Border Security? Billions Could Be Lost if Entry Ports Aren’t Improved

By Denise Moreno Ducheny of Imperial Beach

As the national debate over immigration reform moves forward, we are hearing a lot of uninformed rhetoric about border security.

The one portion of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, which has been debated on the floor of the U.S. Senate this month and succumbed to rhetoric and fear over reality and facts are the provisions related to border security.

Proposed amendments seek to move it further from strategic investment to wasteful spending.

The broadest, and ultimately most realistic view of our security, would acknowledge what those of us who live in places like San Diego, El Paso, Buffalo and Seattle recognize instinctively that we are not secure unless our neighbors are secure.

Realistic concerns in these days of renegade terrorists, drug cartel wars and new strains of disease (remember SARS and swine flu pandemics?) cannot be confronted with fences and constricted border crossings.

It depends, rather, on an increasingly integrated economic system that provides prosperity, improved quality of life, sustainable development of shared watersheds, air sheds and communities whose children grow up with the education that provides opportunities for advancement not tied to drug trafficking and other criminal enterprises.

What will make us most secure is improved economic prosperity throughout North America—in the United States and for our neighbors in Canada and Mexico.

The best long-term deterrent to the many who have sought employment in the U.S. by skirting the current strict quota system is to improve the economy of the North American region.

We must continue to support the substantial economic growth Mexico has experienced over recent years by enhancing the trade and tourism relationship we already share.

The billions of dollars proposed for so-called border Security in the legislation that received a majority vote Thursday in the Senate would be best spent to enhance the trade relationship with Mexico and Canada by investing in modernizing and building new infrastructure to facilitate the 99 percent of cross-border traffic which is legitimate, so law enforcement can focus their attention on blocking access to criminals, smugglers and those who would do us harm.

Our Customs and Border Patrol agents need the resources to focus on stopping drug traffickers, money launderers, arms traffickers and to build cooperation across borders to stop criminal enterprises and detect those who would seek entry anywhere in North American to endanger our citizens.

Underfunding the important work done at every airport, seaport and land Port of Entry by not fully staffing these facilities is counterproductive.

Failing to employ the tools of modern technology to secure cargo at the point of origin—and thereby allow billions of dollars worth of goods to flow expeditiously along roads from southern Mexico to Canada—is shortsighted at best.

The pending immigration bill includes some improvements in the visa quota system that will encourage more travel across our borders with lawful documentation.

It provides the opportunity for many who have worked years in the U.S. to visit family in Mexico again with travel documents that will allow them to use our Ports of Entry and avoid the clutches of smuggling operations.

It provides opportunities for short-term work and return, again with full screening of documents at Ports of Entry.

All of these measures—combined with a stronger, modernized system for employers to verify the work authorization of employees—will strengthen our economy and greatly reduce the incentives built into the current system that encourage unauthorized entry and visa overstay.

Today more than 6 million U.S. jobs depend on our trade relationship with Mexico. More than $38 billion worth of cargo move through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry alone every year—even with the barriers presented by hours long waits and the inadequate single-lane road trucks use to reach the Port.

Millions of vehicle passengers and pedestrians are asked to wait in 2- and 3-hour lines at the San Ysidro and Calexico ports of entry just to be able to spend tourist and consumer purchase dollars in California because we have failed to make the modest investments necessary to modernize these facilities and fully staff them.

Over the last several years, Border Patrol staff has increased to unprecedented levels, hundreds of miles of expensive fences have been built, sensors and video surveillance cameras have been put in place.

Now is the time to move to our next level of true security—creating a strong North American market where goods and consumers can travel easily about the continent, improving prosperity to the entire region, and allowing Customs and Border Protection officers to effectively do their jobs.

Ducheny, a former state senator, is an immigration lawyer.