New analysis from TransBorder Project Director Tom Barry

Something isn't working.

In late 2005 Michael Chertoff, the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, launched the "Secure Border Initiative" as the umbrella program for border control and immigration enforcement. The announced goal of SBI, described as "a comprehensive multiyear plan to secure America's borders and reduce illegal migration," was to gain "operational control of both the northern and southern borders within five years."

Now, in response to calls for more border security by regional politicians and fears of a spillover of Mexico's drug-related violence, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has announced a renewed operational focus on Southwest border security. The new initiative, "The Southwest Border: The Way Ahead," continues to meet recent increases of cartel violence in Mexico with strong action and solidified coordination with federal, state, local, tribal, and Mexican authorities.

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Tom Barry directs the TransBorder Project of the Americas Program at the Center for International Policy in Washington, DC. He blogs at http://borderlinesblog.blogspot.com/.