Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson spoke today at the Baker Institute at Rice University on “Finding the Balance: Border Security in the 21st Century” — a particularly relevant topic this week considering that a U.S. Border Patrol helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in Texas this weekend after it was fired on from the Mexican side of the border.
Johnson kicked things off by assuring his audience not to believe everything they’ve been hearing (from conservative hate radio and Fox News, obviously).
On illegal border crossings: “Facts are too often drowned out by demagoguery, suspicion, exaggeration, and misperception.” -DHS Sec. Johnson
— Jace Larson (@jacelarson) June 8, 2015
The Border Patrol has been built up for 15 years, with positive results — except for last year’s spike in illegal border crossings.
Johnson: Over the last 15 years lawmakers have built U.S. border patrol to an unprecedented level. This investment has had positive results.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
“Put simply, it’s now much harder to cross our border illegally and evade capture than it used to be & people know that.” – DHS Sec.
— Jace Larson (@jacelarson) June 8, 2015
And yet …
Johnson: In response to the spike in border crossings in FY2014, @DHSgov added additional border security and law enforcement resources.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
It appears “the surge” was called for.
Johnson: Total number of those attempting to illegally cross Southwest border has declined and percentage of those apprehended has gone up.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
Johnson: Though numbers have declined dramatically, we are not declaring mission accomplished.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
Johnson: Poverty and violence that are the "push factors" in countries such as Guatemala and Honduras still exist.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
So, is it the poor who are trying to make it into America to build a better life for their families? If so, what should we do to respond?
Johnson: Fixing our immigration system includes supporting high-skilled workers and promoting access to citizenship, among other things.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
Is this like those highly skilled immigrants with H-1B visas who are being trained by the highly skilled American citizens who were laid off and replaced by them?
Johnson added, “We need in the medium to longer term to go after the root causes that leads people … whether it’s lack of opportunity for jobs ….” No, wait, that was the State Department’s Marie Harf talking about the Obama administration’s lack of a real strategy for defeating ISIS. Find them jobs.
Time’s almost up, and we’re getting the sense that deportation isn’t going to be mentioned as a component of fixing our immigration system.
“We must reckon with the estimated 11.3 million undocumented immigrants who are here in this country,” -DHS Secretary
— Jace Larson (@jacelarson) June 8, 2015
“More than half have been here over 10 years.” DHS Sec. on illegal immigration. He’s talking here in #Houston right now.
— Jace Larson (@jacelarson) June 8, 2015
Johnson: We must reckon with these people. They’re here. They live among us. And they’re not going away.
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) June 8, 2015
Secretary Johnson, call your office; you have visitors.
14 migrants found on Fort Lauderdale shore; Homeland Security investigating http://t.co/W2VfSCfFRs
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) June 8, 2015
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