What Does a Secure Border Look Like?

Subcommittee Hearing: What Does a Secure Border Look Like?

Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security | 311 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 | Feb 26, 2013 10:00am
Subcommittee Chairman Candice Miller (R-MI) on the hearing: “In recent years the Department of Homeland Security has defined progress in securing our border in terms of resources put in the field – how many agents, miles of fence, or technology we have deployed. While those are important, success in securing the border must be defined by real and measurable benchmarks. This brings up important questions for the officials at the Department: What does a secure border look like? How do we use the resources at our disposal to get there? And finally what is the best way to measure progress?

“On Tuesday, the Border and Maritime Subcommittee will focus on a discussion of desired outcomes. American taxpayers have made massive investments in the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and the amount of technology we’ve deployed at our borders. In these difficult budgetary times it is more important than ever that Congress examines what the American people have gotten for this investment, how we will measure progress going forward, and if we are on the path to provide our nation with the secure borders we need.”

Opening Statements
Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), Chairman

Witnesses
Mr. Michael J. Fisher
Chief
Border Patrol
Department of Homeland Security

Mr. Kevin McAleenan
Acting Assistant Commissioner
Office of Field Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Department of Homeland Security

RAdm William Lee
Deputy For Operations Policy and Capabilities
U.S. Coast Guard
Department of Homeland Security

Ms. Rebecca Gambler
Acting Director
Homeland Security and Justice
Government Accountability Office

Marc R. Rosenblum, PhD
Specialist in Immigration Policy
Congressional Research Service
The Library of Congress