DHS Chief: Border Security Fixed, Law Next

Janet Napolitano Says U.S. Has Met Many Border Benchmarks, Making Immigration Reform "Far More Attainable"

(AP)  The Obama administration has met many of the border security benchmarks Congress set in 2007 as a prerequisite to immigration reform and now it's time to change the law, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Friday.

Napolitano, designated by President Barack Obama to lead the administration's immigration reform efforts, said many members of Congress had said they could support immigration reform, but only after border security improved, Napolitano said.

"Fast forward to today, and many of the benchmarks these members of Congress set in 2007 have been met," she said in a speech to the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.

She cited construction of 600 miles of border fence and the hiring of more than 20,000 Border Patrol agents. Illegal immigration has also fallen sharply because of better enforcement and the economy.

"I've been dealing hands-on with immigration issues since 1993, so trust me: I know a major shift when I see one, and what I have seen makes reform far more attainable this time around," Napolitano said.

Congress passed tough immigration enforcement legislation in 2006 that called for building 700 miles of border fences and barriers. Immigration critics have said the fence has not been built with double layers as the law required and is not all fencing.

"How can they claim that enforcement is 'done' when there are more than 400 open miles of border with Mexico, hundreds of thousands of criminal and fugitive aliens and millions of illegal immigrants taking American jobs?" said Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration and border issues.

Napolitano said the immigration and border security improvements are not enough. "The laws themselves need to be reformed," she said.

Obama has repeatedly said immigration reform is a priority, although it has been pushed further down the list as he has taken on the economy and health care reform.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has said he would introduce legislation by early next year. New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, who heads the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, has said immigration reform must be done by March or it won't be taken up until after the 2010 elections.

[OregonJames]

I know for certain that much of the food processing industry is still being allowed to get away with hiring illegals. When the rumor of an immigration raid spread through the facility where I was employed, several hundred people simply ran out the doors leaving the facility almost empty, yet those who fled were allowed to return the next day without question. The companies know they are still breaking the law and so do those that are supposed to enforce the law, but they aren't doing their jobs.

Enforce our immigration laws! Put employers in jail for knowingly breaking the laws and take away the business licenses from businesses that won't obey the laws. Let's enforce the laws we have before we make more. Laws not enforced are of no value....

[poochie44]

Janet Napalitano has no clue what she is doing and was definitely the wrong person for the job. She wanted Phoenix to be a sanctuary city for the illegals so as far as she is concerned the illegal alien problem is fixed.
The laws need to start being enforced and she needs to help enforce them.
There's no wall, there's minimal security at the border and our border agents hands are tied. She'd rather they got shot down than have the illegal invader touched. She cares more about law breakers than she does the U.S. citizens.

[MARYWILMA]

SHE SAYS """TRUST ME""" I TRUST HER ABOUT AS FAR AS I CAN THROW A 900 POUND GORILLA... IN OTHER WORDS THE TERM """ YOU LIE"" FITS HER LIKE IT DOES THE SO CALLED PRESIDENT.. DICTATOR IS A CLOSER DEFINITION OF MOST ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT ... JUST WAIT TILL THE "" HEALTH BILL"" TAKES EFFECT AND THEY START FINING PEOPLE MONEY AND GIVING OUT JAIL SENTENCES AND FORCING MOM AND POP BUSINESS'S TO CLOSE. THAT IS WHAT ONES THAT ARE LEFT AFTER THE BIG BOX STORES MOVE IN TO TOWNS....NEW LAWS MY A### WE NEED TO ENFORCE THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS NOW...THE SO CALLED HEALTH BILL WILL BE THE BIGGEST POWER GRAB BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS NATIONS HISTORY.....

[GTR5]

Can it get any worse with these people in charge of Homeland Security?

[lakota2012]

"She cited construction of 600 miles of border fence and the hiring of more than 20,000 Border Patrol agents. Illegal immigration has also fallen sharply because of better enforcement and the economy."
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by all_father
Napolitano isn't being entirely forthright... Much of the decline in illegals is due to the economy....
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Apparently reading comprehension is not your forte, since it seems as if you are the one with the political B.S., and the need to attack the DHS Chief for something she pointed out in the above article, stating "better enforcement and the economy" as to why illegal immigration has fallen recently.

[all_father]

Napolitano isn't being entirely forthright (gee, who would have thunk?). Much of the decline in illegals is due to the economy, which makes any claims that the government's enforcement efforts have contributed to the decrease ring hollow.

Just more political BS.

[GeezOhReally]

Crikey, Janet Napotalino is in with the right crowd of liars....whatta pile of crock....

Other than have INS dumping their confiscated illegal aliens off in Presidio, Texas, what has this idiot accomplished? Texans are ready to rise up over that alone.

[crikeytx46]

The wall was never completed. This is misinformation at its best.

[endurorob_5]

I do not understand what about immigration law needs to be reformed. What needs to be rformed is enforcement.

[dwilson59]

what happend to the wall that was to be built?