In an interview with Newsweek, Napolitano similarly indicated that more law enforcement assets will be sent to the border in the coming weeks: "She said their mandate would be not just preventing drugs and cartel members from entering the United States but stemming the flow of cash and weapons from the U.S. to Mexico."
Yet oddly enough, one of the administrations priorities is to launch an investigation of Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Separately, in an interview with the German news organization Spiegel, Napolitano suggested that in the new administration the word "terrorism" is going the way of enemy combatant.
SPIEGEL: Madame Secretary, in your first testimony to the US Congress as Homeland Security Secretary you never mentioned the word "terrorism." Does Islamist terrorism suddenly no longer pose a threat to your country?
Napolitano: Of course it does. I presume there is always a threat from terrorism. In my speech, although I did not use the word "terrorism," I referred to "man-caused" disasters. That is perhaps only a nuance, but it demonstrates that we want to move away from the politics of fear toward a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur.Meanwhile, the Washington Times is less than enamored with Napolitano's stewardship of the agency:
Department of Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano seems to be floundering on immigration and national security issues.
Not only is she continuing her quixotic campaign against Real ID, the main federal law safeguarding the integrity of drivers' licenses and keeping them out of the hands of terrorists, but she has also been weak and apologetic about the efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do its job - removing illegal aliens from the United States.And congratulations to Justice Sotomayor, who yesterday received Senate confirmation of her appointment. Click here for a review of a book written by one of her new colleagues.
