Group: Terrorism not focus of Homeland Security

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN

Claims of terrorism represented less than 0.01 percent of charges filed in recent years in immigration courts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to a report issued Sunday by an independent research group.

This comes despite the fact the Bush administration has repeatedly asserted that fighting terrorism is the central mission of DHS.

The Transactional Records Action Clearinghouse said it analyzed millions of previously undisclosed records obtained from the immigration courts under the Freedom of Information Act.

Of the 814,073 people charged by DHS in immigration courts during the past three years, 12 faced charges of terrorism, TRAC said.

Those 12 cases represent 0.0015 percent of the total number of cases filed.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/27/homeland.security.record/index.html

[magellan]

1. The DHS is a boondoggle

"The DHS claims it is focused on terrorism. Well that's just not true," said David Burnham, a TRAC spokesman. "Either there's no terrorism, or they're terrible at catching them. Either way it's bad for all of us."

I'll take "no terrorism" for $200, Alex.

[CGowen]

3. Unless some alphabet agency pays to create terrorism n/t

[RC]

4. Or is paid to...

Why is this administration still walking around loose. Why are they still in office even?

[davekriss]

8. And how many of those 12 terrorism charges

were entrapped local blokes who were just a little slow-witted?

[Handsome Pete]

2. Now ain't that an interesting statistic!

I, for one, am amazed.

[WePurrsevere]

7. Really? As someone living on the northern US, it doesn't surprise me at all.

Up here most folks consider them a PITB and State/Border Police assistants more then anything else. IMO the money that goes to DHS should go to where it could actually do more good. The Border police and state troopers have long done the job that this org is actually doing.. they only difference is that DHS has a 'CON name to give some poor dupes a false sense that they're more secure.

What I think would be even more interesting is how many of those "less than 0.01 percent of charges filed" have actually been tried and found guilty or were later released due to lack of any real evidence.

[maddezmom]

5. (DHS)Minor Offenses Make Up Most Immigration Cases

Source: Washington Post

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 28, 2007; Page A04

Most of the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement work is consumed not with stopping terrorists and unraveling their support networks, but with relatively minor administrative violations, according to a new analysis of federal records.

DHS authorities filed charges against more than 800,000 people in U.S. immigration court between 2004 and 2006, but only 126 of them were accused of terrorism- or national-security-related crimes, according to the study by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University.

Of that number, 41 were removed from the country, four of them on terrorism charges.

Routine violations, such as entering the country illegally or overstaying a visa, made up 86 percent of deportation cases, the study found.

~snip~

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke called the report politically motivated, ill-conceived and fundamentally mistaken about how the department's enforcement strategy targets "security risks and criminals in a post-9/11 world."

"Terrorists do not show up at ports of entry to say, 'I'm here, I'm a terrorist, take me into custody,' " Knocke said. "By being tough and being serious about enforcing the rule of law, you make it increasingly difficult for security risks to exploit the system."




Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701119.html

[merwin]

6. Knocke is right.. they don't say I'm a terrorist. But they DO NOT enter illegally!

They enter with valid passports and visas. This allows them to stay unnoticed and uncared about while they wait.

The worst possible thing that a terrorist could do is enter illegally. Like the report says, 86 percent of the cases were for routine violations. Stay legally, and you have zero chance of getting busted.

[treestar]

12. That is true - I believe most of the hijackers were still in status

None of the stuff they've done in the name of preventing terra would have prevented 911.

As for enforcement scaring them off, that's got to be the biggest joke I've ever heard. They'll just make sure they are in status up to the date of attack.

[youngdem]

9. That's not true...Homeland Security's number one priority is terrorizing us.

[Scurrilous]

11. That and pissing away tax dollars. n/t

[baldguy]

15. .

[truthisfreedom]

10. Sheesh.

This comes despite the fact the Bush administration has repeatedly asserted that fighting terrorism is the central mission of DHS.

C'mon, let's get real. The real reasons bush created DHS were to have more tools to investigate and intimidate Democrats and to keep "TERRAH! TERRAH! TERRAH!" on the front pages as often as possible. Fighting terrorism in this country should start with not allowing cheney to drink and shoot.

[underpants]

17. The DHS was a Dem idea--they never liked it so they used it to funnel money

to their cronies just like every other part of the Fedieral Govt. that or they used it to facilitate their campaign

[bamacrat]

13. Oh because I thought that was why it was created.

Im sure its just a front for the WH to funnel money into a secret spy fund or something worse.

[L. Coyote]

14. DIA SPYING: NGIA collecting data, 133 U.S. cities, ID everyone, nationality, political affiliations

It is not for lack of spying!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x983282It

[Javaman]

16. No duh...

HLS is nothing more that a way for moron* to keep his cronie mouthbreathing buddies on the payroll and to spy on us.

I pray for the day when that colossally useless institution is dismantled and our money refunded to us.

I can dream can't I?