For want of a denominator - a nation was lost?
Is border security a 10, or just a 2? Why lawmakers want a rating system
By Glenn Spencer
March 26, 2013
Christian Science Monitor
Glenn Spencer gave Rep. Barber his plan for the border at this Jan. 28 meeting in Douglas, Arizona.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has this pearl of advice for lawmakers eying immigration reform: The measure of border security cannot be reduced to a number.
A quantitative measure of a safe and secure border, however, is what some lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been asking for, to provide proof to Americans that Congress has plugged the nation's borders and won't risk the buildup of millions more illegal immigrants a decade from now.
Moreover, negotiators working to hammer out bipartisan legislation on immigration reform are expected to make any change in the status of illegal immigrants --- of which there are at least 10 million --- contingent upon improvements in border security. So, unless Congress or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) comes up with a way to measure progress toward securing the border, the fate of the undocumented could twist in the wind, satisfying neither those who are concerned about border security nor those who want to bring people out of the shadows. This sticking point of how to measure border security could unravel the entire reform bill.
Glenn Spencer -- American Border Patrol
Two years ago, Richard Stana of the GAO said we needed to know how many people we miss --- the denominator.
After four years, I came up with a way to get at that denominator --- it is called the Sonic Barrier. It works, but can I get anyone to listen to me? No.
My Congressman, Ron Barber, is the ranking member of an important border subcommittee. His Sierra Vista office is 30 minutes from our border ranch. After numerous invitations to visit us, we have heard nothing. They won't even return our phone calls. Why?
1:10 PM -- Glenn Spencer was contacted by a representative of Rep. Barber's office. Glenn says he thanks them so much for their initiative.
By Glenn Spencer
March 26, 2013
Christian Science Monitor
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has this pearl of advice for lawmakers eying immigration reform: The measure of border security cannot be reduced to a number.
A quantitative measure of a safe and secure border, however, is what some lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been asking for, to provide proof to Americans that Congress has plugged the nation's borders and won't risk the buildup of millions more illegal immigrants a decade from now.
Moreover, negotiators working to hammer out bipartisan legislation on immigration reform are expected to make any change in the status of illegal immigrants --- of which there are at least 10 million --- contingent upon improvements in border security. So, unless Congress or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) comes up with a way to measure progress toward securing the border, the fate of the undocumented could twist in the wind, satisfying neither those who are concerned about border security nor those who want to bring people out of the shadows. This sticking point of how to measure border security could unravel the entire reform bill.
Glenn Spencer -- American Border Patrol
Two years ago, Richard Stana of the GAO said we needed to know how many people we miss --- the denominator.
After four years, I came up with a way to get at that denominator --- it is called the Sonic Barrier. It works, but can I get anyone to listen to me? No.
My Congressman, Ron Barber, is the ranking member of an important border subcommittee. His Sierra Vista office is 30 minutes from our border ranch. After numerous invitations to visit us, we have heard nothing. They won't even return our phone calls. Why?
1:10 PM -- Glenn Spencer was contacted by a representative of Rep. Barber's office. Glenn says he thanks them so much for their initiative.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like the line:
"the program has drawn fire for upending the lives of undocumented immigrants who have been charged with minor crimes"
Wait a second...They're not supposed to even have lives here if they're illegal.
This is absurd on so many levels I don't know where to start. You're so good at picking this nonsense apart Mr. Stix I hope you do the job. Jerry
http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-20439-freezing_out_ice.html