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11/19/02 INS Commissioner Welcomes Passage of Homeland Security Act of 2002 I am greatly pleased by the passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which will create the much-needed Department of Homeland Security. The creation of this new department is critical to the success of one of the most important missions of our government: securing the safety of the American people and protecting our institutions and our precious freedoms. Nowhere is security more important than at our nation’s borders and ports of entry. By moving the enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws to a much larger agency, the border enforcement effort will be enhanced with important new resources and strength. In the new department, there will be a stronger separation between the service and enforcement responsibilities of the INS, but there also will be enhanced communication between those functions, a critical element to the success of our mission. The Senate’s action has made the President’s plan a reality. I speak for the men and women of the Immigration & Naturalization Service when I say that we look forward to working with the new Secretary of Homeland Security. We are prepared to facilitate the integration of the INS into the new department as we continue to write this important new chapter in America’s history. INS |
Last Modified 02/20/2003