Improving Homeland Security
Op-ed

Putting a priority on protecting our borders
By Congressman Dennis Moore
April 25, 2002

   The first duty of any government is to protect its citizens. While this entails maintaining a strong military, it also means keeping our borders secure. Strengthening border security is not just an issue for New York, Washington, or big cities on our nation’s borders, it is also important for protecting our families here in Kansas.

   In response to September 11 and to recent fiascoes involving the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Congress is taking action to reform the way our country protects its borders.

   Like all Americans, I was outraged when I heard that the INS approved visa applications for two of the September 11 terrorists – months after they carried out the attacks. This outrage was only the latest in a series of problems the INS has experienced, but it was the straw that broke the camel’s back in the opinion of Congress.

   On Thursday, I voted to split the INS into two new agencies within the next 12 months, both of which would be managed by the Justice Department. This is part of a comprehensive series of reforms to the agency that is supposed to defend our borders, but instead has become synonymous with government red tape and bureaucratic nightmares.

   The first new agency created by these reforms will be the Bureau of Immigration Enforcement and it will be responsible for enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.

   One of the problems faced by our border security forces is a lack of modern resources and manpower. To combat this, in March I voted to add 400 agents to the effort to protect our borders, as well as 200 new Customs Service agents to screen visitors to the United States.

   I also voted to create a computer database of terror suspects that all visa applications would be compared to. To ensure that this database is effective, all aircraft and ships approaching the United States would be required to submit their passenger lists so that they could be compared to the database.

   Enforcement of our immigration laws will be more effective if we create an agency with the sole task of enforcing the laws, rather than the dual-focus of the current INS.

   The other agency created by these reforms would be responsible for immigration services. In addition to the well-publicized problems with border security, I’ve heard from many new immigrants to our nation that the INS is one of the most difficult government agencies to work with. My congressional office has helped hundreds of people who were having problems dealing with the INS break through the bureaucratic logjam. The Palavra family of Prairie Village is one of those families that we've been able to help in their dealings with the INS, but many more families also have difficulties working with this department

   The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, as the new agency will be known, will handle applications for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, as well as managing applications for citizenship. There will also be a special focus on reforming the student visa process to ensure that these visas are going to actual students and aren’t being used as a back-door for terrorists wanting to enter the United States.

   I hope that these reforms to the immigration process will make it easier for those seeking to become U.S. citizens to fulfill their dreams of living in freedom, while at the same time ensuring that criminals and terrorists aren’t able to abuse the system.

   President Bush has declared his support for the bill I voted for and the wide margin by which it passed the House shows that momentum is on the side of those of us who want to overhaul the INS.

   September 11 showed us that our borders are nowhere near as secure as they must be in order to protect Americans from the global threat of terrorism. Dramatically reforming the INS and increasing the amount of resources available for border security will help the government fulfill its most important duty: protecting Americans.

Congressman Dennis Moore represents Kansas’ Third U.S. Congressional District, which includes Johnson, Wyandotte, Miami and Douglas counties. Rep. Moore has offices in Overland Park, Kansas City, Lawrence, and Washington, D.C. The Congressman’s website is www.house.gov/moore, and his office can be reached at 913-383-2013.