Reshuffling under way at Homeland Security.

The office of air and marine operations (AMO) has been transferred from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a move that demonstrates DHS' intent to integrate air and marine law enforcement personnel, missions and assets.

"The Department of Homeland Security was created to streamline and focus our efforts to secure the United States. This merger is another large step in that direction," said Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for border and transportation security.

This transition is occurring in two phases. The planning phase was declared complete on October 31. The integration of all CBP air and marine personnel, missions and assets will occur in the second phase, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2005. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit has been plagued with a budget shortfall approaching $500 million.

At no time will there be a drop in air or marine support to legacy missions in any of the agencies served by these resources, Hutchinson added.

AMO currently has 11 air and marine branches, a pair of surveillance support branches, 11 air units and 16 marine units, located across the southern tier of the United States and Puerto Rico.

New branches are cropping up to help secure the northern border. A branch at Bellingham, Wash., began operations in August 2004 and another one in Plattsburgh, N.Y., began in October 2004. Three more will be set up in Montana, North Dakota and Michigan in 2005.

The office also is receiving new aerial assets. In 2004, AMO announced the purchase of the Hiatus (PC-12), a single-engine turbo-prop aircraft that will replace the aging C-12. The PC-12 has short take-off and landing capabilities and a sensor array designed to spot smugglers and other unauthorized border jumpers in the wilds along the U.S.-Canadian border.

With a crew of three, the new Hiatus can fly at 270 knots, reach an altitude of 30,000 feet and achieve a range of 2,260 miles. AMO will be deploying the Pilatus at all five sites along the border.

AMO includes more than 1,000 pilots, all graduates of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga.