For too many Washington bureaucrats, American border security is reduced to a narrow, checklist exercise — counting crossings and manning checkpoints while ignoring the torrent of illicit goods and other poisons flooding our communities. 

But during my time at the Department of Homeland Security, I saw a fundamental shift: Border Patrol was no longer operating in isolation. President Donald Trump implemented a true whole-of-government strategy that proactively identified and neutralized threats before they reached the American interior. At long last, even the Food and Drug Administration is stepping up to meet the moment.