Justin O'Brien
December 13, 2004

Laredo Mayor Betty Flores, a Conference Trustee and Co-chair of the Conference's Borders Task Force spent December 3 in Washington (DC) visiting numerous Federal agencies. She began the day with meetings at the Department of Defense's National War College at Fort McNair, and the U.S. State Department where discussions centered on security and other issues related to U.S.-Mexico border crossings. Flores followed with a lengthy meeting with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Under-Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson regarding the US VISIT border and international security program.

US VISIT Program Director at DHS Jim Williams and Audrey Adams, a 13-year veteran of Laredo as head of U.S. Customs operations there, joined with Flores and the Secretary. The mayor also congratulated Secretary Hutchinson on his birthday, which coincided with her visit.

Following their meeting Secretary Hutchinson described Flores as "A public leader that leads. There are many that have the name 'public leader' that simply follow or criticize. That is not what Mayor Flores has done with US VISIT. She held our [DHS'] feet to the fire to ensure that the program would work, but has been just as steadfast in her fair appraisal of the program's success."

"This trip is an example of my commitment to continue to work very hard, diligently and steadfast on border issues, so that the border is secure and economically viable. The border will continue to be the focus of my agenda," said Flores.

At a 2001 emergency security summit of mayors in the wake of the 9-11 terror attacks, in recognition of the key role that border cities play in national and international commerce, the Conference of Mayors called for a series of border security measures. These included implementation of programs to expedite the entry of low-risk, pre-approved cross-border travelers, such as those commuting to jobs daily or who cross the border in the ordinary course of their work. At the same time, borders would be secured against would-be immigrants and cross'border travelers that represent terror and public safety threats. Included were recommendations for both the reform of the visa-granting process and procedures and the incorporation of biometrics in the monitoring of legal non-citizen visitors and temporary workers. The US VISIT program significantly responds to the intent of these and other Conference border security recommendations through many of its features.