Department of Homeland Security House Oversight Hearing

At the House Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said there are many issues with undocumented aliens and workers in the United States. A large problem, he said, is in simply finding them.

There is such a large cost involved with prosecuting illegal aliens and smugglers, that it is preferred to just send them back where they came from. Within Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, there is the idea to eliminate paperwork that doesn't add value to the program, in regards to undocumented workers. Once caught, Chertoff said, the likelihood that illegal aliens are actually being deported is high. Unfortunately, he said, there seems to be as if they were fighting a legal headwind. Within the budget for 2009, they are seeking an increase to expand the program. The idea is to give people more incentive to turn in employers that are using undocumented workers.

In response to questions about illegal alien gang members, Chertoff said we need to be able to help local jurisdictions enforce the laws, and it's a terrible dilemma because it costs money to send people out of the country. The solution, he said, is to make it difficult, if not impossible, for people to come back across the border illegally.

Two Representatives asked about FEMA trailers, and Chertoff said the FEMA trailers that were purchased for use by the hurricanes were standard trailers that anyone could buy. People don't want to leave the trailers, he said, and there is no "medically safe level" of formaldehyde. Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) suggested that we start to charge the inhabitants rent and maybe that would motivate them to get out.

Chertoff said in regards to our threat level rising due to some sort of spring counter offensive in Afghanistan, he felt we were safe. His assessment was from three points: there has never been a drop in the determination of the enemy to attack us in the homeland; they have not succeeded in doing it since 9/11 largely because of the strategies we have taken in making it harder to get into the country and do the attack; and we are having a success in Iraq again AQI that is largely unnoticed and is very embarrassing to them. In his view, he said, that ultimately makes us safe.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff testifies before the House Committee on Homeland Security over the FY2009 budget.

Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) opened the hearing today outlining his national security goals. He said that he wants to enhance security for all modes of transportation, shield the nation's critical infrastructure from terrorism, implement border and port security, and inspire minds for the future of Homeland Security. Thompson issued criticisms of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) FY2009 Budget saying that it failed to address mass transit rail concerns. He also criticized the budget for cutting funding from certain grant programs, including an initiative to fund local governments' security programs.

Ranking member of the Committee Peter King (R-NY) commended DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff for his work at the department and said that he acknowledges that the U.S. has not been attacked since September 11th, 2001 as a result of the phenomenal work and progress of the DHS. He said that he had some criticisms of the budget but said that he does not criticize Chertoff's leadership. He told Chertoff that the more time he spends testifying before committees is less time that he can spend protecting the homeland.

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff called the department's $50.5 billion budget “sound and fiscally responsible.” The figure represented a 6.8% increase over the 2008 budget. Chertoff said that the nation needs a robust and effective Homeland Security Department that acts with a “strong fist” but said that it also needs to be able to adapt to evolving global threats. He warned that Europe was in danger from terrorist attack and cited several recently foiled terror plots in Germany and Spain. He said that 294 miles of fencing has been built so far along the border with Mexico and said that the budget asks for $3.5 billion to hire and train border patrol agents. He also said that the budget asks for funds to build an effective emergency response system including $164.5 million for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) initiatives.