columbus ohio to meet with 50 or 60 community leaders who themselves have the capacity to reach young people and their communities who made the attem attempt -- attempting to turn toward violence. i was in the chicago suburb in the somali american community organization and i'm going to other cities like minneapolis and a couple of weeks, boston, dearborn and los angeles. when i'm done i want to be able to reach personally a large percentage of the organizations that themselves have the ability to reach people in this country and communities where that potential might exist. and so while we monitor threats from overseas, potential overseas threats our intelligence community does a pretty good job on that above we are focused on aviation security

we continue to be focused on aviation security the new phenomena but i worry about are the foreign fighters and the threat of violent extremism here at home. >> i am ted hissen, a report with fusion. my question is, is the president still committed to taking executive action on immigration, and what sort of action is he considering at this time? >> yes. the president is very committed to taking executive action to fix our broken immigration system. in the absence of action by congress and so am i. and we're developing a set of reforms that i would characterize as comprehensive in

nature, but within our existing legal authorities. there are a number of things we can do, and we should do, to fix our immigration system, which i anticipate will be announced somewhere between the mid-term elections and the end of the year. i think that's what the president said. >> okay. yes, sir, right here. >> thank you, sir. i i'm matt, with abc news. >> louder. >> i'm matt lauer with abc news, question. on the question of foreign fighters, a recent poll from dhs went to local law enforcement warning that people who have gone to syria and hence returned to the uniteêáñ states might be posing a threat. how worried are you precisely on the threat of foreign fighters that have already returned to the homeland? >> i think our law enforcement does a pretty good job of

tracking individuals who may be tempted toward violence, who may be committing criminal acts or are about to commit criminal acts, and together, between tracking individuals of suspicion in their travel, in their activities here at home, and their activities abroad, i think we do a pretty good job of tracking these people. you can never know what you don't know, but when i look at the level of detail that goes into this effort, and the systems we havetpjeñ place, i he a reasonable degree of comfort that we're doing a pretty good job in that regard. i would not say i have a complete degree of comfort but i have a reasonable degree of comfort that we're doing a pretty good job in that regard. okay. right here, sir, with the gray suit on. and the tie.

>> thank you, mr. secretary. i'm wondering -- >> your name, please? >> ben with crossmatch technologies. >> what organization? >> crossmatch technologies. abiometrics company. i'm wondering, where does an exit program fit in your program for the southwest border -- biometric exit program? something that congressman debted but not yet funded. >> biometric entry and exit. is the gold standard. but it costs money. and so we're working toward a biometric exit system, but it costs movement it's the gold standard. there are several important agenda items that i'd like to see completed, but i have to rely on my partners in congress to do that. we need the right technology in place to do it efficiently, but biometric exit and entry is the

gold standard. okay. yes, ma'am, right here. >> i'm julia edwards with reuters. you laid out numbers to show how families and unaccompanied children from central america -- the number are quibbling, what are -- quicking. why are we -- are dwindling. why are we are still building facilities? >> a lot of migration is seasonal, and so look at the pattern this past summer of adults, adults without children, it followed almost idly the migration patterns in prior yearsfé in terms of the numbers and the trends, and so a lot of the migration you saw and a lot of that spike you saw is

definitely seasonal. but then there was a sharp dropoff, which may have been attributed to a lot of the aggressive efforts we put in place, the public messaging, and so we have got in my view, guard against the same thing happening again, and so we want to build additional capability that can be converted from one type of use to another on pretty short notice. and so i think there's some lessons learned from tom experience -- from that experience but we don't want to totally dismantle all the things weea1m in place this summer to deal with that because it could come backy' again. i watch the numbers several times a week to detect any upward trends but it could come back again because the traditional migration pattern for adults is right after the

new year, starts to inch up again and again and peaks in early summer and then drops off when it gets hot in the southwest, and the late summer, and so we can see the same thing come back again, and i want to build against that. okay. i've got time for one or two more questions. gentleman way in the back. that's you, yes, with the gray suit. >> i got lucky. arthur with the polish embassy. my question concern. >> what your organization? >> the polish embassy. my question concerns the visa waiver program you mentioned, as you well know there are some still some eu member states that are aspiring candidates to enter the program but folks on the hill are pushing back contingent on dhs publishing oversay numbers. your predecessor assured that would happen over a year and a

half ago. are you any closer to the numbers being determined and are you concern about the isil threat in3 supported the united states and iraq and afghanistan and do with the isil threat right now. thank you. >> that's a three-part question. let me answer it. first, as you probably know, the criteria for getting into the visa waiver program is statutory. so, congress sets out the criteria and we assess whether a nation has melt -- met it and is qualified. so it's set up by congress. subpart a, b., was -- overstay numbers, right. how i can forget that? there is a report in the works which i reviewed a while ago, and i thought it needed some

red-teaming. i wanted to have some good scrutiny aph7rqb to it before we made it public because it's an important number, and i want to be sure we get it right. so, i'm -- you know what red-teaming means, right? i wanted to have some scrutiny put to it, to ensure that we have it right. we have the methodology right. in terms of dealing with the foreign fighter issue, we are evaluating whether there is more information we could get from participants in the visa waiver program with respect to people who travel from their country to ours. member in the visa waiver program, they sign up to something called homeland security presidential directive 6, which is a series of security assurances, and we want to see

if we're obtaining all the information we could and should pursuant to those agreements. and so my folks and others are evaluating that right now. i think it's very important that we do that.á okay. let me go over here. let see. yes, sir. right there on the end. >> thank you, mr. secretary. greg shin felon the american immigration lawyers association. you responded to the question that the reporter from reuters asked about the unaccompanied children and the families that are coming here by responding about the seasonal change in the numbers coming here. but the american immigration lawyers association has had attorneys going on a volunteer basis to new mexico which is a new facility opened in june to detain families. mothers and children, as you know well, who have come here from central america that are being held in these jail

facilities, and what our attorneys are seeing are that these mothers and children are coming, fleeing violence, horrific violence, domestic violence, gang-based violence, much of which would qualify them for asylum and refugee status in the united states, at very high numbers, great majority of the women who have strong claims for asylum. as the reuters reporter asked before, why is the adapt -- why is this administration continuing to build more facilities, not just the ones in inflame -- in new mexico and another one in texas and another one in texas that will bring the number of detention facilities up to 4,000. why this massive expansion when we talking about asylum seekers here two deserve our protection, and we understand the surge issues but these are asylum seekers that deserve real protection and can't be treated this way, especially mothers and children. >> a lot of the spike that we

saw this summer were not just unaccompanied kids, unaccompanied kids got the most attention but a lot of it, perhaps on the same numbers, if not larger, were what we call family units, parents with kids, which is what you're asking me about. wef÷ have -- we had detention space for about 34,000 individuals. only 95 beds total for family units. only 95 family unit capabilities out of 34,000. and so we believe it's necessary to build more of that capability in the event we have another spike, like we had last summer. 95 out of 34,000 is just not acceptable. and so i want to build additional capability that can

be converted from one use to the other. i've personally been to artesia. i was there when i first opened. every time i visit artesia or nogales or mcallen i spend time talking to migrants myself. the moms and dads. to understand why they made this journey. and i'm certainly aware of the issues that counsel have had with communications with their clients at are tee should, and i direct -- artesia, and i directed my folks to put in place a number of things to make the attorney-client relationship easier there. so, -- i certainly appreciate the attorney-client relationship. okay. one more question. yes, sir.

the mic is coming, and then i might have one more. >> okay. >> i have a two-part question -- >> mike spalding. >> one relate ode to the last question. you indicated in your prepared remarks that both you and the vice president visited central america mitchell question is did cowom away from the meetings satisfied they have both the resources and the will to help address some of the questions that precipitated some of that spike? the second question, you talked about aviation security and partularly southern northern border security. can you say a few words about your level of comfort on maritime security given as much as 95% of goods come into the country come in cargo containers. >> okay. question one. central america. first of all, in the course of my visit to guatemala, i got to know the ambassador from guatemala, who is right here in the front row. a wonderful public servant.

and i had a good session with his president. both here and in guatemala, and the members of his cabinet and the first lady. i came away from central america, from guatemalaxd in particular, knowing that there was a very personal heartfelt commitment to encouraging their youth to stay at home. the first lady of guatemala, very committed to that. she put her heart and soul into it with a public campaign this summer, which i believe contributed to the downturn. undoubtedly there are issues of poverty and violence in central america, particularly in honduras, and el salvador and guatemala. so in our discussions, which

including the president, president obama, the vice president, myself, secretary kerry, we talked about longer term ways in which we can address those issues. we want to help in central america with their border security efforts. we want to help government of guatemala with their border security efforts. we have in place some resources to do that now, but we talked about more of that, and i believe that in the course of our dialogue we came away with a renewed commitment to do better and to do more in that regard among all of us. and so we're going to cona9ue that dialogue and continue those discussions. question two, maritime security. that was we three. question two was -- [inaudible]

>> yes. when i visited ports, like port of los angeles, i'm pretty impressed by our screening capabilities. we are pretty sophisticated at identifying high-risk cargo by the profile of the manifest, the source, the country source, and then subjecting to secondary screening higher level of screening stuff that fits the profile, that potentially problematic. ...

>> >> simply because we don't have the capability or the resources or the many. which we don't control those ports by the way and logistically is not their. so we're developing and i promise the principal sponsors of the law we will develop the plan with one dissent scanning but we don't have the resources congress has not given us the resources to do that but we're developing that. i'd like to see us get to a higher percentage.

but i looked at what comes into the country for screening and it is pretty sophisticated. but to take away from that a pretty good story to. >> last question we are now screening for ebola do we have contingencies that work? >> we definitely have the capability to deal with the ebola virus every time there is an outbreak of the world we have the best health care the best infrastructure is a treatable disease.

but you receive the right medical care and treatment in time. we have had one case in the united states but the facts are there is no direct flights going through different points mostly in europe and on average 150 people per day and they come in touche jfk of chicago or atlanta. given the nature of the diseases and public concern we determine to enhance the screening will already have in place.

but when you get on the plane to leave the airlines have been given a lot of information. passengers have been given information. and where you observed them put through the normal customs process is more active aggressive screening at the point when you arrived to have travelers from the three countries allowed a declaration without contact information for the next 21 days e-mail, cellphone passport numbers are you feeling ill

or have of fever? have you been around anyone that has ebola? and additionally every passenger we will have this in place as early as this weekend said the airport's my goal is that we create internationally as many different checkpoints as possible to go through the system. thank you very much. [applause]

>> for our panelists thanks for being here. and serving in the pentagon since 2003 serving in space better spanish than i do which is pretty impressive. and before he served as lieutenant governor the last week writing a letter to the

mexican government that is highly critical of the deployment to the national guard. musec mexico's response of legalization is a that has been in the news. in deal of a texas democrat to serve also serving on homeland's security and the only democrat to vote with the republicans on the measure. >> they voted with may. [laughter] >> israel's backup provision to the trafficking lot is that is

for the raiders coming over the border into his left agricultural commissioner from 2007. before that he was in the texas house and senate and now with the texas gas and oil association and in 2011 with the protected texas border that farmers and ranchers with everything that is going on in the border. and some of them from the valley. he is from el paso and sets

of the veterans affairs gentlemen security committee behavior self. [laughter] >> it is so much more relaxed now. >> serving on the city council and in 2011 with dealing dread death and drugs that the congressman said of a dialogue or the violence also with the struggle at the same time right wing law-enforcement that was a big point of controversy and last but not least the colonel was the

head who served of more than two decades in drizzle so precarious head of border security and beginning a 1.$3 million operation i don't know how many have been down here lately but you can without seeing of 58 or 20s but there is a lot of black and whites out there country from the national guard the national guard recently joined those efforts. [applause]

i want to start with you to release those statistics the their brief recap panetta something people want to know about and as it relates to what is going on. and weak 11 the way we started retard about the search operation just saturation controls but the first week period operation

13,606 there was a concern of the population but then it was to the special crimes but then walking 1,197 from week 11 so it's not that the numbers that matter but added time we the point is if it's from the state leadership of the legislature of the home invasions that are expressed

also the stash house when i talk about the human stash house the business model of the cartel you may have paid your money to get here you're not going anywhere. >> what about the national guard specifically there has been questioned of the enforcement powers so there are sensitivities to let the public know because that is possible. >> and when they were called up path what we have done is a tad partners to defy the observation post the texas military guard personnel just by being there can observe so they can look at

and see that smuggling activity. when the report for public safety is a great concentration i don't want to leave local law enforcement in the equation. >> you have the top bid rework critical but looking at the entire border he did elaborate. >> i question the cause and effect relationship plan for the drop in children and family in central america. and then the hot summer months people willing to make that journey there is the natural peak the mayor may not have been reached.

but let's get this realistically 50 years ago on the eve of 9/11 1.6 million apprehensions along the southern border last year 420,000 to even from the surge of central america will probably not hit half-million. spending more than twice what we were. and el paso texas but the safest city in the entire country with the immigrants of the community being right on the border. >> you have the recent shooting of off-duty border patrol and nationals tour violently murdered an

interested in sexual assaults committed by a legal intervention so there is not on the border? so what are you saying? >> i am not saying there's not a crime on the border but it is much safer on average in not just tell pasco and despite the presence of immigrants. not to commit crimes but to provide a better life for themselves news their crimes sometimes on the border? yes. smuggle drugs? and people? yes. my hats off to border patrol. in to ensure the border.

in coming from central america is disproportionate. the scary thing is to concentrate all resources on the border. that is the northern border homegrown extremist. let's be ditched -- vigilant but whether talking about immigrants or terrorist the southern border has never been safer. would get any metric -- liggett any metric. >> you cannot just exclude you have to look at the relationship because extortion and smatter and

even for people that come across to be victimized with the exploitation i cannot tell you how many cases young girls being recruited by organized crime or creed -- preyed upon been gang rape then forced into prostitution by its it is fully impacted. >> with all due respect i have been in and out of bell pass of so many times my grandparents lived for years for years. but the violence in el paso tuesday and is safer than other cities around the country is delusional.

>> what specifically? >> on shootings, people coming across the border but >> with the allegations about car bombs and that my eighth grade kids are there right now. >> let me ask you a question focusing on the humanitarian side it is only part of it less than 20% would get the other 80% a lot of these people coming into the united states coming into texas since 2008 are not

legal created hundreds of thousands of crimes in texas including thousands of murders. this is law enforcement efforts to secure the border the federal government has failed miserably in horribly to do the constitutional job to secure the border. so i believe the federal government fails to do their constitutional job the states have more than just a great day and an obligation to do that job. that is our number one responsibility for elected officials. >> with the senator of appropriations? it with the border patrol levels and staffing with the extremist on the southern border so what do people

say? with the homeland's security committee? >> i'll answer that quickly if you don't mind the day before yesterday on the director of komen security and asked point-blank is anything on the southern border with texas from visa -- isis that we should know about? there is none there has never been a connection otherwise recorded by terrorist here in the united states connected to the southern border. should we remain vigilant? search of the. can get the possibility but

that claims that the border is violence he claims people are coming here to get us it is bad to waste resources and where the real threats are but very hard to attract capital and investment and talent with the public headline that governor bear -- governor perry with the bombs going off it is not true. and then that was products three years ago is very real but commissioner with the military's support. but i want to follow-up in

the former sheriff of the county found al qaeda. day take that seriously now? but i did dash specifically that there is no credible fear. with that information and intelligence officers don't know but i am one of those you are ready just in case. because the bad guys have to get right one time. just once. but let me just talk about the border and border security.

but the border is a region and has millions of people on both sides. every dave 1.$3 billion of trade half a billion dollars last year. the movement the largest around from los angeles to new york. >> in going through laredo customs this year. now looking at the border of place with a lot of activity asides. so you can see the energy but on the other side with able have the same thing that they have. that is the way i see the

border. >> let me say we see the border differently. how to readdress the threat? first of all, anytime there is the threat yet to identify organized-crime so first you identify the threat than the appropriate measure to address that. if you put a wall a border patrol and national guard you have to look how best to address that issue will lot of times they can just focus from ports of entry that is very important to us. the other thing is generally speaking to address the threats we can keep playing that -- defense where we spend $80 billion or we look

at playing defense on the 20-yard line with mexico and central american countries. >> it is the tale of two quarters we have a robust economy over 500,000 jobs in the loadstar state just between our states and the nation than we have a very dangerous situation that is not conducive to solve the drug problems and the crime and unlawful entry because an increasing by 100 percent. >> with 119,000 in 2011 estimate that is the apprehension.

>> if the cameras detected 95,000 people. but less than half are apprehended. litus separate the drug runners from the job-seekers. and immigration reform. in the bad guys are the ones that we focus. we do need to secure our border our policy to have a guest worker program. >> if i could say it was harsh with of mexican government could do you

think is that on purpose? but on where most americans are sensitive the mexican government put out of a letter that said our actions on the border to include the texas national guard were a political stunt where we were political -- paulette put -- politicizing. that cannot be further from the truth. when the government was incapable or unwilling to do their job and armor pleaded tugboat's insurance departments that we're very

lucky to have. to run a surge on the rio grande valley to have people crossing the border. mexico militarized its border for years. has the colonel just got your explaining this is a force multiplier with the national guard. >> that a few years back mexico does have an army presence. and using their military every day. with a 25 year history. and ask them to do police

work instead of military work we know the story is of the man who was shot and redeployed the marines. the men and women whose served the uncertain circumstances to find the better life. >> in with border patrol agents i would be right there with you. >> i will agree chairman of the security committee wrote border security results act that i am a co-sponsor. that would make sure reuse

existing assets where they are needed without having to spend billions of dollars more we all like to consider ourselves as conservatives almost 15 years ago. we don't want to throw money at the problem but current assets were there needed. >> when i was in the radio with the national guard nobody seemed to be upset about that. is the politics? >> my position as a little different ones they bring that national guard darren understanding that it cannot enforce they can't do it.

so they're there to support so did i think the national guard was a different time? but then let's go ahead. and for 281 kids and families i would use the resources. >> focusing on the kids tell law-enforcement side. but again the focus is once the national guard went down there i would support them. and i will support them when they go down there but they have been there for years. they have been there a lot of years to understand there will not be there at the border to enforce immigration reform.

>> the etfs was very specific to raise concern they will not do any what exactly that is the undocumented immigrant and it calms the honors. >> and to recognize first and foremost,. i have a reasonable suspicion of federal crime scene and gauged in the situation we don't have the

enforcement. >> and to deputize. >> we have enough to do to stay on the highways and the roadways. number two with the regulatory a checkpoints and i am the one that made that call in that. is the cost-efficient way and also insurance of compliance. in the inconsistent with supreme court. and the senator said he did that like it's we will shut it down we will not do well

unless the legislature says we wanted to do what do the next few months have that they keep dropping? and it seems to have subsided because of other factors. number one it is the legislature. [laughter] >> but your search is basically focused the one rio grande valley sector by not correct? that is 120 miles. 120 miles of 1,200 porter we are focusing on 10 percent of the border. that is 56 percent of the problem right now.

and tell and unless we can address though whole border of hundred miles and the way they have done enough for immigration and. move that is where the country has to go. for the people that led to be here but we will not get there until we secure the border at. >> we could literally place the border said -- border patrol agent 1 foot apart or tanks lined up for lower

alligator's. [laughter] fatah we will bring tears to? it is the unrealistic goal to get at 100 percent deterrence or security. the separate engen said doesn't mean the total number equally. 65% drop from one on june 23rd approximately? that is the reason that we appropriated from the house almost a hundred million dollars for the spotter aircraft helicopters to have this force multiplier. and to give the people of texas the confidence. we have a lot of friends that live between the border

and the checkpoints and their homes are armed. we have common friends because it is dangerous to live on the ranch. i see a border patrol do i heard people say they need more so how many more kids to give us an amount? to say they have the same. >> and then look at what members of border patrol that have very low apprehension but a lot of

border patrol here should be shifted around half went to arizona i said wiry sending half over there? with the mobile strike force? that could be moved around at any time. then they're not very mobile. share enough i asked him and he just looked at me with a blank stare i had disagreements how they move people around for apprehension levels but let me jess say this playing defense on the 1 yard line because i would rather play defense on the 20-yard line. one of the things we have been asking mexico to focus

on the border. i am starting to do that but you literally had people just going up with no control at all. if it is open down there than we just play defense on the 1 yard line. >> i think the reason it is strictly a charitable to send a signal we will not tolerate unlawful entry the reason it is so bad today and what is a secure border their resources that are necessary to be a southwest border security commission

made up of bipartisan members of the senate's before you vote on homeland security appropriations every year. that here on the ground every day that we cannot get to that point but if we can get congress to work together to work with our friend and partner my heart goes out to mexico everything they have done they lost 40,000 people with the drugs in northern mexico. so they have been fighting this war to come together to

play on the hard-line. talk about the bill that was legislation offered by conservative republicans. what is next for washington? with full bipartisan support has stalled because everyone said at the outset. and one quick thing on your last question in a pass so last year the average agent made for apprehensions that the commissioner is making we're better deployed for the bill and to the fear

that you speak of lieutenant governor you have to raise rates a bulletproof vest with the security detail. when we say things that are not true about murderous in a grand slam bombs falling off i cannot tell you how much hair hurts this stage the community a represent the people i care for it makes it difficult to get ahead. then the state gets a head. mexico is texas's number one trading partner. when we operate out of fear we must always worked with that. i have to say again el paso is a safe city from what i see but the whole border is not saved.

hundreds of thousands of crimes committed in through texas through the southern border over the years. those are facts. >> from what i understand they were charges and asked if those surcharges or convictions. so how many were charges were convictions? >> cannot have the exact number. but it is where it was. >> but that 70 +% on the border and everybody blames the immigrant. we have people across the border people move across borders to have some sort of

sensible comprehensive immigration reform there is a story about a person in charge of the border and in some of the land to say we ought to do something so he wrote a letter but that was written in 1830 by mexican officer and we just cannot demonize and in the radio. [applause] but the murder rates a couple years ago was three murders per 100,000. and 50 murders so anytime you start to tax the community it is are seven reasons that doctors at the

clinic -- the v.a. clinic in the ratio is a true story we couldn't even get them from san antonio because it was too dangerous and i said what the eff are you saying that it is too dangerous? [laughter] you always have to watch out for a threat. >>. >> guest: to start lining up for questions we will segue into that. >> you know, me very well. talking about securing the border from the love for it -- lot for some point of view those that try to demonize crossing the border

? and what to own and how we use it just like 9/11 coming to this southern border. i am a fan of the northern border as the southern border. >>. >> over the last few years

with the security it is possible to solve the problems with one sarah comprehensive solution is that the discharge solution? >> i don't think we're getting anywhere with an aging comprehensive. with that drug cartel with physical attacks and we suffered from that. but it is easier for an employer to hire someone here that is undocumented then illegally documented worker and that is a tragedy because the system is broken. that is why we need a

dynamic trading partner but we need to rid knowledge we have the border otherwise children could not walk across if the border was secure that is all they a camouflage for the drug cartel to do what they want. >> a few bills would crack down on hiring undocumented folks in the construction and energy what about the republican governor? >> both have led us down to secure the border in reforming the immigration system so we're here today to talk about those solutions. >> thanks for being here today. border security is not all the immigrants but u.s. citizens being recruited by the criminals across the border said druglords don't always cross over.

their drive citizens and police officials so is it better to have more fbi or intelligence instead of more brutes? >> with the intelligence on this side as u.s. citizen recruited to at laredo tex. >> the operating model is corruption. >> but we have seen some recent tragedies but second we do have command and control elements. but talk about transnational kings we had a recent case

with the border and drugs working with the mexican mafia working with the cartel. >> it is policy with a practitioner and former fbi all those models it takes boots and wing tips you have to do it all. it is the great capacity you have to look at command-and-control as well that the end of the day but

people forget if you just looked at the number of people at 251,000 the cartel is a low number. that is half a million dollars a year talking about. it is big money the a did they are involved in all activities can slow that down. the government of mexico is the mexican cartel. >> let me just say we have to recognize they are transnational but the domestic and drug cartels over 250 american citizens doing the same thing that

they do over there a bar prosecutors and airedales there are a lot stronger than those countries as several institutions said drug organization can come into takeover so we have to recognize the trans national organization with intelligence and cooperation >> good morning. i am confused the congressman and stated they were told that isis is not a threat. but last night in the debate the attorney general says he prosecuted successfully won at isis terrace. who tells the truth? >> i can just reiterate we heard from the very highest level of federal law enforcement this week

categorically there is no known threat or incredible intelligence linking the isis or al qaeda or any terrorist organization on the southern border. this is not new. somebody has the zero pass so held post the hit squad suspected on the border whenever we are scared we project the fears to the border the soviets are coming into mexico, libyan terrorist, al qaeda. >> hezbollah, isis, and if we know the facts have a responsibility to share those facts with the public's demand factually three were apprehended and brewster county taxes this summer and a dictionary was found in a border patrol was chasing them these are all real facts but people are coming into the united states it is documented by law enforcement.

>> what is true is the head of isis said i am concerned about the northern border and the southern border i will see you in new york. >> please understand that there is no incredible field right now. but keep in mind to the use of social media the drug organizations the way they recruited the kids the bad guys do that right now so how could they recruit 100 americans in europe fighters have gone over to syria.

it could be someone who is disillusioned to wants to belong to something to think isis is the group. >> i have a two-part question. what is the protocol? and what i the mechanisms for repair that might occur during those pursuits? >> it is a felony. however if we find if there is a great risk to the public to the point that we will not have the policy there is a point where you

can we have the obligation. and look at the circumstances in every situation. >> not that i am aware of. >> that is not my decision. >> let me just say something talking to the ranchers that is an issue also. i have the gao already doing a steady. with that reimbursement mechanism because i know it is an issue. though we have to find a way to be more a efficient than it is right now. >> we heard about hundreds of thousands of people coming across the border and finding their prayer rugs.

huggies separate the fact? how many are in fact, has been found guilty of anything? >> is that the question of charges verses convictions. >> border security is in a bipartisan way with republicans and democrats on the southern border states who look at this annual lee with the appropriations to see the numbers to separate fact from fiction that is the way to bring us together not from political people but appointees and that is the way to approach that. don't delay to put the resources there to have as an oversight is the good message to address your very

real questions tonight senator jeff flake has said that if you have a good fishing guest worker plan were people can do the work for economic reasons with border patrol can focus on the bad guys that have a different motive. >> i'm at the university of texas born and raised in laredo. >> that is a double yes. yes. [laughter] but over the summer there was an increase of women and children crossing is detained they are sent to the detention centers set look-alike jail cells that had looked like tails sales -- sales of how would that change to accommodate for the women and children that are not criminals that are

crossing to be with family? >> about three hours from el paso i have been there twice. it is really a deportation facility where families come , 8303 family members so far all but two have bonded out one of $25,000 because the 25 year-old guatemalan woman is a national security threat and over 250 deported back to countries of origin. they are fleeing very violent situations and also trying to reunite with family in the united states. we owe it to ourselves and our country to honor the traditions of the united states to make sure they're taken care of. we can afford them due process with the most humane option possible. we have done this for many peoples over many decades.

this is the latest opportunity for the country to put its best foot forward. . .

a strange question because it doesn't work with the framework that you follow. you are from el paso so maybe you could -. >> i think the reason is chief of police and the community that supports law and order and law enforcement, they do a great job and the crime is different. it's entirely different. bridge cases is a major problem. >> we have time for one last question. >> i had the opportunity to talk about that at the end of july and work with refugees.

i think they have been pretty poorly portrayed by the media. there are a lot of desperate people trying to flee bad circumstances but my question really is, because we have such a polarized nation, what are the representatives of the state of texas doing to let homeland security and every other representative and senator from every other state in the union understand that we will never be able to build a wall along the entire edge of texas that will keep people in our out because if you want to know how it felt to me it's like a police state for america as much as it is a police state for the mexicans to stay out of where the central americans. my dad grew up in the rado. the question is, do all of you ever make a point in your

commentary to people to let them understand that border security can just be a wall? there are people that think a wall will take care of it. it won't take care of it. it needs to be much more holistic in the answer. so i mean is that something that you are getting? >> the wall is the 14th century solution to a 21st century problem. i'm waiting for the mexican president to get on the other side of the wall inside mr. president tear down the as well as present reagan did some years ago and again we have to look at what is security, identified the threat, find the best way to address that and then make sure that we work with their international partners. >> folks, we are out of time. thank you so much for hanging out with us today. [applause] [inaudible conversations]

>> health and human services secretary sylvia burwell spoke at a kaiser family foundation event on thursday. she talked about health care policy including the administration's ebola response in the next open enrollment period for the affordable care act. this is just over an hour. >> good morning welcome to the latest in our series of kaiser health news health policy newspaper breakfast. we are the leading journal at the intersection of health care and policy regarding his show today will be julie rovner at kaiser health news. you all know her from her 16 years of health policy. the star of our show today in the reason you are here is sylvia matthews burwell who is the nation's 20 secretary of the department of health and human services. as you know she came to hhs after serving as the director of

the office of management and budget with previous dense at quite a few places but most recently as president of the palmer foundation and the global development program in c. uh-oh of the bill and linda gates foundation. we are pleased to co-sponsor this event and i will now handed over to julie rovner. >> thank you ellen. good morning. thanks everybody for being here. thank you madam secretary for being here. i'm going to ask the moderators opening question and then i'll open up to the audience. we do have tv cameras here so please wait for a microphone to get to you before you speak and please identify yourself when you ask a question. madam secretary i think pretty much everyone in this room still has ptsd from last year's open enrollment. what can you say to reassure us that we won't be having a groundhog day when that rolls around? >> in terms of that i will also remind everyone that a year ago on this date i was still running a government shutdown in terms of the question for ptsd.

with regards to open enrollment i might start with a broader lens and come to that issue specifically. first of course i want to thank kaiser and thank you for moderating today. i also should mention ebola. i'm sure we will have some questions about that issue but it is one that we are working on weekly at the department have been for many months actually in terms of the issue working from the office of global affairs where we have someone actually embedded at w.h.o. from hhs team to make sure that is occurring in geneva to all the work that you wall are familiar with at the cdc is doing. the preparedness at home and attacking the epidemic epicenter in west africa. i wanted to mention that before we move into the affordable care act which was something that i knew when i was coming to hhs would i be working on.

the end of my first 100 days basically and as i've gotten to the end of those 100 days between a bowl and the fact that there were 12,000 children in the care of hhs on my right with unaccompanied children i am reminded of a point in time before when i was in the equipment miss -- clinton administration. i was announced i would be deputy deputy chief of staff and helen thomas to many of you in this room probably know said erskine don't you think sylvia is a little bit young for this job? he looked at helen and said in this place a year is a dog year. i'm sure you all realize i'm reminded of that story not because i'm young anymore in terms of my first 100 days but with regard to the affordable care act and how we are thinking about that and being ready for that it's obviously one of the top priorities. when i think about the affordable care act i think of

it in terms of three measures, quality, affordability and access in this particular question about healthcare.gov marketplace is focused on access. it's important we recognize whom for me talk about access of the most important measure their is a reduction in the uninsured. with regard to the axis question as whether legislation was passed. let me think about the measures by which we should judge ourselves it's a question in the reduction of the uninsured. the marketplace is a very important means by which we get there so is medicated and so was employer-based coverage. with regards to the marketplace i think there was a conversation here yesterday about these issues. there were a lot of lessons learned in those lessons were both positive and negative. in terms of some of the positive things we learned a lot about how consumer behaves and reacts in terms of the consumer workshop against deadlines. they learned a lot about the importance of his technology and

from this lesson we put together a plan that we are working on every single day and have been since the day i arrived in before i arrived. as part of that plan there have been a number of pieces. one prioritization in terms of making sure we have prayer denies deadlines that we are meeting on a day-to-day basis and second i think many of you know that we have focused on management as a part of that going forward. many of you i think yesterday had an opportunity to spend time with amy as well as kevin and laurie lewis. those are all new additions to an already strong team that we brought on. finally we are deeply focused on technology so continue to make progress every day on this issue and we are looking forward to continuing to do that day by day. we are deeply focused as i think you heard yesterday and quite a bit of detail. >> i have my own question. the gao put out a report that suggested plans were not

necessarily doing a good job letting people know when there was an abortion cover. this is obviously one of the last issues settled when the law was enacted. here's one plan that doesn't have abortion coverage and one that does. what is the department doing to make sure that i get straightened out? >> first to think it's important to reflect with regard to the federal on the issues of federal funds there are no federal funds being used for abortion in the case as the law states of rape and and the life of the mother. i think that's important is context. it's an issue where we need to make sure the laws in force and cms's working on a way to work with the states and make sure there's clarity about what the allies. [inaudible] >> with regard to the question of open enrollment working through the plans are in place for the most part.

we are finalizing those plans on terms of how the communication is going to work we will have to see how quickly we can get the communication out and where we are. i think the gao report was based on the previous year's plan enough this year's plan. >> let's go to the audience. >> be met with governor mike pence on monday to talk about his alternative proposal for expanding medicaid and they were still disagreements after that meeting. what are the disagreements confident are you that you will be able to -- medicaid? >> with regard to medicaid expansion everyone knows there are 27 states plus d.c. that have done the medicaid expansion. we are in conversations with a number of states and each of the states as we think about this issue and are working with each state individually there are two things that are the guiding principles of these conversations. the first one is that it is

important to listen and hear the needs on a state-by-state basis and the needs of indiana and how that governors approaching it are actually different than tennessee which has also been reported in utah which has been reported in terms of my conversation with the governors. the second issues we have to think about what flexibility they need and what they think is the best approach for their state. if the second thing is there are some core parameters that are statutory and policy in terms of what medicaid needs to provide. that is where we are having the conversation. we are continuing the conversation. the governor and his team and our team have been working over period of the year in good faith on this effort. i think everyone is coming to the table with a real desire to make progress and we will continue to work on that. >> thank you. dena jones from "cnn."

it's a compound question and you touched on ebola's on health care sign-ups to have a goal that you can share for this year in terms of the number of sign-ups and i guess alternatively the number of reductions in the uninsured? is there a target goal and on ebola we all know the temperature screening at somebody major airports in america is going to start but what do you say to people who argue that this is in some cases all for show to calm the public's fears? i think many people could make it through the 21 day incubation period. >> with regard to the first question about our goal, our goal is for the consumer to have a quality experience in our open enrollment period and we will continue to try to move those uninsured numbers and maximize their ability to do that. with regard to the question of a specific goal and a numerical one of the things that mayors of cb and number that exists is based on a trajectory that gets

to 25. think one of the things that is different from on the number was originally put out is now actually have information about what happened in that first open enrollment. so how one thinks about the slope of that line is something we are analyzing and working on and working on from this perspective. our top-down number is how you get to reaching a specific member out there but now we have data and information and we want to try to build that number bottom up based on what we know both of those that did enroll and information we learn from that. that's something we are continuing to work on with regard to that specific question. in terms of the issue of ebola and how we are thinking about the issue of homeland preparedness and making sure that we are ready as a nation as i think has been made clear by director fauci the important and most important place with regard to kate -- taking care of screening is at the point of departure.

that's been in place for many months and as we know we have a case in that case sadly is deceased but for many months we did not have the case that entered the country and the screening, we know that screening has worked in a sense of 80 people have been pulled from the line in the screening and stopped in their home country. that's the most important place for us to do that. the next step with regard to preparedness as we discussed is having a system that can handle any case that we have and we have had one case. i think there may be other cases. i think we have to recognize that as a nation. that's why the preparedness of our health care system and whether that's the fact that 8000 health care providers have been on cdc webinars or the fact that literally hundreds of thousands of health care workers have been communicated through our health alert network and the seven separate directional documents. those are the most important

steps. at the same time we continue to evaluate and add steps that we think are helpful both to fight in west africa and to care for our people. the question of the screening that we will be doing at this time there are couple of things that we now believe and that is the importance of asking the questions, how a person may answer questions at the point of departure versus the point of interest may differ. the second thing is it is true it is period of time of travel. there isn't and i don't think we are making a claim that anything is 100% secure by what is most important is we know. we know how to contain and that is detect, contact, tracing, isolation and that was what was implemented and we have seen implemented in dallas in terms of the tracking of folks. so we will continue and confidence is an important thing but there's also what will happen in terms of the

questioning and what will happen in terms of that period of time. >> thank you. chuck with the post in st. louis. another open enrollment question. as you know there were three facilities around the country that were processing applications during open enrollment and one of them was in st. louis and there were allegations that there was the work being done there. i'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about have those situations been cleared up and have they been fixed and have you gotten a better sense of paper versus on line applications as you go forward in the open enrollment. map? >> we are hopeful that we want things to happen and occur on line as much as possible. one of the things we are focused on deeply as the consumer and the consumer experience. we want to make sure that we have alternatives and places for

the consumer to go and whether that's the consumer's ability to work with navigator some people want to work with a person in the fact that this is new and they want help in other people want to go on line. yesterday we previewed 2.0 which is out right now in terms of the special and roman period and we think tools like that will help people that want to do it on line. we would like to see more people on line. we'll continue to work to ensure that consumers, and consumers have different needs. the reason it's on a mobile app is because we know many people -- young people in that gap use those applications. that's why we try to move it to a mobile device. we also know in terms of the filipino population actually there is a deep penetration of smartphones, deeper than the penetration of the nation as a whole. what we are trying to do with regard to the question of open enrollment is make sure we are serving the consumer the bus

that we can. one, operational operational technology being sound and that gets to the questions we were discussing yesterday about testh consumer ease as we can. will there be imperfections? es. things will not be perfect but i think what we do know is we are aiming for a strong consumer experience and it will be done. >> we saw on the open enrollment period a lot of people signing up you really have low health insurance literacy and a couple of problems i saw crop up. one was people who had been eligible for reduced cost-sharing silver plans never knew it because they never got past the first screen and ended up with plans with much higher deductibles and they were really entitled to. and the second is the inability of people, and this is not a

surprise as we talked about before, really figuring out who is in their networks and i just wondered if you were contemplating any improvement in the interest of the user experience. >> with regard do we are working across-the-board in terms of bad user experience in making sure that people are educated about how to go on, one of the things is this is a complex space to begin with any mention many of these people have not been in the market. i think if i went person by person instead what is your premium and what issue deductible, the people in this room are the single most educated people in the nation with regard to health care. you are the people that write about this everyday and you think about this every day in for me to go through and go through and tell me your co-pay for every single individual i

think we might have some gaps in terms of each of you. so i think we have to put this knowledge question in the context of where we are in the nation. i think that we believe the marketplace is going to hopefully move the individuals who are talking about but i think the question of us as a nation and how educated we are which takes us to an important issue which is the issue of making sure we have high-quality care and affordable care. some people call that system reform. we are working to do that. in terms of the ways we are working to do that are stakeholders are an important part of that education process. having done that myself several times whether screwed america or group of stakeholders as we are doing outreach with regard to enrollment there are two additional pieces about re-enrollment. they need to do shopping, education and the other thing and that's the marketplace but

the other. peace that's the next step is making sure people know how to use the care. i think that's another part of of doing with regard to this question of access to providers. we are working with the insurers to make sure that when you click through a plan that there is a place where you can click to get to that provider listed to create a means. i think as a place where we are are all going take steps as we go. i think your point was about the marketplace was but it was a broader point. >> there are with bloomberg bna. are you tracking the number of policies that are being canceled because they are not compliant with obamacare and what are your expectations for getting a more normal risk pool this year? >> with regard to the issue of cancellations that's an issue i

think you probably know that last year we put in place a policy that would leave the insurers with a choice extending until 2016 as the transition period. we try to create a transition to get to the issues that were raised last year. at this point a couple of things, one we obviously think the numbers going to be a much smaller number than last year. i think we need to recognize the issue of cancellations again in the marketplace before the affordable care act there are policies being canceled in employer-based care. insurers do that so there's the question of what's happening in the regular marketplace and those plants that need to come into compliance with quality health plans. we believe we can place a transition and we are working with insurers where there are the situation should they have another alternative plan. working through the issue i think there will be a smaller number.

>> with regard to the question of the risk pool i think when one sees that we have a large increase, 25% increase in the number of plans and insurers coming in to the system this year as we announced recently i think that is a reflection of the question that the risk pool is something that obviously the insurers believe is a risk pool that works for them economically or they wouldn't be entering and putting plans in the marketplace. >> i'm jim landers at "dallas morning news." i had a question about the trance. the initiatives of the department. he just put out an open payment system for the links between doctors and pharmaceutical medical devices. you have had on the web for some time now medicare inpatient physician charges.

there have been problems with the open payment system on the drugs and pharmaceutical device links in the last week but as far as the other ones go the hospital system say that -- aren't relevant to anything that's paid in the system so it's not really a good indication of what those prices are. what are you doing to strengthen the transparency that cms is providing the public? >> so continue to work and respond to comments. as you mentioned when we put the first set of information open to things we heard was making sure the information in context. we try to provide more context in terms of their release and anything about that. the issue of transparency when we think about where we were four years ago with regard to transparency and echoes that

were consumer question the question is what do consumers have about their benefits and their plans and with the transparency now they know what a qualified health plan as some of those benefits are and those are being clearly stated. across-the-board and provider information around consumer information we are trying to move on all fronts. it's also related to electronic medical records in terms of the transparency that an individual can actually have about their own health care. with regard to what are we doing we are working on all sides in terms of trying to move the information forward so consumers and providers have information that they can make decisions about and we create a transparent marketplace where decisions are made. can we improve it, should we improve its? yes. when we hear the feedback on the most recent elements of open enrollment we want to do that. one of the decisions we had to make and i had to make the

decision is the information wasn't perfect in the most recent rollout. there was data that was not as clean so we had to make a decision. it was better to get out a large portion of the information so that we can continue on this path of transparency. the transparency path because it's new to everyone it's going to take us time to get there. we need to continue to evolve that we think it's an essential part coming back to the point i just race which is the importance of information to decision-making to getting to a place where quality and affordability is about delivery system reform. >> hi. i am filled with the "washington examiner." i have a question related to the risk partners which a few months

ago there was a question saying that if the payments were enough to cover the out payments that hhs would find other sources of funding through appropriations and as we know the gao just released a legal opinion recently saying basically that depending on which language congress adopts that hhs won't be able to make payments using the appropriations language allowing for it. i just wanted to hear your understanding of whether or not hhs will be in a position to take payments in fiscal year 2015 if congress doesn't put an language allowing at? >> i think that there's a distinction between what happens at the end of the program and the current bridge we have to the fee-based structure the gao

was talking about. with regard do we don't have concerns in the upcoming year and as we have said and what we reflected earlier we will work with the congress if there are needs in terms of the question of appropriation. i don't think it's a question that will be need to be faced in 2015. we have been clear we will work with the congress on any additional language. >> maggie fox with nbc. your style and the style of your predecessor have been very different in terms of handlin handling -- than the previous administration. you have had to deal with the crisis of the rollout of obamacare and now the crisis of ebola. i remember during the bush administration hhs was very much in front. you are taking a backseat this backseat this time. are you happy with that strategy and will it continue? >> i guess i would start by

saying i would like to understand the definition of a backseat. i have a head in a bowl and meeting every single day since july 28. i usually have three day. >> can you tell us about that because the public and tony fauci who know and trust, we haven't seen secretary burwell. >> with regard to the sugar bowl i think everyone knows the nation is frightening people are frightened of this disease. they are frightened because it has a very high mortality rate. they are frightened because we need to understand what the facts are about that. thinking about trust and who you want to hear that information from tony fauci has been working on this issue as he said friday, i think he said 38 years in terms of his work on its face. dr. tom frieden has been working in new york or his work at cdc and when one has such

high-quality experienced physician and infectious disease experts -- dr. frieden also has a masters in public health as well. for me that's why i question what you meant. i think what you are suggesting is who is on camera versus the question of deep work on the issue is something i consider my responsibility and do and whether that's on a day-to-day basis making sure that our teams are working on this issue internationally or working on domestic preparedness, that is something i consider my responsibility. with regard to the voices and the voices on a day-to-day basis i think it's important to have experts that we have been and are lucky to have in our federal government working and thinking about the issues. >> j. hancock kaiser health

news. we have written a couple of stories about hhs and the value calculator which as you know is certifying as minimum value plans for large employers which do not include hospital benefits while at the same time for closing the employees who are offering these plans from getting subsidies in the exchanges. a lot of people are wondering if this is something that the administration intended and so far we have had no answer. can you talk about this? >> this is an issue and i'm going to be on this that i'm not familiar with. the one thing i would say as i think you know the issue the administration is deeply focused on is making sure that people have access and affordable and quality access. within that context.

>> these plans don't have hospital coverage. can i get back to somebody about that? >> we are happy to follow up. >> who should i follow up with? >> i think ben right here will be happy to follow-up with you you. >> okay, thank you. >> i'm rebecca adamson with roll call. i have an aroma question and medicaid question. i'm wondering if you are specifically involved in the coalition can you give us an update on the work that's going on with nih and the cdc and public health service and what do you anticipate in terms of need-based funding that maybe you have asked congress for after this ear expires in my medicaid questions about the backlash between the applications such as california still has an enormous backlog and i'm wondering if you could address that.

>> with regard to the medicaid backlog that is something that each state is different so that's something we actually -- so we work state-by-state and are working through that on a state-by-state basis and continuing to work with the state on a plan. think many people know we sent certain types of letters. you probably know we sent those issues and in terms of sending clear signals about the level important and we continue to follow. as i said its retail because each state as to why there are issues in the backlog and we are working on it literally on a state-by-state basis. with regard to ebola and where we are i welcome that someone has brought up the fight in west africa because this is where it needs to be taken care of. this is what we do and that is

why there is no public health system in place to implement the things that we know can contain ebola. with regards to privacy i would reflect when you look at nigeria and what nigeria was able to do in terms of their capability to contain that is a place where we have seen it work and we have seen a work in the developing world system. certainly nigeria has also the advantage there was a lot of polio infrastructure that was used in terms of contact tracing and some of those records in terms of rootsy operation centers. with regard to progress on the ground as many dean of the u.s. military started with the largest deployment under cdc. we also have the largest disaster and response team that we usually use led by usaid and found a broadband the command-and-control and logistical capabilities that

comes with the united states military. they are on the ground. progress is being made in terms of ebola treatment in terms of the construction of a 25 bed medical unit which is an important part of attracting health care workers from around the world to be willing to come and serve their, continuing to get the training which dod is doing and dod has already supporting several of the labs for testing and that's an important part of the detection. continuing along that line at the same time we are also working with the countries and w.h.o. on doing community-based care. it's not a full ebola treatment unit but while we are getting those up and running and for people who may not have access making sure there is community isolation. so that's the other piece that's being worked on. there has been progress on

burials. i think as everyone is sadly focusing on in the united states today the issue of the bull is spreading through a diseased body is an important one. that is clearly being taken care of here in the united states but with regards to making progress there is a place we are making progress. that had to be a behavioral change because for many the burial process which is a cultural issue of how you treat your deceased generally involves touching. that's something we have to work through but there is progress being made. the numbers are going to increase before we can get to a leveling off point but right now what is most important is that every day goes on the ground efforts that there is urgency. every day makes a difference in terms of number of cases that are contracted. so there is greater urgency on the ground. at the same time i think we are

all very focused on the urgency here at home and making sure we are prepared. yesterday as you all know the president colon i was on the call with the governors and elected officials across the country. dr. frieden did another one with the state health officials. the urgency to make sure the country is prepared that we have to work every day to make sure we are standing up the capabilities for these countries to handle this. >> good morning, i'll alex wayne. i want to ask about the other plague that's in the news right now and the one that's a little scarier to parents the united states particularly, enterovirus. what is your department know about how this outbreak began and what is your department doing to develop either treatments or understand any linkages to serious outcomes?