Dem Congress may scrap border fence

[falcon]

Well that did not take long. Didn't we as a country make Slavery illegal, so why are all these groups supporting the rights of these illegals in our country, they want them as slaves!

Dem Congress may scrap border fence
By SHAUN WATERMAN
UPI Homeland and National Security Editor

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The incoming U.S. Congress will review the law mandating 700 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, and may seek to scrap the plan altogether.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told reporters this week that he expected to "re-visit" the issue when he becomes chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee in the 110th Congress, which has a Democratic Party majority.

He said that the high technology Secure Border Initiative, or SBI Net -- essentially a set of monitors, cameras and other integrated surveillance systems to monitor the border -- was a viable alternative.

"We might do away with it, or look at (integrating it into) SBI Net," he said, "A virtual fence rather than a real one."

The Secure Fence Act, one of the laws passed by the GOP-controlled Congress in a pre-election flurry of border security legislation, mandates 700 miles of fencing in five sections, and defines where on the 1,951-mile southern border they should go.

As a result, some administration officials view it as an example of congressional micro-management, and might welcome changes that gave them more flexibility.

Department of Homeland Security Spokesman Russ Knocke told United Press International that in remote border areas, "virtual fencing ... is more advantageous," whereas "traditional fencing has a core role in our border security strategy ... especially in urban areas."

"We're optimistic that working with Congress we'll get the flexibility to integrate traditional fencing into a seamless, high-tech border security system," Knocke said.

www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20061110-015323-5259r

[Ryan Ruck]

Well, remember falcon, the Dems have historically been the ones that support slavery. During the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act Sen. Robert Byrd filibustered for 14 hours straight against its passage.

[falcon]

Ryan, you and me know that but does the America public, I think not and there are some Rep. that hide this fact also.

[Malsua]

Dems want amnesty so they can have a permanent 10+ million more voting Dim. Amnesty doesn't include a wall.

They'll sell out this country and rob us all blind to remain in power.

[Aplomb]

I agree with you, Mal.

Once again, I will voice that based on life experience here in Colorado, these illegals are taking jobs away from our poor American citizens who would otherwise have them. Futhermore, what really ticks me off is that the young people who were born here of illegal immigrants are getting decent paying positions that mature, intelligent people like myself are not qualified for because of not being fluent in Spanish, arrrggggghhhhh!!!

[vector7]

Homeland Security Axes Bush-Era 'Virtual Fence' Project

January 14, 2011 12:49 PM

ABC News' Jason Ryan reports: The Department of Homeland Security today officially scrapped a Bush-era program designed to use radar technology to detect illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a DHS official and a congressional source.

The project, called "Virtual Fence," was rolled out under the Bush administration in 2006 with much fanfare about how technology could help secure the border. Illegal immigrants crossing the border would be detected by a radar and picked up by remote cameras, which were monitored by border patrol agents.

But numerous internal and Congressional reviews found consistent performance problems with the project's systems, which only spanned 53 miles of the vast U.S.-Mexico border.

A DHS assessment released today found that "the SBInet system is not the right system for all areas of the border and it is not the most cost-effective approach to secure the border. However, some elements of the SBInet development have provided useful capability."*

"DHS briefed Congress today on my decision to end SBInet as originally conceived and on a new path forward for security technology along the Southwest border," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said today. "There is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution to meet our border technology needs, and this new strategy is tailored to the unique needs of each border region."

DHS will utilize some of the existing technologies that were found to be useful in what the agency is calling a southwest border security technology plan.

The new plan "will utilize existing, proven technology tailored to the distinct terrain and population density of each border region, including commercially available Mobile Surveillance Systems, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, thermal imaging devices, and tower-based Remote Video Surveillance Systems." Napolitano added.

The issues that the program encountered were wide ranging: cameras often provided blurry images, the radar system performed poorly in bad weather, and it often displayed false detections that were unable to distinguish between humans, cars and animals.

There were also cost overruns and the primary contractor, Boeing, repeatedly missed deadlines, officials said.

Members of Congress on the oversight committees welcomed the news.
“The secretary’s decision to terminate SBInet ends a long-troubled program that spent far too much of the taxpayers’ money for the results it delivered," Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said in a statement.

"From the start, SBInet’s one-size-fits-all approach was unrealistic. The department’s decision to use technology based on the particular security needs of each segment of the border is a far wiser approach, and I hope it will be more cost effective.”

"The SBInet program has been a grave and expensive disappointment since its inception," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., ranking member of the House Homeland Security committee, said in a statement.

The system is estimated to cost about $1 billion. If the entire project had been accepted and rolled out, its cost would have exceeded $6 billion.

"We know that we cannot continue to put out millions and millions of dollars of taxpayer's money if we're not confident that it's really not going to work,” Napolitano, who ordered a review of the program upon taking office, said in October.

DHS had granted Boeing two 30-day extensions on contracts for the project towards the end of 2010 as it became clear the department was moving to cancel the program.

Calls to Boeing for comment were not immediately returned Friday afternoon.

[Ryan Ruck]

Gee, didn't see that one coming.

[American Patriot]

Nope, didn't think they'd do that....

not

[vector7]

DHS Budget Says Napolitano Doesn’t Intend to Secure a Single Additional Mile of U.S. Border—This Year or Next


Tuesday, February 15, 2011
By Edwin Mora

By Edwin Mora



(CNSNews.com) - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano released a budget document on Monday that indicates that the Department of Homeland Security does not intend to put a single additional mile of the U.S. border under “effective control” in either fiscal year 2011 or 2012.

According to Napolitano's budget plan, the Border Patrol had 1,007 miles of the U.S. border under "effective control" at the end of fiscal year 2010, and DHS aims to stick with exactly that number through this year and next.

The 3311-page document released by Napolitano--"Congressional Budget Justification: FY 2012"--also says DHS does not intend to add a single additional Border Patrolmen in fiscal year 2012, after adding 859 this year.

Nor, the document says, does DHS intend to deploy a single additional Border Patrol agent to either the U.S.-Mexico or U.S.-Canada border in fiscal year 2012, capping Border Patrol deployments at the two borders at this year’s level.

DHS declares it has established “effective control” of a mile of the U.S. border “when the appropriate mix of personnel, equipment, technology and tactical infrastructure has been deployed to reasonably ensure that when an attempted illegal entry is detected, the Border Patrol has the ability to identify, classify and respond to bring the attempted illegal entry to a satisfactory law enforcement resolution.”

Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a subdivision of DHS, is responsible for securing 8,607 miles of U.S. border, including the 1,994-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border, the approximately 4,000-mile-long U.S.-Canada border, and sections of coastline in the Gulf of Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to DHS budget justification released Monday, CBP currently has only 1,007 of the 8,607 miles of border it is responsible for under “effective control.”

Nonetheless, the same document says establishing “effective control” of the borders is CBP's first objective.

The document states: “CBP Strategic Goal 1: Secure our Nation‘s borders to protect America from the entry of dangerous people and goods and prevent unlawful trade and travel; Objective 1.1: Establish and maintain effective control of air, land, and maritime borders through the use of the appropriate mix of infrastructure, technology, and personnel.”

The plans for the Border Patrol published on page 552 of DHS’s 3311-page budget justification indicate that DHS does not intend to put a single additional mile of border under “effective control” this year or next year.

The plans point out that DHS added 439 Border Patrol agents in fiscal 2010 (which ended on September 30, 2010) and increased the number of border miles under effective control from 939 to 1,007 in that year.

“FY 2010 accomplishments include: Hired an additional 439 agents; and Increased the number of border miles under effective control from 939 miles to 1,007,” says the budget justification.

The document then says DHS intends to keep the number of border miles under effective control at 1,007 miles in fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2012, while maintaining the same number of Border Patrol agents at the northern and southern border in those two years.

“FY 2011 goals include: Maintain effective control of 1,007 miles of border,” says the DHS budget document. “Maintain Border Patrol agent staffing level at 18,415 on the Southwest Border; Maintain 2,212 Border Patrol agents along the Northern Border.”

The document does say that DHS intends to add 859 Border Patrol agents this year, but these additional agents will not be used to increase the numbers of agents deployed at the northern or southern borders in fiscal year 2012. “Increase end of FY 2010 staffing by 859 agents to arrive at an end state level of 21,370 agents,” says the document, stating a goal for fiscal 2011.

“FY 2012 goals include: Maintain effective control of 1,007 miles of border,” says the DHS budget document. “Maintain 21,370 agents including 2,212 on the Northern Border and 18,415 on the Southwest Border through a mix of new hires and relocations.”


Obama to stop funding on “virtual fence” designed to detect illegals

Posted on January 15, 2011 by admin
U.S. ends “virtual fence” project on Mexican Border

“virtual fence” story from Reuters – The fence separating the United States and Mexico is seen in Douglas, Arizona November 13, 2010. REUTERS/Eric …

By Jeremy Pelofsky Jeremy Pelofsky – Fri Jan 14, 5:31 pm ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s administration on Friday canceled the troubled “virtual fence” project meant to better guard stretches of the vast U.S. border with Mexico and will replace it with other security measures.

The project, begun in 2006 and run by Boeing Co, has cost about $1 billion and was designed to pull together video cameras, radar, sensors and other technologies to catch illegal immigrants and smugglers trying to cross the porous border.


Janet Napolitano stated the “virtual fence” will be replaced with other surveillance systems such as aerial drones

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said commercially available surveillance systems, unmanned aerial drones, thermal imaging and other equipment would be used instead, suggestions made by critics of the Boeing SBInet program.

“This new strategy is tailored to the unique needs of each border region, providing faster deployment of technology, better coverage, and a more effective balance between cost and capability,” she said in a statement.

The Obama administration has been under intense pressure to beef up security to stem the flow of illegal immigrants flooding across the U.S.-Mexico border as well as halt the smuggling of drugs and weapons.

Last year, Obama signed a $600 million bill to fund some 1,500 new Border Patrol agents, customs inspectors and law enforcement officials along the border, as well as pay for two more unmanned drones.

Additionally, he ordered some 1,200 National Guard troops to the southwest border to help with security.

The SBInetproject has faced setbacks, missed deadlines and cost overruns. The future of the project has been in doubt for some time after criticism by lawmakers and Napolitano.

“The SBInet system is not the right system for all areas of the border and it is not the most cost-effective approach to secure the border,” the Department of Homeland Security said in its assessment of the project. It did note that some of the project developments provided useful capabilities.

Boeing said in a statement it was pleased the Department of Homeland Security planned to continue using surveillance towers already constructed and that it “remain committed to providing valuable solutions and supporting DHS.”

‘FAR WISER APPROACH’ Than “virtual fence”

An assessment of the Boeing program released by DHS found that $1 billion was spent to cover just 53 miles in Arizona. The new approach should cost less than $750 million to cover the rest of Arizona’s border, some 323 miles, DHS said.

“The department’s decision to use technology based on the particular security needs of each segment of the border is a far wiser approach, and I hope it will be more cost effective,” said Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman.

While other lawmakers also hailed the end to SBInet, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee expressed concern there would be further delays in beefing up security along the border.

“The Obama administration must promptly present the people of this country with a comprehensive plan to secure our borders, incorporating the necessary staffing, fencing, and technology,” said Representative Peter King.

The market for hi-tech border solutions is worth billions of dollars and the competition is fierce.

Other firms in the market include defense and homeland security contractor Raytheon and Arizona-based ICx Technologies, which develop and market high-tech detection and surveillance systems with border security uses.
“There were things that (SBInet) did right, and things that it did wrong, but one of the concerns was always that this was more of a gimmick than substance. By pulling it, that tends to reinforce that impression,” said Steven Camarota, research director of the Center for Immigration Studies think tank.

The Boeing project had been on the chopping block for some time. Napolitano last year pulled $50 million of funding for it that was included in the economic stimulus package and she froze other funds for it pending a review.

She said in March the money would be used instead to buy existing technologies such as thermal imaging devices and ultra-light plane detection systems.

Boeing’s shares closed up 24 cents to $70.07 in regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor in Phoenix and Kyle Peterson in Chicago; Editing by Peter Cooney)

This is yet another waste of tax payer money at a time the U.S. Faces a giant finacial crisiss. The virtual fence is a another example of virtual pork.

Virtual Fence post edit by Web News Jax