President-Elect Obama is considering right now several possibilities for Homeland Security Secretary. Whomever that is will decide the fate of the Wall being built on the Mexican Border.
For those of us totally wrapped up in the joy of this election, we may have forgotten a story that didn't get much coverage this year: The Border Fence.
When the Secure Fence Act of 2006 was passed it garnered a lot of attention but has since faded from the spotlight. Meanwhile Homeland Security has been steadily chugging away...and building.
As it stands right now, the Fence has been partially completed in Arizona and some construction has started in Texas in Hidalgo County (McAllen area).
Cameron County (Brownsville area) still has fencing slated for construction. However, no open calls for contractor bids have been issued (they have to be made public). Department of Homeland Security has already admitted they are not going to finish the fence.
So....will they finish the fence in Brownsville in the next month and a half?
That depends on our current Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Sec. Chertoff has gone above and beyond his duty and even, frankly, the law in pursuing a certain number of miles of fencing. He's built fences in places not specified by the Secure Fence Act.
When Congress passed (under pressure from local mayors) an Omnibus Spending Bill, it contained legislation forcing Chertoff to consult locals about when and where the Fence should go. It also freed him from actually building a certain amount of Wall. "Wherever appropriate" was the language.
But Chertoff continued on ignoring the Texas Border Coalition's, a group of all the border Mayors, call to halt construction.
During the Texas primaries The Wall became an issue. Both Obama and Clinton denounced the wall. I had my own video of CNN debate but youtube took it down. Here is another video by somebody with itvw with them on the fence. Look around 2;00 for quotes on wall.
Now that the wall has both pushed to the next Administration will Obama select a Department of Homeland Security Secretary who will kill the fence or finish it?
So far Obama has given no indications of support for the Fence, in fact he recently named Dr. Julia Garcia, the President of University of Texas Brownsville, to work in his Transition team. Dr. Garcia herself was in the midst of fighting DHS from building fencing in the middle of her campus.
But ultimately the decision to go forward will rest on the next Dept. Homeland Security Secretary. Who will that be and what can we do about it?
News this morning of possible candidates has surfaced and I'll give a rundown from what I know :
Former Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Ind.) Served on the 9-11 Commission not sure about his position on immigration
James Lee Witt- Lead FEMA during the Clinton years and dealt with Oklahoma City bombing.
Gov. Napolitano (D-AZ) Great governor with a lot of Homeland Security experience and direct complaints about the border fence.
and then a few other names which might be just thrown in there
former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean
former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.)
New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly (PLEASE GOD NO)
Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton (NOT MUCH BETTER)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) (INTERESTING...)