While DHS is responsible for protecting the borders from criminal or terrorist activity, the vast, vast majority of entries, exits, and business at the border is lawful trade or travel that should be facilitated and encouraged. This awareness should be utmost in DHS policy development, and facilitating trade and travel should be Objective #1 and Priority #1 for DHS, and for CBP in particular.
Why the contribution is important
Not all security concerns are high risk, most of them are very low risk. These risks bneed to be balanced against the importance of cross border trade, cultural exchange, travel, family relations, study, and business. Those lawful interests are more important and should be reflected as paramount for DHS operations.
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Posted by
pmcwaters
October 02, 2009 at 12:27PM
Another level of security for those who regularly do business at the border could apply for a high level of security knowing as with drug testing at work that they would be subject to random scrunity - with heavier penalities due to this higher award of ease in regular transport.
Posted by
terry1492
October 02, 2009 at 07:16PM
This must never be a priority. Too many people want to smuggle drugs across the border. A free flow of goods enables guns, drugs, weapons and WMD to be smuggled into our country.
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Lawful trade or travel across our borders should be facilitated and encouraged, but never take priority over national security and the safety of our families. While most trade is lawful, not all of it, is. Everyday our BP agents encounter unlawful trade, illegal crossings and human smuggling. The DHS has a mission to secure our borders, not to promote trade a cross cultural activities.
Without a safe and secure border, lawful businesses, our communities and families will suffer from various criminal elements. Cross border violence is growing faster than cross border trade. Mexican drug cartels control parts of Mexico better than the DHS controls the border.
Recently, the Border Trade Alliance announced the appointment of President Maria Luisa O’Connell, as well as BTA Board Member Pancho Kinney, to the newly formed Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) Southwest Border Task Force, a diverse group of national security experts charged with examining the DHS’s efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border and providing advice and recommendations directly to Secretary Napolitano.
In her tenure at the BTA, the tri-national organization representing more than 2 million stakeholders involved in border and trade issues, Ms. O’Connell served tirelessly as an advocate for North American trade and for improving the quality of life in border communities.
Maria Luisa O’Connell has limited experience is security matters and has been working for millions of stakholders that have no interests in our national security, but merely want to open our borders and let in an unlimited number of people and goods.
I hope her appointment supports and facilitates the free flow of traffic across our borders while increasing border security, safety and helps to contribute to plugging the gaps in our national security that enable terrorist to enter the country and travel seamlessly without any restrictions.
Hopefully her previous experience at the BTA, the tri-national organization representing more than 2 million stakeholders involved in border and trade issues, doesn't undermine border security, internal security, or national security.