PROTECTING THE HOMELAND IS A PRESIDENT’S SACRED DUTY

Robert S. Wells

Our nation has a clear and present danger represented by the unacceptable risk associated with the unauthorized and sustained breech of our national southern border and offshore areas by a cross section of global humanity, Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO's), cartel organizations and hundreds of US watch list terrorists.

We live in a 912 world…and need to avoid returning to the pre-911 mindset that arguably is being pursued by the Biden Administration.?

Having served as National Security Special Advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney (2003-2007) and as part of the Homeland Security process when then Governor Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff both served as DHS secretary, I’ve been watching the border crisis and the risk it poses from my new home in Arizona for the past three years with increasing alarm.

From my perspective, it is clear that what is required at this time is strong American leadership by the Executive Branch and, specifically recalling the actions of President George W. Bush in the wake of the 911 terrorist attacks, unprecedented action that we can immediately take using the US Code Title 8 Section 12, which reads: ?

Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by President

Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.

It’s for moments like these with hundreds of thousands of unscreened and unvetted men, women and children entering our country that previous administrations (and Congresses) have granted authority to the president under the United States Code which should govern the management strategy with Inadmissible Aliens.

The president must align with this law, mitigate risk and carry out his sacred duty to protect the American homeland and the American people.

As mentioned above, a similar period representing a “Clear and Present Danger” in American history occurred after the 911 attacks on September 11, 2001. ?

President Bush responded with a series of Executive Orders (EO)’s that reorganized the government to better manage the terrorist threat and created the Homeland Security Council to manage the homeland security and defense risk to the American people. ??

There is a consequential bottom line for our times as we continue into 2024.?? Urgent and immediate executive action is a start and a refreshed 2024 EO would pave the way.

In addition to a new presidential EO a new Homeland Security Council (HSC) organization would immediately help our Homeland Security professionals and the Congress to properly staff and scale the teams required to deal with the got-aways and terrorist infiltration.

The HSC organization which we established in 2001 and which lasted through 2009 remains a great example and helped to quickly and properly equip, man and train our intelligence community, homeland security and immigration workforce during those years.

Since then circumstances have changed in the past three years and the Intelligence Community (IC) and FBI homeland security organizations are doing the best they can to alert the American people, local communities and congress but may be unable to “connect the dots” before the next attack in the homeland.

An EO is not hard to devise and as a start, I’ve humbly crafted a draft to get the process started in order to at least achieve a strategic pause of the enduring border surge from Mexico and the surrounding Pacific and Caribbean ocean areas.

By managing the border through strong presidential leadership a sense of positive teamwork with all of the stakeholders-most importantly the American people to begin to take the pressure off our homeland security professionals and communities throughout the US.?

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A SUGGESTED DRAFT EXECUTIVE ORDER TEXT

We need a strategic pause at the border.

The United States and its government stands for freedom and life.

We have a responsibility to our citizens to provide for their security and to reduce risk in their lives.

We also understand that the United States remains a beacon of hope for those seeking freedom and opportunity.

However, at present the established Immigration and Visa processes are at the max capacity.

Further, this undocumented migrant population has overwhelmed our ability and our state and local government ability to properly deal with the surge and protect the United States from those taking advantage of our generosity to do us harm.

Accordingly, I, Joe Biden, as President of the United States declares that the “hotel is full” and that the US and its government has established a strategic pause in unplanned, unapproved immigration until legal immigration balance is restored at some future date.

This EO and policy is effective immediately and has been transmitted to the state governors of these United States for use with their individual state mandates.

We need to be true to our principles as well as restore management balance to the current circumstances.

I have also transmitted this EO to the UN and our neighbors in Canada and Mexico to help inform their efforts to manage official and unofficial flows of migrants to our borders and water areas.

//S POTUS//

Reducing the risk to the American people of the clear and present danger by the cross section of humanity we have not properly accounted for and the TCO’s, Cartels and likely terrorist “got aways” is a President’s sacred duty.

I recommend that the president’s advisors reorganize quickly to manage this world and US circumstance in order to protect the American people.

We live in a 912 world for the foreseeable future.

The president of the United States has a sacred duty to protect.

A fresh EO represents a good first step along the path towards effective border and homeland security.

The clock is ticking.

Robert S. Wells is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran and former Special Advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney.

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