STATEMENT OF ADELE J. FASANO
DISTRICT DIRECTOR 
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE
SAN DIEGO DISTRICT

BEFORE THE
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

REGARDING BORDER ISSUES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

FIELD HEARING

FEBRUARY 21, 2002 - 9:00 AM

EL CAJON, CALIFORNIA

MR. CHAIRMAN, thank you for your invitation and the opportunity to appear before you today on behalf of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).  

I know from your previous hearings that you are now familiar with the various INS responsibilities and our inspection processes.  Today I will focus on the work of the San Diego INS District, with particular emphasis on security at the land border crossings here on the California/Mexico border, especially in our post September 11 environment.

SAN DIEGO DISTRICT OVERVIEW

The San Diego INS District has jurisdiction over both San Diego and Imperial Counties in California.  Geographically, it is vast; stretching across a 200-mile southwest border zone, encompassing the six land border ports-of-entry on the California/Mexico border, and includes the airport at Lindbergh Field and the San Diego seaport.  This bi-national region is distinguished by a rapidly growing economic and population growth.  There are about 5 million residents living and working on both sides of this dynamic international border.  Of those, 3 million reside in the San Diego/Tijuana region.  The population of San Diego County is the third largest in California.  The adjacent Mexican State, Baja California, is one of Mexico's fastest growing areas.  It includes the rapidly expanding City of Tijuana where the population of some 1.3 million people is growing at an annual rate of five percent.  The San Diego/ Tijuana region is projected to reach a population of five million over the next ten years.

The San Diego INS District staff is assigned to four INS programs which include both enforcement and immigration benefit operations.  These include (1) border inspections, (2) investigations, (3) immigration benefits, and (4) detention and removal of illegal immigrants.  We continue to participate in pilot programs and expand our community activities through partnerships with the private sector, other federal, state, and local governmental agencies, and increased cooperation with our counterparts in Mexico.

 The District's largest program is the Inspections program.  One-half of the District's staff work on the frontline at the border checking the immigration documents and citizenship of pedestrians and motorists at land border crossings on the California/Mexico border.  In fiscal year 2001, we conducted a record 99 million inspections at the six land border ports-of-entry, and an additional 165,000 inspections at the air and seaports of entry.

As INS's Operation Gatekeeper established tighter control over illegal immigration in the areas between the ports-of-entry, smugglers began to target the ports-of-entry.  The major types of violations we encounter are document fraud and concealment in trunks, hoods, and specially built compartments inside vehicles.  Document fraud remains at high levels.  Each year we intercept thousands of impostors attempting to assume a false identity and thousands of counterfeit documents, such as passports, green cards, state issued driver's licenses, visas, and birth certificates.  Individuals attempting to enter illegally with fraudulent documents use every conceivable tactic - riding in a vehicle, on a bike, by bus, and on foot.  The most recent trend is to conceal migrants inside vehicles.  We are working hard to respond to an alarming increase in a particularly dangerous activity that involves specially outfitted compartments which include hollowed out gas tanks, engines, dashboards, trunks, and floorboards.  We even found a man sewn into a seat inside a vehicle.  Last year, we apprehended approximately 12,000 smuggling cases where individuals were found concealed in vehicles.  That represents nearly a 50 percent increase from the previous year.

To deter illegal immigration at this major smuggling corridor along the southern border, we utilize a multi-prong port enforcement strategy.  Our top priority is the criminal prosecution of the most serious and egregious cases, such as convicted felons who attempt re-entry to the United States after deportation, and ruthless smugglers who profit from the desperation of migrants, endangering their lives by hiding them inside dangerous vehicle compartments.  Additional enforcement measures include the initiation of civil court proceedings to remove repeat offenders from the United States.  Finally, we also administratively remove first time offenders who are non-criminal immigration violators attempting to enter the United States by fraud, typically an impostor or individual concealed inside a vehicle trunk.

The six ports-of-entry under the direction of the San Diego INS District from west to east include San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico, Calexico East, and Andrade.  The Otay Mesa and San Ysidro ports-of-entry serve the expansive San Diego/Tijuana region.  The two ports, however, are vastly different in size and scope.  Otay Mesa has thirteen vehicle lanes and is open from 6am to 10pm.  Adjacent is the Otay Mesa Commercial port-of-entry which is California's largest commercial border crossing.  Approximately 10 miles west of Otay Mesa is San Ysidro, the world's busiest port-of-entry, and the focus of my testimony today. 

SAN YSIDRO BORDER CROSSING

The San Ysidro border crossing was established in 1909 on the Tijuana riverbed.  For over 90 years, a constant flow of people and products has relied on this passageway as a means of integrating the regional trans-border economies and cultures.  The original one-lane dirt road now has 24 vehicle- primary lanes and 8 pedestrian-primary booths.

The San Ysidro port-of-entry is open 24-hours, 365 days a year.  Nearly fifty percent of the District's 600 Immigration Inspectors work at this site.  The massive numbers of legal and illegal immigration present a significant challenge.  Our job is to balance enforcement operations and resources with traffic management to expeditiously process the legitimate traffic and effectively deter illegal immigration.  In Fiscal Year 2001, approximately 50 million inspections of travelers from Mexico and throughout the world were conducted at San Ysidro.

Historically, the San Ysidro border crossing has been the target entry point used by major smuggling organizations.  The masses of people legally crossing at this bustling border crossing provides an attractive cover for would-be illegal immigrants who attempt to blend in with the legitimate crowds.

INS inspectors face constant demands to remain vigilant in responding to extensive fraud.  Last year, INS inspectors apprehended more than 56,000 violators.  Of those, about 28,000 were removed through the expedited removal program, some 1,500 were placed into formal removal hearings before an immigration judge, and nearly 900 were prosecuted on criminal charges.

Special operations involving INS special agents and the Border Patrol have led to an impressive reduction in document fraud, particularly in the pedestrian area.  Operation Triple Play is one such example.  Beginning in October 2000, this operation's focus was to reduce fraud in the pedestrian lanes at the San Ysidro port-of-entry and to generate leads for further investigation of smuggling organizations linked to fraudulent documents rings.  The operation included four special agents from the San Diego District INS assisted by four Border Patrol agents from the San Diego Border Patrol Sector.

Operation Triple Play resulted in the arrest of two principal smugglers who were lawful permanent residents residing in the United States and a guide from Mexico.  More impressive is the significant drop in document fraud.  As a result of this operation, documents fraud in the pedestrian lanes decreased significantly.

INS special agents and inspectors conduct pre-primary roving operations at the port-of-entry.  Recent establishment of a coordinated INS regional Intelligence program on-site at the port-of-entry serves to gather enforcement data, conducts regular analysis of smuggling trends, and assists the inspections branch in measuring the effectiveness of our border security efforts. Two INS special agents are permanently assigned to the FBI's joint terrorism task force (JTTF).  They provide a vital link to sharing intelligence with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies and interview individuals of national security interest who are intercepted at any of our ports.

   Concerted efforts must continue toward a permanent and seamless border security strategy.  Close cooperation with our Mexican counterparts is essential in maintaining border security and public safety.  Since September 11, our close working relationship with our counterparts in Mexico is greater than before.  We work together on traffic management issues, share information on a daily basis, and most recently, we began to collaborate with the Government of Mexico on an innovative bi-national joint prosecution initiative.  The joint program aims to increase prosecutions in the Mexican judicial system of smugglers who endanger lives by smuggling Mexican nationals across the border in dangerous vehicle compartments.  The next step with this important initiative is finalizing a formal protocol between our two governments.

Working closely with local, state, and other federal law enforcement agencies is a critical component of border security.  In San Ysidro, the inspectors work daily with the local police and the California Highway Patrol on a variety of enforcement issues such as drunk driving, stolen vehicles, and the interception of dangerous fugitives identified while attempting to cross the border.  Our partners, the US Customs Service, work with us in many areas, including processing vehicle traffic and sharing critical intelligence and enforcement detection equipment.

Thousands of border crossers who live and work on both sides of border are affected daily by the port-of-entry operations.  The San Diego INS District remains vigilant in guarding our borders with Mexico while maintaining an orderly and expeditious inspection process for commuters and legitimate travelers.  To this end, the Secure Electronic Network for Traveler's Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) automated inspection program now operates at both the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports-of-entry.  This program has demonstrated that technology can strengthen the inspection process by making it more secure and efficient.  This system is very popular with the community we serve. SENTRI users are pre-enrolled; extensive background checks are conducted by accessing a network of law enforcement databases.  Each time a participant enters through the SENTRI lane, an automatic system check is conducted.  Since September 11, SENTRI enrollment applications have increased by more than 100 percent.  Over 12,000 border crossers have enrolled in the SENTRI program thus far.

RESPONSE TO SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS

To achieve heightened border security after September 11, all ports-of-entry were placed on a Level 1 security alert.  Since then, the inspection of border crossers, their belongings and their vehicles have been more detailed.  Security operations include: special pre-primary roving teams to open more vehicle trunks and hoods; placement of magnetometers and X-ray machines in pedestrian walkways: after-hours officer presence at non-24-hour ports-of-entry; photo identification requirement of all applicants applying for entry including U.S. citizens; and extensive computer queries on pedestrians using the service's Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS).

There have been noticeable and significant effects of heightened border security since its implementation after the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States.  First, is the lengthening of border crossing waits.  The wait times have increased because inspection procedures have been intensified.  Second, longer border waits tend to result in a lower number of legal crossings, especially in the pedestrian walkways.

The INS is working closely with the US Customs Service to address traffic management issues resulting from heightened security.  We work together to monitor waits times and coordinate staffing for opening primary vehicle inspection booths to meet the high volume demands for expeditious passage of daily commuters and heavy weekend traffic.  The goal is to minimize wait times during peak hours by opening as many vehicle and pedestrian lanes as our staff levels permit, while deploying pre-primary rovers and additional officers for port security.  Efforts to reduce the waits times while maintaining Level 1 security measures require that our inspectors work additional overtime.  Moreover, border patrol agents, INS special agents, and more recently, INS inspectors detailed from various cities within the western region have augmented staffing at the border with rotating details.

In recent weeks, the wait times have begun to decrease.  The average wait is now 45 to 50 minutes -- back to pre-September 11th levels -- and representing a significant drop from 2 hours and more during the initial weeks following the attacks.  However, pedestrian delays have increased.  The average wait time has increased from an average of 15 minutes before September 11 to about 45 minutes to an hour presently.  Gradually, vehicle crossings are returning to pre-September 11 levels.  Average daily vehicle crossings are currently at about 40,000 compared to the previous average of 43,000.  Conversely, pedestrian crossings are 50 percent lower since September 11.  The 38,000 average daily pedestrian crossings have dropped to about 21,000.

As we look to the future, we will continue to strive towards improving our service to the traveling public, while at the same time providing a strong defense against those who intend to bring harm to America.  We remain attentive to our long-standing commitment to reducing border waits to acceptable levels.

CONCLUSION

Heightened security at our land border crossings has provided a strong defense against terrorists seeking entry into the US through our ports-of-entry.  We have done an excellent job at maintaining the highest level of security possible at the busiest international border crossing in the world.  Regrettably, the price we have to pay is slowing the vehicle and pedestrian passage.  We will do better in the future.

We are committed to keeping pace with the rapid population growth in this important bi-national region and seeking ways of speeding up the entry of legitimate travelers.

Our top priorities remain heightened border security, effective enforcement to deter illegal immigration, and efficient processing of legitimate travelers.

I appreciate the invitation to provide this testimony. On behalf of the INS, I thank Congress for its attention to the complex and diverse responsibilities we face in this busy bi-national community.

This concludes my written testimony.  I invite any questions you may have.