Immigration and Border Security Agencies Still at Odds, According to Report
The various federal agencies that deal with border security and immigration issues are still not on the same page, according to a report by the Office of the Inspector General.
The report concludes that agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol still have significant problems linking databases and maintaining efficient lines of communication.
"Progress has been made, but there are some issues that stand between us and more success," said Doug Ellis, lead investigator on the report.
Infrastructure is another problem as these agencies within the Department of Homeland Security are physically based apart from each other in Washington, D.C.
Officials at DHS who received the Inspector General's report agreed with most of the recommendations to improve the system.
But they did not agree to permanently shut down a program, the National Security Entry-Exit (NSEERS), which calls for immigrants, primarily from Middle Eastern countries, to report and register with the government.
NSEERS was discontinued years ago, but kept on the books. DHS officials want to maintain it alive in case it needs to be brought back.
The 9/11 attacks prompted a massive restructuring of the federal immigration system.
The former Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) was closed down and most immigration matters were transferred to DHS, which began operating in March 2003.
Read the full story at Fronteras.