Millions spent on small border stations justified

By EILEEN SULLIVAN Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - An internal Obama administration review supports its rationale for upgrading little-used border checkpoints rather than the busiest crossings.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano ordered the review out of concerns that too much economic recovery money was being spent on small northern border crossings, while larger facilities that see more traffic were passed over.

An independent panel she named found that the priority-setting was practical, thoughtful, thorough and transparent. It noted that the agency's priorities for spending in this area were largely spelled out in the stimulus law and that included significant expenditures on small border checkpoints that weren't among the most-used crossings.