Transcripts For CSPAN3 Federal Officials Testify On Drug Car

SubCommittee Hearing is chaired by congresswoman mcsally of arizona. The committee on border and Maritime Committee coming to order. I was in an Armed Services Committee Hearing very important to the f35 and the way ahead for our troops. I appreciate your patience. The subcommittees meeting today to discuss the threat caused by drug cartels. First, id like to welcome the newest member of our subcommittee, member from florida, mr. Rutherford. I look forward to working with you. I hope we can engage thoughtful productive conversations and partnerships to help secure our homeland. One of my goals is to drill down on the threat an unsecure border poses to our federal americans, which will be the focus of our conversation today. At our next hearing well hear from leaders of the Border Security joint task forces authorized by this Committee Last congress about the approach and combatting this threat. Maintaining our borders is a mul multifacfaceted effort. The job of the u. S. Coast guard is to secure a maritime border. We have Field Operations securing more than 300 ports of entry and air and Marine Operations carries out air and Marine Maritime environment activities and missions to interdict cargo approaching our borders. Finally, supporting the National Security investigatory authorities and responsibilities. These are not simple or easy ta tasks. The southwest border has sometimes inforgiving terrain, mountains and canyons and more than 1,000 miles of river. 4. 9 million square miles of ocean providing cartels with enormous expanses to conduct their elicit activities. Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to shore up our border defenses and today we have an impressive array of technology and person yell to keep our borders safe. We have seemingly made little progress over the last four years to secure the boreder. Most recent report and testimony suggesting we are a little more than 50 effective from stopping people from crossing the border illegally and they continue to pour into our communities unaba unabated. On the other side of the border, the adversary, mexican drug cartels operate a wide reaching network. Nothing moves in or out unless they say so. They have influence and power throughout mexico is ubiquitous, corruption endemic and local Law Enforcement in mexico often find theirselves ill equipmented to handle the vast amount of activity. Smuggling people is a billion dollar business. And they have one thing in mind eliciting illegal products and people across the border of the United States. Obscene profit incentivizes the cartel to be innovative to i smuggle stair elicit cargo. We know they conduct extensive surveillance against our agents and place spotters on hillsides and use tunnels and a proliferation of unorthodox method of smuggling such as double barrelled canons in my district and other areas to shoot hundreds of pounds of drugs over the fences and barri barriers. Ultra light aircraft, difficult to detect radar to fly drugs over the border and dropping it quickly and returning to undetected mexico. In my district, authorities broke up a complicated smuggling ring recently and they specialized in drive through operations that used vehicle convoys laden with thousands of pounds of drugs across the border and used scouts and it was not an amateur operation by any means. To the contrary a sophisticated criminal enterprise to thwart Law Enforcement at every term. This is the nature of what were fa facing. San diego was a sector but concerted efforts in the 90s and 2000s brought the situation under control, because the cartels are nimble they responded by using small vessels to push the degree load s farthr of the coast of california, im sure we will hear about that from you today to make it more difficult to detract. Semisubmersibl semisubmersibles, blue to blend in with the ocean and used to bring in multiton cocaine loads to mexico. Their ultimate destination is cities and towns across our nation. As we increase our focus this congress of securing the border i welcome we have to be cleareyed about the difficult sophistication we face with these adversaries on the other side. They will not sit identically by as we increase our strategy and that will threaten their Business Model and adapt like they always do and sometimes outsmart us if we do not leverage our power together countering the cartels. I really look forward to your testimony, thank you for coming more ward and i ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from new york be allowed to participate. Without objection, so ordered. Thank you, chair woman calling this important hearing. This is one area many of us can agree we can Work Together to achieve our ultimate goal, to do as much as we can to impact the negative work that the cartels do in south america, mexico and all throughout the United States. At the same time, do what we can to take drugs off our streets. I would first like to welcome and introduce the newest members on the border for security. Representing californias 46th Congressional District and most recently served in the california state senate. Val demings, the first person to hold the position in the Police Department and an experienced attorney representing the 44th district including the port of los angeles and id like to recognize my colleague, mr. Richmond, our Senior Member in the committee and joined us on the subcommittee the first time. I look forward to working with all of you in the coming months. Each of you bring a unique perspective and expertise to Maritime Security to this subcommittee. The subject of our hearing today is one of particular interest to me, given that, like congressman sally, i represent a border district in the rio grand valley of texas. For years now, in mexico, the state across from my Congressional District has been coping with serious Security Issues due to cartel violence. In fact, this coming thursday, my mexican colleagues at the federal level in the state and i will be launching a social media effort to help promote the idea of bringing peace to the state. As mexican cartels have fought for control of smuggling corridors in mexico and our southern border, communities on the mexican side have seen drug related homicides and violence. The threat is not confined to our southern border. Cartels use networks within the United States to traffic elicit drugs, weapons and other contraband. The security and prosperity of all our districts and so many communities across the nation depend in part on security and prosperity across the border. I want to continue to be supportive of the United States efforts to that end. I am also appreciative of secretary kellys recent comm t comments with respected to what he would like to do to address the issue of demand in this country. I hope to hear from you today about how the various xencompons within dhs are coordinating in mexico and enhance Border Security. I would ask all of our witnesses to speak to the subcommittee about how the threat has evolved and changed over time. What we need to do to change this threat and what we as members of congress can do to support all our efforts. Border communities like many of us represent and neighbors in mexico are counting on us to get this right. Madam chairman, thank you for holding this hearing and i appreciate our witnesses joining us today. I look forward to a Productive Congress with you and all the members of the subcommittee. I yield back theles with balan time. Opening statement mays be submitted by the record. Were pleased to be joined by four distinguished witnesses. Vice admiral charles, and responsible for the development of operational strategy, guidance and resources that address the coast guards national priorities. He previously served as a pacific area commander in the middle east director of iraq training and advisor for the interior. Commander paul beason, commander of jtf arizona, responsible for guidance and commissioner of cvp, through command and coordination of operational functions within the state of arizona. In addition to those roles and responsibilities, he has oversight of the sector encompassing the tactical operation of eight stations including 420 person yelnel in director. The assistant director of homeland programs for security investigations and u. S. And Customs Enforcement. Mr. Allen for programmatic oversight for Strategic Planning and National Policy discussion and initiatives. Mr. Allen previously served as special agent in charge of arizona where he had oversight of it. C. E. And led more than 500 penniel throughout the state. Ambassador louis, did i pronounce that correctly . He is responsible for state Department Programs combatting elicit drugs and organized crime as well as support for Law Enforcement and rule of law in the western hemisphere. Prior to this appointment he served as United States ambassador for the republic of ice lan from 2010 to 2013. The witnesss full written statements will appear in the record and now five minutes to testify. Good morning, chair woman mcsally and Ranking Member vela. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on threats to the homeland. Cbp i. C. E. And the department of state and id like to thank everyone for their leadership in this effort. Before i continue, i want to draw your attention to the exhibit in north america and Central America and south america. When i talk about the transit zone, when we speak about that, its between that area and south american and southern mexico. We continue to face a threat leading to the subapproaches to the United States. The coast guard protects the maritime border not just here at home and the coast of south and Central America as part of our layered security strategy. As secretary kelly stated a few days ago, the defense of the southwest border starts about 1500 miles south of there. When Transnational Criminal Organizations or violent tra Transnational Criminal Organizations threaten and harm governme governments, they engage in all matters of elicit activity and destabilize latin america. The widespread violence they employ has reached epidemic problems and those who attempt to illegally enter the United States. As one of the nations five a armed forces and the only one with broad Law Enforcement authority, the position to attack these criminal networks where they are most vulnerable at sea. Their in terdiction package includes a cutter and helicopter and high speed boats and boa boarding trains. We seize multitugs at sea before they are broken into small quantities extremely difficult to intercept as they make their journey to north america. We leverage only 42 maritime Law Enforcement s in the hemisphere for prosecutions. In many effective areas were the only maritime presence for our maritime neighbors. Our coast guard personnel assets are effective. The Coast Guard Agency interd t interdicted more cocaine at sea than interdicted across the land than locals come bined because we get it in bulk quantities offshore, sometimes in the thousands of kilos. By doing so we push the border south to protect the nation significantly to impact the criminal organizations. Beyond demonstrating our effect the trafficking is unfortunately on the rise. Resource constraints and lack of capable surface assets allow the coast guard to only target 30 of the known cases. We have good intelligence, really high confidence intelligence. As a result of resources last year, we were preventing 580 smuggling events that made their way on north. Unfortunately, due to National Security demands on our great navy now preclude our participation in these operat n operations. Secretary kelly noted there hasnt been a significant sustained Navy Presence in the Eastern Caribbean for almost four years. In that time our coast guard has doubled down our presence in the region and we are your armed force in the maritime approaches to the u. S. We continue to look for ways to increase our offshore cutter presence. We just dont have the assets to address all the intelligence we have. For that reason recapitalizing our cutter fleet with the program is a must for the program mission. We appreciate the support thus far and continued support from this congress will be essential as we move to commission our first offshore patrol cutter in 2021. These new assets will make us more effective. Like the other armed forces we are facing other Readiness Challenges with assets and agent structure and strained work force and like our fellow chief said he believes it will stay that way as long as the budget control act is in effect. We will continue to use risk controlled approach for our resources and we have a group of outstanding professional men and women as evidenced by the 200 metrics of cocaine we seized in 2016, a coast guard record. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today and all due for the men and women of the coast guard. I look forward to hearing your concerns. Thank you. The general can testify for five minutes. Good morning. Chair woman mcsally, Ranking Member vela and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear on behalf of u. S. Customs and Border Protection to discuss the drug smuggling tactics and techniques used by criminal organizations and how cbp is working to address this threat and secure our nations borders. I began my career as a Border Patrol agent in 1985 and i have seen it change from a baurbd wire fence nationwide work force of a few,000 Border Patrol agents to today av 600 miles fencing and 22,000 Border Patrol agents on duty. The border has changed and become more complex. Over the course of my career i have seen the creation of the department of Homeland Security, funding increases and decreases and committed evolution of victcriminals who seek to explo our borders. I have seen the cvp and offices that make up cbp work with congress. Resources and technology and tactical infrastructure shape the border we see today. We have realized greater Situational Awareness and significant reductions in activity from a high of over 1. 6 million arrests in fiscal year 2000 to just over 400,000 arrests last fiscal year. Throughout my career i have seen tcos demonstrating unending resolve in their intent to exploit the border for their own gain. They have used nimble and innovative tactics to illegally cross our borders and smuggle both people and contraband. Tcos operate including at and between the sports of entry and various domains such as land, air and sea. Cbp has met and combat these illegal activities but tcos continue in their intent to circumvent Border Security measures. Drug smuggling is a part of their enterprises and today smuggle by foot, vehicle, air, tunneling and even through the use of projectile type systems. Tcos also rely on scouting and countersurveillance and lo gist call support to further their illegal drug smuggling operat n operations. While illegal drug smuggling still occurs, they continue to take steps combatting their efforts. In fiscal year 2016, cbp officers seized or disrupted more than 3. 3 Million Pounds of narcot narcotics. In addition to in terdictions and seizures, cbps disrupt the manner in which they attempt to struggle drugs, prior to fencing deployments in the tucson sector of operations, over 1,000 vehicle drivethroughs were recorded in 2006 and last year only 18 such events recorded. While ramping and drive through still occur they have diminished their probability of success and shaped these elicit operations. What i have seen in over 30 years of Law Enforcement is that tcos remain persistent in their intent to engage in illegal cross border activity. I have also seen cbp with collaboration with Law Enforcement partners make progress in improving the security of our borders. This is the result of investments over the years in our Border Security and in the blood, sweat and tears of the men and women engaged in the daily battle to secure our borders. With continued support from congress, we will continue to further refine and enhance the effectiveness of our detection and intradiction capabilities. While tcos may be intend in their smuggling operations, cbp is no less demd to safe guard the boarders of this consider with integrity. Chairman mcsally and Ranking Member, vela, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I now recognize the next guest. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the threats posed by