A stolen sarcophagus, anyone?
March 11th, 2010 | Agencies Homeland Security | Posted by Rebecca Neal
CBP and ICE seized this 3,000-year-old sarcophagus in 2008.
If you think you can get an illegally-obtained Egyptian sarcophagus through customs, think again.
This beautifully-decorated and well-preserved sarcophagus was seized by a Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialist in Miami in 2008. The specialist was concerned that the sarcophagus would require a permit to enter the country and referred the 3,000-year-old coffin to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Trade Enforcement Team.
They investigated the sarcophagus’ history and determined it was indeed stolen property. ICE and CBP presented the sarcophagus to the people of Egypt Wednesday at a ceremony at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.
ICE and CBP returned the sarcophagus to the people of Egypt Wednesday.
Said CBP Assistant Commissioner Allen Gina at the National Geographic Society’s ceremony:
Through the facilitation and enforcement of U.S. trade laws, this artifact will provide the Egyptian people a key to their past.”
To view all of the photos, click here.
CBP NY: PSU (Puppy Saving Unit)
January 29th, 2010 | Homeland Security | Posted by Steve Watkins
Customs and Border Protection agents do a lot to serve our nation. They track terrorists. They stop drug traffickers. And they save puppies.
Customs and Border protected puppy!
Or at least one lucky pooch that was found nearly frozen to death in the cargo hold of a plane at New York’s JFK Airport on Saturday.
According to the local ABC affiliate there, three CBP officers were informed that two puppies shipped from Mexico froze to death on the flight. Upon arriving on the scene, the officers noticed one puppy was clinging to life. The trio revived the pup and a vet tells ABC the dog is going just fine.
We here at FedLine think this story is a prime candidate for the Daily Squee. Don’t you?
House Appropriations approves two bills
June 15th, 2009 | 2010 Budget Agencies Congress | Posted by Rebecca Neal
The House Appropriations Committee approved the Homeland Security and Legislative Branch fiscal year 2010 appropriations draft bills at a markup Friday.
The Homeland Security bill provides $42.63 billion for the agency, compared to President Barack Obama’s $42.83 billion request for fiscal year 2010. In 2009, the agency received $39.98 billion.
The bill cuts $135 million requested for agency operations due to “staffing vacancies, redundant policy initiatives and poorly justified request to consolidate DHS headquarters for those agencies not moving to St. Elizabeths,” according to a committee news release.
The bill includes:
- $10 billion for Customs and Border Protection, $82 million less than Obama requested, due to slight cuts in funding requests for multiple programs. This is $147 million more than the 2009 funding.
- $5.4 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $30 million less than the president’s request but $439 million more than 2009.
- $382 million for cybersecurity, $19 million less than the president requested and $68 million more than 2009.
The committee also approved the $3.7 billion draft bill to fund the Legislative Branch, $300 million than requested but $600 million more than 2009.
The bill includes:
- $559 million for the Government Accountability Office, $9 million less than the president’s request and $28 million more than 2009.
- $45 million for the Congressional Budget Office, $1.2 million less than Obama requested and $1 million more than 2009.
The House plans to take up the Homeland Security bill Friday and the Legislative Branch bill June 24.
Tags: CBO, CBP, Congress, cybersecurity, GAO, Homeland Security, ICE