Homeland Security official affirms Mexican drug cartel violence has spilled over into Texas

Violence from Mexican drug cartels has spilled over into Texas, state Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw said Monday.

“Yes, absolutely it has occurred; there’s no question about it,” McCraw said after a hearing before the House Committee on Border and International Affairs.

McCraw answered lawmakers’ questions about Gov. Rick Perry’s request for another $135 million for border security operations on the same day Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott asked lawmakers for a new tool to help bring down transnational gangs that threaten border communities. (EP Times)

Justice Department: We Fail to Enforce Deportation Orders

The U.S. government spends tens of millions of dollars each year persuading federal circuit courts to uphold orders for thousands of illegal immigrants to leave the country, but those orders have been enforced in only one-fifth of the cases, according to sources familiar with a recent Justice Department study.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for “removing” illegal immigrants who stay in this country against the law. But the study found that more than 80 percent of the illegal immigrants whose deportation orders were upheld by a federal appeals court last year were still in the country as of five weeks ago, according to an internal Justice Department memo obtained by FOX News. (Fox News)

State Warns Passport Applicants Of Danger of Credit Card Fraud

The State Department has notified approximately 400 passport applicants in the D.C. area of a breach in its database security that allowed a ring of thieves to obtain confidential information so they could fraudulently use credit cards stolen from the mail, officials said.

The scheme, involving two major government agencies, came to light months ago through a fluke. On March 25, D.C. police officers on a routine patrol stopped a car on the suspicion that its windows were excessively tinted, an apparent violation of city law. Smelling marijuana, the officers searched the car and discovered that the 24-year-old driver was carrying 21 credit cards not in his name and printouts of eight passport applications — and that four of the names on the passport applications matched the names on four of the credit cards, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court. (Washington Post)

Immigration raid in Iowa largest ever in US

“A federal immigration raid at a kosher meatpacking plant in northeast Iowa was the largest such operation in U.S. history, with nearly 400 people arrested, federal officials said Tuesday.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said at least 390 people were arrested on immigration charges as part of a raid Monday morning at Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville. The plant had about 900 workers before the raid.” (AP)

Border fence hearing set Monday

“A congressional panel on Monday will hear about a plan to limit the federal Homeland Security Department’s ability to speed up the process of building a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.” (Houston Chronicle)

US scraps $20 million prototype of virtual fence

“The government is scrapping a $20 million prototype of its highly touted “virtual fence” on the Arizona-Mexico border because the system is failing to adequately alert border patrol agents to illegal crossings, officials said.” (AP)

U.S. to Insist That Travel Industry Get Fingerprints

“The U.S. government today will order commercial airlines and cruise lines to prepare to collect digital fingerprints of all foreigners before they depart the country under a security initiative that the industry has condemned as costly and burdensome.” (Washington Post)

On the border with Michael Chertoff

“The Homeland Security secretary is the point man for White House efforts to stop illegal immigration. He has an ambitious agenda — and a stubborn streak to match.” (LA Times)

Fight over border fence environmental waivers could reach Supreme Court

“The U.S. Supreme Court may get a chance to join the fractious debate over building fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A legal challenge by two environmental groups seeking to limit enhanced Department of Homeland Security powers to suspend more than 30 laws to build the fence is gathering support in Congress.” (Dallas Morning News)

Border Patrol tries to lure retired troops

“The Border Patrol, scrambling to hire thousands of agents by the end of the year, is taking its recruiting efforts overseas to try to enlist military veterans as they leave their tours of duty.

Two teams of agency officers just returned from visiting six U.S. military bases in Germany where they persuaded nearly 100 veterans to apply to join the Homeland Security Department as border agents.” (USA Today)

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