by Dr. Alan D. Bersin, Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer, US Department of Homeland Security
We are pleased to release this Special Compilation of the World Customs Journal, which has been prepared for the Inaugural INCU Global Conference, 21-23 May 2014, Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan.
This special compilation features the article entitled “Lines and Flows: The Beginning and End of Borders” and an addendum to that article by Dr. Alan D. Bersin, Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer, US Department of Homeland Security.
Dr. Alan Bersin commenced service as Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the Department of Homeland Security on January 3, 2012. In that capacity, he oversees the Department’s international engagement and serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security on all international affairs. Previously, Alan Bersin served as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection where he oversaw the operations of CBP’s 57,000- employee work force and managed an operating budget of more than $11 billion geared to protecting the nation’s borders from all threats while expediting lawful trade and travel. In 2009, Alan Bersin served as Assistant Secretary and Special Representative for Border Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security. In that capacity, he served as Secretary Napolitano’s lead representative on border affairs and strategy regarding security, immigration, narcotics, and trade matters as well as for coordinating the Secretary’s security initiatives on the nation’s borders.
Other professional experience includes employment as Special Counsel to the Los Angeles Police Commission, as Visiting Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law, as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Boalt Hall, University of California, Berkeley, and at the University of Southern California Law Center and as a Lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. Dr. Bersin served as a member of the Board of Overseers for Harvard University (2004- 2010) and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Alan Bersin was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws (Honorary) by the University of San Diego in 1994, by California Western School of Law in 1996, and by the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2000.
This is a Members-only publication available in the INCU Members-only area of the website. For information on how to join INCU, please see the Join INCU page on our website.