by Jon Kuhl
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano visited the National Press Club on Monday to give her second annual address on the state of America's homeland security. Throughout the speech, the secretary touched on a number of issues critical to state and local governments.
"Homeland security begins with hometown security," she said. "And as part of our commitment to hometown security, we have worked to get resources out of Washington and into the hands of state and local officials and first responders."
As part of this effort, Napolitano mentioned the 72 domestic fusion centers throughout the country. Fusion centers are intelligence epicenters, where state, local, and federal officials, along with private sector partners, work together to collect, share and analyze information.
Napolitano also touched on immigration. Highlighting areas of achievement, she pointed to a 53 percent drop in illegal immigration attempts along the Southwest border, along with an increase in seizures of drugs, currency and weapons. The number of Border Patrol agents has also increased, climbing to more than 21,000, which is more than double the number of agents in 2004.
And on the northern border, Napolitano mentioned the approximately $400 million in Recovery Act funds that have been used to modernize older facilities.
During the question and answer period, the secretary was asked about the nation's federal immigration laws. Summing up her assessment, she categorized the laws as "sorely outdated and in need of revision." The secretary also expressed support for the DREAM Act, saying, "If you have to take just one element out of the whole universe of immigration that needs to be fixed, should be fixed, and came very close to being fixed by the Congress … it would be that."
Napolitano was also asked about expected cuts to the department's budget. While prefacing her answer by saying that DHS could always use more money, the secretary acknowledged the department has the money it needs to do its job.