Computer Systems

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Justice's (DOJ), Department of the Treasury's, and the Department of State's implementation of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) recommendations concerning the joint development and operation of a single interagency automated system for law enforcement and case management activities at the U.S. border.

GAO found that: (1) the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Customs Service based their Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) on Customs' Treasury Enforcement Communications System II (TECS II); (2) INS and Customs created a joint systems group for IBIS development and operation; (3) INS and Customs entered into a $5.2-million IBIS funding agreement, although Customs later asked that INS assume partial responsibility for funding associated with land port-of-entry communications, since it had not originally estimated such costs for land sites that did not already have communications equipment; (4) INS and Customs were addressing systems-related field training, participation, and feedback activities through continuous correspondence with regional offices; (5) Customs established a direct electronic link between TECS II and the DOJ National Crime Information Center prior to the recommendation that it make more efficient and timely connections between TECS II and other law enforcement systems; and (6) State provided Customs with records from its Automated Visa Lookout System (AVLOS) monthly, although Customs planned to install electronic connections between the planned AVLOS replacement, the Consular Lookout and Support System, and IBIS when the replacement system became operational. GAO also found that the: (1) joint systems group had not prepared the recommended work plan considering the use of small computer architecture; and (2) agencies had not determined the feasibility of establishing a border data center.