Letters

The Ins and Outs Of DHS

I had no idea Homeland Security was such an organizational monster ("Round 2," March 1). It already operates its own three little navies-the Border Patrol, the Coast Guard, and Air and Marine Operations.

Wowsers! And how and why did the Coast Guard remain a separate entity? How much longer can that be justified (with a straight face)?

Good luck, Mr. Chertoff!

Two facts became apparent to me in 2003 as a then-Immigration and Naturalization Service employee, who had earlier worked for the U.S. Customs Service. The Homeland Security Department missed opportunities because of how its components were organized and the hodgepodge that was created with the establishment of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

First, the missions of INS and Customs have always been too interrelated for both bureaus not to be combined. The swapping of some programs between ICE and Customs' successor agency, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, proves that. Second, splitting INS into two bureaus-ICE and the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services-replicates the problem of interrelated missions that need to be joined. Finally, shifting the Transportation Security Administration's Federal Air Marshal Service and the General Services Administration's Federal Protective Service to ICE leaves the agency with a collection of unrelated missions.

Both ICE and CIS should be combined with Customs and Border Protection.The Federal Air Marshal Service needs to return to TSA, to which it is more closely aligned. The Federal Protective Service should be moved from ICE to, perhaps, the Secret Service, making it a protector of not only federal personnel, but also of federal facilities.

Joining ICE and CBP is under review, and I would applaud such a merger. But these other changes also should be considered.

On Target

I share the concerns of Comptroller General David M. Walker ("The Red Zone," February). As a federal employee in human resources, I see waste in hiring practices. Where I work, salaries and benefits far exceed performance. I encourage you to continue to print articles like this, and perhaps someone will get the message. We cannot continue to spend federal dollars without measurable outcomes.

Correction

The April 1 article "Base Hitter" incorrectly described the appointment process for the Defense deputy undersecretary for installations and environment. The appointment is made by the Defense secretary and does not require Senate confirmation.