U.S. Border Security Still Poor

I posted on March 27 about investigators who were able to get across the US border with radioactive materials. They even went through a US checkpoint. In the ABC News article that I quoted in that story it said that "The Bush administration said...that within 45 days it will give U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents the tools they need to verify such documents in the future." (referring to fake documents given to get the investigators across the border, with radioactive materials)

But almost 8 months later, in a GAO investigation, "testers were able to penetrate all nine U.S. border crossings they checked. In three instances, border officials did not even ask to see identification." In all instances they used FAKE documents.

This shows that the Bush administration has yet to secure our borders. New immigration laws is what people in Washington say are needed; thus, the arguments between the House and Senate. But if the border crossing agents just checked documents in all cases we would be somewhat safer. It is hard to image that 33% of the testers (as they are called) did not even have to show ID to cross into America. More must be done to secure our borders, but, as of yet, even steps like checking ID at borders (which border guards CAN do without new laws) is not being done. Why than would more laws help if they WILL NOT be enforced?!?! We must do what we CAN do NOW before we put more into action. More laws will not help if they will not be carried out.

The Department of Homeland Security said that it has "intercepted more than 75,000 [fake documents] last year." But still they are 0 for 9 in this test. And those 9 could have been terrorists. 0% catch rate is not acceptable.

The summary of the GAO report said that:
"Agents successfully entered the United States using fictitious driver’s licenses and other bogus documentation through nine land ports of entry on the northern and southern borders. CBP officers never questioned the authenticity of the counterfeit documents presented at any of the nine crossings. On three occasions—in California, Texas, and Arizona—agents crossed the border on foot. At two of these locations—Texas and Arizona—CBP allowed the agents entry into the United States without asking for or inspecting any identification documents."

A PDF version of the GAO report can be found here.