Humanitarian and Security Crisis at Southern Border Reaches 'Breaking Point'

"Illegal Immigration Hits 12-Year High; More than 76,000 Migrants Cross in February

The U.S. Border Patrol is currently encountering illegal immigration at the highest rates since 2007, according to new data. In fact, in February more than double the level of migrants crossed the border without authorization compared to the same period last year, approaching the largest numbers seen in any February in the last 12 years, The New York Times reported.

“The truth is that the politics and policies of open borders have failed the American people. Our broken system endures, and the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis at our Southwest Border leaves many minors and families at extreme risk of being exploited by traffickers, human smugglers, gangs, and other nefarious actors seeking to profit at their expense,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen. “Activist courts, congressional inaction, and criminals intent on breaking our laws stand in the way of confronting illegal and uncontrolled migration threatening our safety and security. What was a crisis, is now a full-fledged emergency.”

“This cannot be a partisan issue,” Nielsen continued. “Every DHS Secretary since the Department’s inception has sounded the alarm about our unsecured border and its consequences. The American people and our law enforcement personnel rightfully demand effective border security: building the wall, strengthening our laws, and giving the men and women serving on the front lines the tools and resources they need to keep Americans safe. To that end, this Department pledges our unwavering resolve to confronting present and ever-evolving future threats to our national security at our Southwest Border.”

..."Border security

Secretary Kelly Issues Implementation Memoranda on Border Security and Interior Enforcement Executive Orders

"Today, Secretary John Kelly issued two memoranda to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) workforce providing further direction to implement the recent executive orders on border security and enforcement of the immigration laws.

In accordance with the Department’s commitment to be transparent with the American people, and to more effectively implement policies and practices that serve the national interest and protect the homeland, consolidated information regarding DHS operations in relation to the executive orders is available at www.dhs.gov/executive-orders-protecting-homeland..."

DHS Border security

Privacy Impact Assessment for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection

"The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is conducting the 1:1 Facial Recognition Air Entry Pilot to allow Customs and Border Protection Officers stationed at air ports of entry to use facial recognition technology as a tool to assist them in determining whether an individual presenting themselves with a valid U.S. electronic passport is the same individual photographed in that passport. The operational goals of this pilot are to determine the viability of facial recognition as a technology to assist Customs Border Patrol Officers in identifying possible imposters using U.S. e-passports to enter the United States and determine if facial recognition technology can be incorporated into current CBP entry processing with acceptable impacts to processing time and the traveling public while effectively providing CBPOs with a tool to counter imposters using valid U.S. travel documents. CBP is publishing this Privacy Impact Assessment to evaluate the privacy risks of using facial recognition software at an air port of entry..."
facial recognition at airports

CBP’s[Customs and Border Patrol] 2011 Fiscal Year in Review

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today released year-end data on fiscal year (FY) 2011 border enforcement and management efforts, highlighting trends that reflect the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing the border and facilitating legitimate trade and travel through targeted operations, enhanced partnerships and unprecedented deployment of personnel, technology and infrastructure along the border...

U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions—a key indicator of illegal immigration—decreased to 340,252 in FY 2011, down 53 percent since FY 2008 and one fifth of what they were at their peak in FY 2000. Of these apprehensions, 87,334 people had a record in the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, a law enforcement database of individuals with criminal charges and convictions..."

CBP's Handling of Unaccompanied Alien Children
"The Department ofHomeland Security (DHS) Office ofInspector General (OIG) was
established by the Homeland Security Act of2002 (Public Law 107-296) by amendment
to the Inspector General Act of1978. This is one of a series ofaudit, inspection, and
special reports prepared as part of our oversight responsibilities to promote economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness within the department.

This report addresses Customs and Border Protection's compliance with the Flores
Settlement Agreement in the treatment ofunaccompanied alien children in its custody. It
is based on interviews with employees and officials ofrelevant agencies, direct
observations, and a review of applicable documents..."