U.S. Rep Ron Barber Takes Border Residents' Message to Washington: 'Secure the Border Now'

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Ron Barber today persuaded his colleagues to strengthen legislation requiring the Department of Homeland Security to develop a strategy for border security along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"This bipartisan bill will ensure we have an effective strategy in place to secure the border and my amendments will guarantee that Southern Arizonans have a voice in the process," Barber said today. "I have said before that our strategy at the border cannot be successful without the direct input and feedback of people who live and work on the border."

Barber, a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and ranking member of the Oversight Subcommittee, today offered an amendment to address a core concern in serving his constituents along the U.S.-Mexico border -- that they have a strong voice and stake in the metrics and border security plan developed by DHS.

Barber's amendment requires public meetings as one way of receiving input from border residents and other community members who experience the realities of life on the border every day.

Barber also joined his Republican colleague in offering an amendment to require consistent and standardized data collection across the border. The amendment is a direct response to information learned in a GAO report Barber called for last year.

After today's hearing, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul of Texas said: "I was pleased to see such a bipartisan effort around today's markup. I was especially pleased to see the great show of bipartisanship and collaboration between Representatives Ron Barber and Lamar Smith in offering an amendment to ensure that border security metrics are consistent and standard. This important bill will be critical in moving border security forward and I thank Congressman Barber for sharing his views as a representative of constituents along the U.S.-Mexico Border."

"It is essential that DHS defines its goals and have consistent and credible ways of measuring success all along the border," Barber said today. "My amendment will ensure that the Border Patrol has the best possible strategy and measurement tools going forward."

Both amendments were approved unanimously in the Committee on Homeland Security by his colleagues and inserted in H.R. 1417, The Border Security Results Act, which Barber cosponsored. The bipartisan bill was approved by the committee unanimously.

The act comes after Barber last year asked the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the security strategy and resource needs of the Border Patrol.

In evaluating how the Border Patrol deploys its agents and other resources, the GAO determined that the Border Patrol lacks measures for assessing risk and need and does not have in place goals or a timeline to improve security along the Southwestern border. GAO recommended the agency resolve these issues.

In response, The Border Security Results Act requires the secretary of Homeland Security to develop a strategy for gaining operational control of the international border.

The bill defines operational control as a condition in high traffic areas in which there is a 90 percent effectiveness rate -- calculated by dividing the number of people apprehended by the total of number apprehended, turned back, and number of people who get away. Operational control also means a significant reduction in the movement of illicit drugs.

Barber has been a consistent voice for ensuring border security be a key part of efforts to fix the nation's broken immigration system.

He had a strong hand in urging the buildup in the number of agents and the assignment of National Guard troops to the border -- first as district director and lead on border issues for then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and for the past 11 months, as a member of Congress.

The GAO study requested by Barber found that the Tucson Sector, which encompasses all of the Arizona border with Mexico except for the Yuma area, represents 13 percent of the U.S.-Mexico border -- but accounts for about 38 percent of all drug seizures and 37 percent of all apprehensions across the entire Southwestern border.

Highlights of the GAO report are available here and the entire report is available here.

Earlier this year, Barber hosted two Southern Arizona public meetings on the GAO study, bringing together individuals from the GAO and Border Patrol officials to hear from those who live and work along the border.

"We have made progress in securing the border -- but I will not be satisfied until we stop the drug cartels and ensure that my constituents feel safe in their homes and in their communities on and near the border," Barber said.

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