Photo Credit: Gerald L. Nino

Commissioner Robert C. Bonner responds to standing ovation at a ceremony honoring his accomplishments as CBP’s first commissioner. “I leave with a sense that I’ve done my duty, that we are on sound footing and are moving in the right direction,” Bonner told the gathering of employees and invited guests at CBP headquarters in Washington, D.C., Nov. 16.

“Rob Bonner has been an extraordinary leader,” said former U.S. Rep. Christopher Cox, who worked closely with Bonner as chair of the congressional homeland security committee. “He has been just what this country needed.”

As the last leader of the U.S. Customs Service and the first for CBP, Bonner has played a unique role in the 216-year history of the organization. He officially took the helm of Customs just two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and took on the role of reshaping the organization to secure our borders, and to literally push that security out through cooperative programs around the world.

In March 2003, President Bush nominated him to lead the newly created U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the Department of Homeland Security. With the establishment of CBP, all border enforcement functions were unified for the first time in American history.

Time to move on
“It has been an incredible journey,” Bonner said at an award for service ceremony at CBP headquarters Nov. 16. “It’s been an extraordinary time to serve our country. But for me, it’s time to move on.”

Bonner said he plans to return to California with his wife and indicated he would return to a law firm where he previously worked that has offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

All seven speakers at the award ceremony concurred that the Commissioner’s strength of vision, dedication and integrity were the traits that led to his success.

Photo Credit: James Tourtellotte

Commissioner Bonner greets a CBP officer at the port of Seattle. Four agencies merged under CBP when the Department of Homeland Security was created in 2003. Bonner has been credited with effectively deploying these resources to create the nation’s largest uniformed law enforcement agency. “He was just what this country needed,” said former U.S. Rep. Christopher Cox.

“Commissioner Bonner provided aggressiveness in vision, aggressiveness in motivation and aggressiveness in implementation,” said Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar.

Clifford M. Sobel, U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, said that Bonner played the key role in establishing trust, understanding and lasting cooperation in securing global trade. “He was a man with a mission: to make the world a safer place.”

“All Americans should be thankful to Rob Bonner,” said World Shipping Council President Christopher Koch.

Photo Credit: James Tourtellotte

Commissioner Bonner has been recognized for his determination and dedication. “He was a man with a mission: To make the world a safer place,” according to Clifford M. Sobel, U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. Bonner led CBP as it reinvented itself to tackle homeland security priorities. Here he joins CBP Border Patrol Agents at May’s National Law Enforcement Week ceremonies.

A legacy of accomplishment Commissioner Robert C. Bonner departs CBP with a legacy of decisive and determined action and lasting accomplishment that will guide the agency into the future. Seth Stodder, a former Bonner policy advisor who served as master of ceremonies during the award ceremony Nov. 16, recalled that Bonner’s ideas were often considered too grand, too ambitious and too difficult. “They said, ‘It can’t be done.’” Stodder remembered. “But he did it.” What couldn’t be done is a long list of challenges that started on September 11, 2001—before he was even sworn in—and continues today. This issue of CBP Today primarily will look at those challenges, how they were addressed and will evolve. How do we protect Americans from terror without shutting down the border for legitimate trade and visitors? How do we reach out around the world to make sure terrorists and their weapons do not reach our shores? How do we know in a timely manner who is entering our ports? How can four existing agencies from three departments be merged into an integrated, effective homeland security agency?

Opportunity to serve
Bonner thanked President Bush, first Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and current DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff for the opportunity to serve the country. He also thanked the speakers who outlined the accomplishments of the past four years.

“Those accomplishments, they are considerable,” Bonner said. “But they are not my accomplishments. They are yours, the men and women of CBP."

“I leave with a sense that I’ve done my duty, that we are on sound footing and are moving in the right direction,” Bonner told the gathering of about 300 employees and invited guests at the Ronald Reagan Building.

Before becoming Commissioner, Bonner had a long and distinguished career in public service. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, a U.S. district judge and as the Drug Enforcement Administration administrator under the first President Bush.

Photo Credit: James Tourtellotte

During his first appearance as their leader in October 2001, Robert C. Bonner addresses the employees of U.S. Customs on the gravity of the challenge ahead.

Commissioner Bonner faced the difficult task of merging three separate agencies and 42,000 employees—agents, inspectors, trade specialists and others from U.S. Customs Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service—into an effective, unified border agency. During his four-year tenure, Bonner worked to develop CBP into an organization that is “securing America’s borders” against terrorists’ threats while facilitating the free flow of commerce and legitimate travel.

Bonner’s “guidance and efforts have been instrumental in balancing our need to preserve the integrity of our borders without sacrificing the free flow of commerce on which our nation and the global community depends,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said on learning that the CBP Commissioner planned to step down.

Photo Credit: CBP Field Operations Academy

On his last field visit as Commissioner, Robert C. Bonner addresses family and friends at the CBP Officer graduation on November 9. Commissioner Bonner presided over the ceremony during his visit to the CBP Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga.

Under Bonner’s leadership, CBP has made a number of notable accomplishments. One of his priorities was to "push [America's] zone of security out beyond our physical borders." The U.S. now has access to advance passenger information, allowing CBP to analyze who is attempting to enter the country so it can determine if the passenger has terrorist ties. Bonner proposed and helped implement the Container Security Initiative in 25 foreign countries and 41 ports of entry to pre-screen containers prior to loading on ships destined for the United States. He also established the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism to partner with importers, carriers, brokers, and other industry sectors to secure the U.S. and international supply chains from possible compromise by terrorist organizations.

Photo Credit: Gerald L. Nino

Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson presents a plaque to outgoing Commissioner Bonner “commemorating that which you helped create, the Department of Homeland Security.” Jackson also read a letter of congratulations from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

CBP also led the World Customs Organization to adopt a Framework of Standards to Secure Global Trade. The Framework is a common set of standards to be implemented by the 168 WCO member states to secure international maritime cargo.

Increased use of state-of-the-art detection technology to control our borders was also a hallmark of Bonner’s tenure. Smart border technology like remote long-range cameras, sensors, and unmanned aerial vehicles facilitated the apprehension of almost four million illegal aliens since 9/11. Smart containers provided more sophisticated inspections of incoming goods. A combination of increased human resources, technology, enhanced infrastructure, and cooperation with other law enforcement entities, was the formula Bonner instituted for gaining operational control of the Southwest Border.

Border Patrol Chief Aguilar gave perhaps the most heart-felt speech at the farewell ceremony, thanking the commissioner for entrusting him and bringing him to Washington from Tucson, Ariz.

Aguilar said that there is an ultimate compliment that Border Patrol agents sometimes give at the end of a tough challenge to a particularly accomplished partner.

“So, on behalf of all Border Patrol agents, I say to you, ‘I would ride the river with you any day.’” EB, LK

Spero appointed acting commissioner Deborah J. Spero has been named Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection following the departure of Robert C. Bonner. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the move, citing Spero’s extensive experience at the U.S. Customs Service and CBP. She has been Deputy Commissioner of CBP since April 2004, where she has been responsible for providing leadership and executive-level direction to CBP's day-to-day operations. Spero previously served as Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Trade and directed CBP's transition team, coordinating the merger of 42,000 employees from three legacy agencies to form CBP. “I have full confidence in Ms. Spero's abilities to lead this important agency during this transition phase,” said DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Under her leadership CBP will continue to carry out its mission as the nation's single unified border agency.”