Napolitano's Statement on Rightwing Extremism Report

The Homeland Security report has worried conservatives who somehow identify with hate groups and extremism. Hmmmmm. Clearly, conservatives aren't the issue. Misinformed wackos (to be polite) are.
Anyway, here is Janet Napolitano's statement on the Homeland Security report on the threat of rightwing extremism:

The primary mission of this department is to prevent terrorist attacks on our nation. The document on right-wing extremism sent last week by this department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis is one in an ongoing series of assessments to provide situational awareness to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies on the phenomenon and trends of violent radicalization in the United States. I was briefed on the general topic, which is one that struck a nerve as someone personally involved in the Timothy McVeigh prosecution.
Let me be very clear: we monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States. We don’t have the luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country from terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology that motivates its violence.
We are on the lookout for criminal and terrorist activity but we do not – nor will we ever – monitor ideology or political beliefs. We take seriously our responsibility to protect the civil rights and liberties of the American people, including subjecting our activities to rigorous oversight from numerous internal and external sources.
I am aware of the letter from American Legion National Commander Rehbein, and my staff has already contacted him to set up a meeting next week once I return from travel. I will tell him face-to-face that we honor veterans at DHS and employ thousands across the department, up to and including the Deputy Secretary.
As the department responsible for protecting the homeland, DHS will continue to work with its state and local partners to prevent and protect against the potential threat to the United States associated with any rise in violent extremist activity.

Commander Rehbein also saw himself in the report.

The American Legion on Tuesday criticized a new Homeland Security report as unfairly stereotyping veterans by suggesting that some soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan could be recruited by right-wing extremists to participate in violent actions.

"I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are," David K. Rehbein, national commander of the veterans organization, said in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about a security assessment titled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence and Recruitment." Wash Times

From the report:

(U//FOUO) Lone Wolves and Small Terrorist Cells

(U//FOUO) DHS/I&A assessDisgruntled Military Veterans

(U//FOUO) DHS/I&A assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and
radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists—including lone wolves or small terrorist cells—to carry out violence. The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today.

— (U) After Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, some returning military
veterans—including Timothy McVeigh—joined or associated with rightwing
extremist groups.

— (U) A prominent civil rights organization reported in 2006 that “large numbers
of potentially violent neo-Nazis, skinheads, and other white supremacists are now
learning the art of warfare in the [U.S.] armed forces.”

— (U//LES) The FBI noted in a 2008 report on the white supremacist movement
that some returning military veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have
joined extremist groups.
Lone Wolves and Small Terrorist Cells

(U//FOUO) DHS/I&A assesses that lone wolves and small terrorist cells embracing violent rightwing extremist ideology are the most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States. Information from law enforcement and nongovernmental organizations indicates lone wolves and small terrorist cells have shown intent—and, in some cases, the capability—to commit violent acts.

— (U//LES) DHS/I&A has concluded that white supremacist lone wolves pose the most
significant domestic terrorist threat because of their low profile and autonomy—separate from any formalized group—which hampers warning efforts.

— (U//FOUO) Similarly, recent state and municipal law enforcement reporting has warned of the dangers of rightwing extremists embracing the tactics of “leaderless resistance” and of lone wolves carrying out acts of violence.

— (U//FOUO) Arrests in the past several years of radical militia members in Alabama, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania on firearms, explosives, and other related violations indicates the emergence of small, well-armed extremist groups in some rural areas.

Napolitano's Agency Working on Counter Radicalization

In an interview with Germany's Spiegel, Janet Napolitano says within the Department of Homeland Security, a group is working on identifying those who might be susceptible to extreme teachings. She also appears to be deflating terrorists, moving away from empowering them by labeling them our No. 1 enemy, getting away from Bush's politics of fear.

SPIEGEL: You would like the German authorities to share personal data of terrorism suspects, such as fingerprinting and DNA?

Napolitano: That is exactly right. We will also want to share some experiences with counter-radicalization, how the radicalization of young Muslims in our countries can be prevented.

SPIEGEL: Europe has a problem with just such people, young Muslims who grew up in the West and are still susceptible to radical messages. The terrorists responsible for the July 2005 attacks in London are an example.

Napolitano: In some ways, the problem in Europe is greater than in the United States. But the questions are the same. How do you identify a youth who is susceptible to becoming radicalized? How do you work with that youth, his family and community to give them alternatives to radicalization?

SPIEGEL: Would you characterize such social measures as a task of your agency?

Napolitano: Yes. In fact, we have group within my agency, the civil liberties group, and they have a focus right now on that issue.

SPIEGEL: Because the US fears that homegrown European terrorists with European passports could enter the country without a visa, for some weeks all travellers have had to via the internet at least 72 hours before departure. Is that not going too far?

Napolitano: Thousands have registered with the ESTA program, and the rate of acceptance is around 98 percent. This new technology enables us to more thoroughly check who wants to visit our country. Read the whole interview. Read the whole interview

Napolitano Reviews the Practice of Tossing Out Widows and Widowers of U.S. Citizens

From E-Verify, which allows employers to check if a worker has the legal right to work in the U.S., to the national guard to immigrant widows and widowers, Homeland Security is getting a full review. A report of the findings are do on Feb. 20

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced today a wide-ranging action directive on immigration and border security.
The directive requires specific department offices and components to work together and with state and local partners to review and assess the plans and policies to address: criminal and fugitive aliens; legal immigration benefit backlogs; southbound gun smuggling; cooperation with the National Guard; widows and widowers of U.S. citizens; immigration detention centers; and electronic employee verification.

On E-Verify:

Electronic Employment Verification. Reducing unauthorized employment is crucial for controlling the problem of illicit migration. E-Verify has been a key component in proposals for comprehensive immigration reform and holds real promise as a central element in effective immigration enforcement that combines border efforts with interior measures. But E-Verify has encountered criticism both for false negatives (persons who are authorized to work but who nonetheless receive a tentative non-confirmation from the system) and for false positives (unauthorized aliens who receive a confirmation because they have borrowed or stolen the identity of an authorized worker).

What is the status of the employer monitoring and compliance efforts of the E-Verify system? How can DHS expand such monitoring, including alternative strategies such as electronic detection of suspicious patterns, with an indication of resource requirements?

What strategies are available to minimize false negatives? What steps and resources are needed to secure a systematic and detailed study of the origin, prevalence, and types of erroneous non-confirmations, including measuring the rate of correct non-confirmations, and how much time would be required for such a study?

What is the status of measures (such as photo tools) designed to minimize false positives? Currently, photo tools are useful for only certain types of documents presented by the worker. What would be needed to make the photo tool applicable to all identity documents presented by covered employees? What is the prospect for using biometrics as part of the screening (done either by the employer or at an offsite location by specialized offices)? What role could data-mining or other innovative strategies play in helping to identify false positives and false negatives? What steps would be most effective both in the short and long term to deter and detect identity fraud? Please also provide an assessment of the laws and regulations on administrative fines for employers.

Under Bush, widows and widowers of U.S. citizens have been callously tossed if their petitions weren't in order. So boneheaded. In many cases, these people have children who are U.S. citizens and in many cases it's the fault of the immigration and Homeland Security departments for being slow in processing paperwork. 

Widows and Widowers of U.S. Citizens. Recent media accounts have highlighted the cases of widows and widowers of U.S. citizens who had petitioned for the alien spouse’s immigration, but whose petitions were not adjudicated before the citizen spouse’s death. Because of the death of the petitioning spouse, the petitions were denied. What are the regulatory, legislative, and litigation options that could be considered to immediately address the situation of these widows and widowers?

This was a focus of a 60 Minutes episode, a must-watch:

Obama Picks Jane Holl Lute as Deputy Secretary Homeland Security

From the Department of Homeland Security:

Today, President Obama announced his intention to nominate Jane Holl Lute as Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In addition, Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the following appointments for her senior staff: Noah Kroloff, Chief of Staff for Policy to the Secretary; and Jan Lesher, Chief of Staff for Operations to the Secretary.
"I am confident that the counsel and leadership of my senior team will benefit this department greatly," said Secretary Napolitano. "Jane's experience leading large operations with broad and challenging missions lends itself to the undertaking we have before us at Homeland Security. I look forward to working with these talented individuals as we work to further unify this department under our common mission."

Jane Holl Lute, Deputy Secretary
Jane Holl Lute has served under two presidents on the National Security Council staff at the White House. Ms. Lute is currently the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General charged with coordinating efforts to build sustainable peace in countries emerging from conflict. Previously, as Assistant Secretary-General in both the United Nations Department of Field Support and Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Ms. Lute managed and provided critical support to all UN field missions, peacekeeping operations, and special political missions in over thirty countries around the world.
Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Lute was Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of the United Nations Foundation and the Better World Fund, the entities established to administer Ted Turner's $1 billion contribution to support the goals of the United Nations.
Ms. Lute headed the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict and was a senior public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Prior to working at the White House, Ms. Lute had a distinguished career in the United States Army, including service in the Gulf during Operation Desert Storm.
She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in political science from Stanford University, and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.
Noah Kroloff, Chief of Staff for Policy to the Secretary
Former Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Policy for Governor Napolitano.
Jan Lesher, Chief of Staff for Operations to the Secretary
Former Chief of Staff for Governor Napolitano and Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce.

Read more about Lute here.
Here's an interview with Lute when she headed Peacekeeping Operations.