DHS Watch : Budget, Appointment, Alert Levels, and Meetings
Posted Feb 14, 2003

As indicated in last week's MurthyBulletin article entitled, DHS Watch : Latest Events in the Transition, available on MurthyDotCom, we at The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C., are keeping a close watch on the newly established Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Recent measures follow.

Budget

The President has requested a $36.2 billion budget for the DHS in fiscal year 2004. Included in this sum is an $18.1 billion budget for the Border and Transportation Security (BTS). The BTS includes previous INS enforcement functions. Unfortunately, the piece of the DHS pie for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) appears to stand at $500 million. The BCIS will be responsible for functions previously considered INS "benefits." The Congress must pass the budget before it is in place for the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2003.

New Director of BCIS

Eduardo Aguirre, currently vice chairman and the first vice president of the Export-Import Bank, has been named as the first Director of the BCIS. Born in Cuba and a naturalized citizen, Mr. Aguirre has been recognized by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the nation. Mr. Aguirre, an immigrant himself, should prove to be a good choice for this crucial position in the DHS.

Alert Levels

The DHS determines the state of U.S. alert at any given moment regarding the potential for terrorist attacks. On February 7, 2003, the DHS elevated the alert status to "High," which is the second-highest level of risk. Federal agencies are instructed to take additional precautions during high-risk periods, which may result in longer waits at INS offices and ports of entry to get through security checks.

Meeting with German Minister

Secretary Ridge met with the German Federal Minister of Interior, Otto Schily, on February 4, 2003. They discussed strengthening port and container security for U.S.-German commerce as well as a need for future international standards for biometric and other identification technologies. This meeting was a part of the administration's efforts to standardize identifying travel documents in the interest of security.

Conclusion

The Budget will continue to be a big issue in the coming months, as the DHS will be unable to function without adequate and substantial funding. We will continue to watch this as well as other important topics as the DHS continues to grow and take over the governmental functions and divisions that will fall under its auspices.