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Tester brings Homeland Security deputy to Havre

Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Aleandro Mayorkas and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., will be in Havre Wednesday, as part of a two-day series of "listening sessions" with law enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol personnel about border security and human trafficking.

"This visit will help shed light on critical national and domestic security issues so we can look for ways to improve the security of Montanans, our communities and our borders," said Les Braswell, Tester's deputy communications director.

Tester and Mayorkas will visit the Border Patrol station on 16th Avenue at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, where they will visit the facilities and lead a discussion about human trafficking.

Tuesday they will hold two listening sessions at Helena Airport, one with law enforcement and justice personnel and the second with first responders.

Tester, a Big Sandy resident who sits on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, as well as the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, has long been a vocal proponent of allocating more resources and focusing attention on securing the 5,525 mile U.S-Canadian border, 545 miles of which spans across Northern Montana. He argues that a terrorist or criminal is more likely to enter the U.S through the less guarded northern border than the southern border, where the bulk of the government and public's attention is directed.

According to the U.S Department of Homeland Security, 2,200 Border Patrol agents police the U.S-Canadian border, backed up by 3,700 Customs and Border Patrol officers who are tasked with inspecting vehicles and goods that come across the northern border.

Mayorkas, who emigrated to the United States when he was a year old, has held his position as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security since he was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2013. Prior to that, he was tapped by Obama to be director of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Between 1998 and 2001, Mayorkas served as U.S attorney for Central California where among other things he represented the federal government in prosecuting cases of drug trafficking, money laundering and issues of immigration.

 

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