Thread: Janet Napolitano says U.S. will target immigration reform

Janet Napolitano says U.S. will target immigration reform

by Dennis Wagner - Mar. 26, 2010 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday told a packed lecture hall at Arizona State University that the Obama administration is setting its sights on immigration reform.

"We're going to keep pushing this until we get it over the finish line," said Napolitano, who served as Arizona's governor, attorney general and U.S. attorney before joining the Obama administration last year.

Napolitano emphasized that the United States has a sovereign right to secure its borders, and she touted a nearly 20 percent increase in the deportation rate of criminal illegal immigrants since President Barack Obama took office.

She added, however, that America also needs an immigration system that upholds ideals of fairness and openness.

"What I cannot tell you is the when," Napolitano said. "We know now that health care is done, that clears the decks. . . . But the commitment - long term or short term - is certainly there."

Napolitano drew a capacity crowd to the 500-seat music hall at ASU's Tempe campus, with hundreds watching on a video monitor in an overflow room and others viewing a live webcast.

The secretary's lecture on "Meeting New and Evolving Threats to Our National Security" was delivered just three months after a would-be suicide bomber failed to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner.

Napolitano was pilloried by critics afterward for saying, "Once the incident occurred, the system worked."

On Thursday, she said that the near tragedy created a learning opportunity that exposed flaws not only in America's terrorism-defense system, but in aviation security worldwide. Napolitano said she already has coordinated with Europe, Asia and the Americas to create a global fix but emphasized that homeland security is an ever-changing business.

"We know that terrorists remain determined to strike the United States," she said. "This is a constant effort by a very, very determined adversary."

Napolitano said one of her greatest challenges is balancing America's principles of freedom with the duty of protection.

"We have to cast aside the notion that our liberty and our security are two opposing values. . . . You cannot live freely if you live in fear," she said.

Later, the secretary was asked whether her decision to kill the proposed "virtual fence" surveillance system along the Mexican border means the nation's security is diminished. She answered that the high-tech program, with a projected $1.4 billion price tag, was stopped because the prototype built in Arizona was over budget, overdue and didn't work.

"We are not less safe," she added, noting that funds have been shifted to other border-protection technologies that are effective.

Napolitano has been a target of criticism since taking over Homeland Security, a mega-agency with 230,000 employees and a $56.3 billion budget.

She did not get an entirely warm welcome home to Arizona. Sign-waving protesters could be heard chanting outside the lecture hall.

One group decried the continuing DHS effort to catch and deport illegal immigrants, and Obama's failure to achieve promised immigration reform
. Of particular concern, said organizer Carlos Garcia, is Homeland Security's cooperation with anti-immigrant efforts by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... eform.html

Napolitano emphasized that the United States has a sovereign right to secure its borders, and she touted a nearly 20 percent increase in the deportation rate of criminal illegal immigrants since President Barack Obama took office.

your not just a LIAR ... your a DAMNED LIAR and I would love to tell you that to your crooked 2 sided face

What kind of 3 card monty are ya playing this time Incompetano

I hate LIARs .. and I love Exposing them for the FRAUDs that they are

The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that it is halting funding of the fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, but 59% of Americans believe the United States should continue to build that fence.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 26% of adults disagree and think the building of the fence should be stopped. Fifteen percent (15%) more are not sure.

Support for the fence has been at this level for several years. In January of last year, 60% favored the continued building of the fence to help stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking. In August 2007, 56% felt that way.

Following this week’s shooting deaths of U.S. consulate personnel in Mexico, 49% say they are more concerned about drug violence along the border than illegal immigration. Thirty-nine percent (39%) remain more concerned about illegal immigration. This is consistent with findings in January 2009 amid news reports of escalating drug violence in Mexico.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yhuc64l

who feels safer with this flake running DHS ... anyone other than Illegal Aliens and Drug Runners

Napolitano is just a small part of the cancer that has taken over the body of the U S Government...
You can bet our nations ruin is at hand with lying, subversive trash like her in important positions like head of DHS...

Ms. Napolitano: We do not need new laws. We already let thousands of legal immigrants enter this country each year. We do not need more people. That is more than enough. We have to deport illegal aliens. We do not want them here. You say that the system is broken. It is not. The only solution here is deportation because those illegal aliens come here without visas or come with visas and overstay. That problem is created by the same illegal aliens. That problem is not created by the United States. DEPORT ILLEGAL ALIENS. THE SYSTEM IS NOT BROKEN. YOU YOU DEMOCRATS WILL BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE IN NOVEMBER 2010. AND IN 2012.

This woman is the head of Homeland Security- She is supposed to be ENFORCING our immigration laws - not going out on tour, promoting and defending those who have violated our laws!

What the hell is going on in this government! This is exactly why this shameless phoney was appointed to Homeland Security. Not to enforce our laws, but to promote amnesty on behalf of this administration!

So we have this woman in charge of Homeland Security and one sitting on the Supreme Court. This is how you systematically dismantel the Constitution and rule of law in this country.

What a farce!

We know that terrorists remain determined to strike the United States," she said. "This is a constant effort by a very, very determined adversary."

Right Janet! IMO Mexicans who enter our country illegally are terrorists and are a security threat to all Amerians. They rob, rape, molest, steal, drive drunk, take jobs desperately needed, and steal identities. Mexican illegals are dangerous terrorists! How dare you speak of any amnesty programs for people who invade our country.

NoBueno wrote:

This woman is the head of Homeland Security- She is supposed to be ENFORCING our immigration laws - not going out on tour, promoting and defending those who have violated our laws!

You're absolutely right!