An improvement?

What comes to mind when I say, “The Department of Homeland Security”?

Do you think of Katrina and that guy, Brown?

Do you think of temporary housing trailers that were never used? (Good thing, because people are suing Uncle Sam over fermaldehyde gas poisoning.)

Do you think about rolls of duct tape that are supposed to save us from an atomic bomb?

Or maybe the TSA screening lines at the airport? Or the fact that trained people can sneak all sorts of dangerous things past them and on to airplanes?

Do you think about the long delay in getting a passport?

Maybe you think about the No Match Letter program that was long in coming, only to be blocked by lawsuits?

Do you think about border security?

Perhaps you think about ICE (the Immigration Police) and how unprepared they are to deport people who are here illegally?

Homeland Security has their hand in all these functions, and many more. Some key government jobs that fall into their organization chart include The Coast Guard, computer vulnerability, and The Secret Service.

Now, if you are a municipality you probably want Homeland Security to help you with disaster planning. Homeland Security wants you to be their eyes and ears as they look for terrorists.

And neither of you has the time or resources to deal with illegal aliens. Secretary Michael Chertoff minces no words when he tells us that he would rather legalize them all and give them work permits.

So we are left with this huge agency that never has enough money and little desire to enforce immigration laws. And the reality at the local level is that they’ve got plenty to do as well.

It’s a large and thankless task to continue to remind them that illegal aliens constitute a serious problem. Amnesty will increase future flow. Enforcement and border control are sorely needed. We need to keep sending that message.