Senator criticizes DHS border plan

A key Senate Democrat on Tuesday blasted the Homeland Security Department's strategic plan for gaining control of the nation's borders, saying it lacks clearly defined goals and cost estimates.

The department Monday sent to Capitol Hill its long-awaited strategic plan for the Secure Border Initiative, revealing that it will take until fiscal 2011 to gain operational control of the nation's borders with Mexico and Canada. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff previously told Congress the department could gain control of the borders by the end of fiscal 2008.

The on-site border surveillance and enforcement program is dubbed SBInet, which the department estimates will cost about $7.6 billion through fiscal 2011. The department also said it plans to seek a total of about $41 billion from Congress between fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2011 for the full range of border security activities.

That would cover resource requirements for the Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Coast Guard and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Incoming Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn, was critical of the plan, according to one of his aides.

"Sen. Lieberman is well aware of defects in the SBInet program and has raised concerns about the open-ended and poorly defined nature of the program," his aide said. "The new SBI strategic plan reflects shifting and vaguely defined goals. It also suggests that DHS still does not have a handle on how much the program will cost or what it can accomplish. As chairman [of the committee] in the 110th Congress, Sen. Lieberman will vigorously oversee development of this program."

The department acknowledged it lacks an effective way to gauge when border areas are secure.

"DHS does not as yet have a wholly satisfactory methodology of determining whether a portion of the border is considered under control from a system-wide, defense-in-depth and continuously enforceable perspective," the plan states. "DHS is working to develop a more disciplined and technically sophisticated methodology for measuring border security. A systematic view will incorporate efforts at [ports of entry], investigations, and other operations aimed at the continuum of border security."

As of March, the most recent data available, the department had effective control of 284 miles of the southwest border and 12 miles of the northern border, according to the report. About 830 miles of the southwest border was labeled as "less monitored," compared to 3,180 miles along the northern border that was given the same label. The department projected it would control 345 miles along the southern border by the end of fiscal 2007.

A Homeland Security spokesman explained Tuesday that there are different definitions for what it means to control border areas.

"Make no mistake about it, this department is deeply committed to securing our borders," he said. He added that the department will continue to press Congress to approve a temporary guest worker program that would allow millions of foreigners to legally work in the United States.