DHS Watch : Latest Events in the Transition
Posted Feb 07, 2003

With the fast-approaching March 1, 2003 deadline for agencies such as the INS to become part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), we at the MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom report recent events in the process for our readers.

New Swearing-In

The Enforcement Section of INS will merge into Border and Transportation Security (BTS) within the DHS. As we indicated would happen in our December 6, 2002 article, Homeland Security Bill Signed into Law, Asa Hutchinson has been sworn in as the Under Secretary for BTS. As of March 1, 2003 he will direct more than 100,000 employees who were formerly with U.S. Customs Service, the Enforcement Division of INS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspections Service, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Federal Protective Service. As our long-time readers may recall, Under Secretary Hutchinson was previously the Administrator for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). During his tenure as the DEA Administrator, he served the first-ever indictments of known terrorists for drug trafficking. He appears well suited for this new enforcement related position in the Bush administration.

New Nominations

President Bush has nominated Clark Kent Ervin to be the Inspector General of the DHS. He is currently the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of State. The President has also nominated Steven I. Cooper to be the Chief Information Officer of the DHS. He is currently the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Information Integration in the Office of Homeland Security. Michael J. Garcia, the current Acting Commissioner of INS, has been nominated for Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for BTS. Lastly, the President has nominated Gordon England to be the Deputy Secretary of the DHS.

New Appointments

Secretary Ridge has already appointed two senior officials to the Office of the Secretary in the DHS. The first is Susan K. Neely, to be the Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs. She previously served as the Special Assistant to the President for Communications in the Office of Homeland Security. The second appointment is Alfonso Martinez-Fonts, Jr., to be Special Assistant to the Secretary for the Private Sector. Now coming out of retirement, Mr. Martinez-Fonts last served as chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank in El Paso, Texas.

Executive Orders and Reorganization Plan Modification

At the end of January 2003 the President issued an Executive Order that amended previous Executive Orders dealing with security issues to recognize the newly created Department of Homeland Security. The President also submitted a modified Reorganization Plan to Congress that establishes the organizational framework for the Department’s Border and Transportation Security function.

Conclusion

It is expected that the coming weeks will continue to bring new information regarding the DHS's activities. Readers interested in these developments can rely on the MurthyBulletin and MurthyDotCom to provide regular updates.