April 16, 2009 9:07 PM
- Text
Napolitano To Name Border Czar
(CBS/AP)
A former Justice Department official has been chosen as the top U.S. official along the southwest border with Mexico. It is a new Homeland Security post to oversee issues related to drug-cartel violence along the border.
A government official confirmed to CBS News that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is expected to name Alan Bersin to the position on Wednesday during a visit to the U.S.-Mexican border.
The Obama administration has promised to crack down on border violence and work with Mexican authorities to curb drugs and arms trafficking.
President Barack Obama travels to Mexico this week to meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
Napolitano, who is making her second border trip in two weeks, will be discussing the agency's efforts to curb the flow of illegal immigrants, guns and drugs along the border.
The Obama administration has promised to crack down on border violence and work with Mexican authorities against drug cartels. Hundreds of federal agents, equipped with high-tech surveillance gear and drug-sniffing dogs, are being deployed to the Southwest.
In his new capacity, Bersin will work with international officials and their counterparts in the U.S. agencies and border states.
Bersin held a similar position at the Justice Department during the Clinton administration when he was responsible for coordinating law enforcement on the U.S.-Mexican border. During his time as "border czar," he oversaw anti-drug and human trafficking problems.
The Justice Department would not respond to an inquiry about when and why that position was eliminated. The Immigration and Naturalization Service, once part of the Justice Department, was dismantled and rolled into new agencies in the Homeland Security Department. The 2001 terrorist attacks spurred the creation of the new department, which launched in 2003.
From 1993 to 1998, Bersin was the federal prosecutor who led the government's crackdown on illegal immigrants at the California-Mexico border. Bersin and Napolitano were both U.S. attorneys during the administration of President Bill Clinton.
He also served under California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as secretary of education.
A government official confirmed to CBS News that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is expected to name Alan Bersin to the position on Wednesday during a visit to the U.S.-Mexican border.
The Obama administration has promised to crack down on border violence and work with Mexican authorities to curb drugs and arms trafficking.
President Barack Obama travels to Mexico this week to meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
Napolitano, who is making her second border trip in two weeks, will be discussing the agency's efforts to curb the flow of illegal immigrants, guns and drugs along the border.
The Obama administration has promised to crack down on border violence and work with Mexican authorities against drug cartels. Hundreds of federal agents, equipped with high-tech surveillance gear and drug-sniffing dogs, are being deployed to the Southwest.
In his new capacity, Bersin will work with international officials and their counterparts in the U.S. agencies and border states.
Bersin held a similar position at the Justice Department during the Clinton administration when he was responsible for coordinating law enforcement on the U.S.-Mexican border. During his time as "border czar," he oversaw anti-drug and human trafficking problems.
The Justice Department would not respond to an inquiry about when and why that position was eliminated. The Immigration and Naturalization Service, once part of the Justice Department, was dismantled and rolled into new agencies in the Homeland Security Department. The 2001 terrorist attacks spurred the creation of the new department, which launched in 2003.
From 1993 to 1998, Bersin was the federal prosecutor who led the government's crackdown on illegal immigrants at the California-Mexico border. Bersin and Napolitano were both U.S. attorneys during the administration of President Bill Clinton.
He also served under California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as secretary of education.
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