigrants.

Vehicle maintenance, maintaining and building roads and fences, conducting aerial surveillance and stopping drug smugglers are all ‘‘real contributions in the field that really help the Border Patrol'' in executing their mission, Chertoff said.

‘‘Bottom line is results, and they're having tremendous impact,'' he said.

The presence of guardsmen has freed up 360 agents nationally to return to their core mission; there have been 4,700 apprehensions related to Operation Jump Start. Agents have also seen a 43 percent reduction in apprehensions along the border, because ‘‘smugglers now realize there is a substantial additional presence on the border and that is beginning to deter them,'' Chertoff said.

But he also said the task is not over because smugglers of contraband, people and drugs who make millions of dollars will not quit easily.

‘‘We're making it harder and harder for them to conduct their business, and if they move somewhere else we're going to chase them somewhere else.''

Tucson Sector Chief Mike Nicley said several guardsmen working as entry observers have been assaulted by rock-throwers from Mexico, but not hurt.

Within the next month or so, Chertoff said, a high-tech contract will be awarded to provide added sensor, fiber optics, imagery and camera capabilities, along with enhanced communications for more rapid response by Border Patrol agents.

Chertoff also said there has been a dramatic increase in interior enforcement and felony criminal prosecutions against employers of illegal immigrants.

But the nation also must act to address the economic draw that makes people willing to cross searing deserts to enter the country, Chertoff said - in again calling for a temporary guest worker program that Bush has endorsed.

‘‘Security is all about comprehensiveness,'' said Chertoff. ‘‘Security's got to be taking place everywhere. We've got to keep our security high at the airport ... we can't ignore security elsewhere.

Last week, Chertoff ordered airliners bound from Britain placed on the highest threat level - red alert - for four days after British authorities intervened in an alleged plot to bomb trans-Atlantic flights from London.

It's not clear when the threat level for airlines might be lowered from orange, the second-highest.

Those steps will include a requirement as early as next year for airlines to turn over passenger names to be checked against the government's ‘‘no-fly'' terror watch list before international flights take off for U.S. cities.

‘‘I'm delighted to say the National Guard lived up to and exceeded their testing by the president,'' Chertoff said of Bush's Operation Jump Start, ‘‘and it's added real value.''

Secretary Chertoff, are you sure those are the exact words Bush told you to use?

Originally Posted by MW

‘‘I'm delighted to say the National Guard lived up to and exceeded their testing by the president,'' Chertoff said of Bush's Operation Jump Start, ‘‘and it's added real value.''

Secretary Chertoff, are you sure those are the exact words Bush told you to use?

This is the kind of gibberish I'd expect to hear from Castro's Cuba.

http://www.nbc4.tv/politics/9699713/detail.html


Homeland Security Chief Tours Southland Facilities
Chertoff Caps Two-Day Visit On Friday

POSTED: 6:48 am PDT August 18, 2006
UPDATED: 7:05 am PDT August 18, 2006


LOS ANGELES -- Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff concludes a two-day visit to the Southland Friday by touring the Joint Regional Intelligence Center in Norwalk and giving a speech in Beverly Hills.

Chertoff will be joined on his tour of the center by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton.

The center, which opened last month, is designed to enable law enforcement to use a regional approach to combatting terrorism in Southern California. It is staffed by some 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers, including from the Los Angeles police and sheriff's departments, FBI and state Office of Homeland Security.


Officers assigned to the center are supposed to share intelligence information while investigating terrorist threats in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, law enforcement officials said.

Following the tour and a news conference, Chertoff will deliver a speech in Beverly Hills to the Pacific Council on International Policy.

On Thursday, Chertoff toured a passenger screening area at Los Angeles International Airport and said the ban on carry-on drinks and liquids aboard flights will likely continue until the nation's threat level is dramatically reduced.

Chertoff said he understands passengers' frustration, but relaxing security rules now could invite more terrorist attacks. He also said a system is being tested that would detect liquid explosives, but it is far from complete.

"One of the challenges that comes up with dealing with liquid explosives is you get a lot of false positives," Chertoff said. "And while we do have a technology that detects liquids, it is often one that requires one bottle at a time. And a system that is accurate but very slow or very inconvenient is not a system that works."

Security screening became much tighter for airline passengers after last week's series of arrests in Britain stemming from an alleged plot to use liquid explosives to blow up U.S.-bound airliners.

As a result, the nation's threat level was raised to "orange," the second-highest rung. All liquids and gels, from water to toothpaste, were banned from airline passengers' carry-on bags.

The new rules were modified a few days later, allowing up to four ounces of liquid medication, along with glucose gel for diabetics, baby food and lipstick.

However, all passengers must remove their shoes so they may be X-rayed along with carry-on bags, and aerosol cans are still prohibited.

I saw a longer version of this on the news. I noticed that the border patrol agents in the background (more of them were shown on TV), looked very unenthusiastic and they even looked like they didn't believe a word he was saying. It stood out a lot more on the TV where you could see more of the faces of the border patrol agents.

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My

I noticed that the border patrol agents in the background (more of them were shown on TV), looked very unenthusiastic and they even looked like they didn't believe a word he was saying. It stood out a lot more on the TV where you could see more of the faces of the border patrol agents.

Well, CountFloyd, your picture certainly explains what I noticed.

Our fellow Black Americans, have phrase when somebody's is lying bigtime, that phrase N____! Please!. That person is percieved as lying, it's so fits Jerktoff to a T! Phrase can refer to any ethnicity! Somebody may can explain this better! Hope nobody is offended! We're I Black I would sure use on Jerktoff!