A number of new and robust immigration enforcement programs have gone into full gear since 9/11. Some were newly authorized by Congress, and some had been long authorized but dormant for one reason or another. Many of these enforcement programs have been made possible by effective use of interoperable databases and through cooperative arrangements among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. All of these programs have gained consistent and huge congressional support over the past decade because of their stated goal to counter national security threats.