For Immediate Release DHS Press Office Contact: 202-282-8010 WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today spoke with major city and county police chiefs and sheriffs to discuss the need for commonsense immigration reform to strengthen border security, building upon the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) historic gains achieved over the past four years.
“Under this administration, we’ve put more boots on the border and deployed historic levels of technology than any time in history. In order to build on this progress, we need to address our broken immigration system,” said Secretary Napolitano. “The bipartisan bill under discussion in the Senate represents the most significant border security bill in our nation’s history. It would invest billions of additional dollars into strengthening our immigration system and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to enhance border security and public safety.” Secretary Napolitano underscored the importance of addressing our broken immigration system to sustain the progress DHS, and its state and local partners, have made in the past four years. The bill being debated in the Senate will strengthen security at our borders by investing in additional manpower, infrastructure, aviation assets, and it funds the procurement of proven, effective surveillance technology along the Southwest border.
In January, President Obama announced key principles for commonsense immigration reform that would invest in the ports of entry, and help officers and agents focus on public safety threats; make it harder for transnational criminal organizations to operate, while encouraging immigrants to pursue a pathway to earned citizenship; hold employers accountable and strengthen the integrity of the immigration system overall.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
