SAN DIEGO -- The Mexican Consulate in San Diego says the Department of Homeland Security has put it on notice, and the consulate is alerting businesses along the border to brace for the worst.

The Mexican consulate said it was told that if the United States goes to war with Iraq, the color-coded alert system will go to code red, and the lanes of entry at the U.S. border will be severely cut back.

Business owners along the border said that they understood that security comes first, but they also warned that long waits at the border could cripple them if entry access was curtailed.

Although he understands the need for security, Israel Adato, San Ysidro, Calif., Chamber of Commerce president, said that "in San Ysidro, we'll lose up to 90 percent of our business."

America's intelligence community has warned that if the United States goes to war with Iraq, there could be an increased risk of terrorist attacks, but the Homeland Security Department said it could not comment on what security measures it would take on the U.S.-Mexico border. A spokesperson did say, however, that red alerts are designed to go on for maximum of a day or two.

F. Javier Diaz, a Mexican deputy consul general, said that U.S. officials have warned that if the United States goes to war, traffic at the border could be reduced to a crawl. The Mexican government fears that possibility could have a huge impact on trade along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, denies that any discussion about closing the border in the event of war in Iraq ever took place.

Closing the border would mean delays of six to eight hours, which is what happened in the few days after Sept. 11.

Jose Miguel, who crosses the U.S. border every day and remembers the long lines after the Sept. 11 attacks, said he would temporarily stop doing business in San Diego but thought it would be worth it. "I think it's great if keeps our nation safe," Miguel said, adding that a few hours a day is a small price to pay for the nation's well-being.

Homeland Security Advisory System

Understanding the Homeland Security Advisory System

The world has changed since September 11, 2001. We remain a nation at risk to terrorist attacks and will remain at risk for the foreseeable future. At all Threat Conditions, we must remain vigilant, prepared, and ready to deter terrorist attacks. The following Threat Conditions each represent an increasing risk of terrorist attacks. Beneath each Threat Condition are some suggested Protective Measures, recognizing that the heads of Federal departments and agencies are responsible for developing and implementing appropriate agency-specific Protective Measures:

1. Low Condition (Green). This condition is declared when there is a low risk of terrorist attacks. Federal departments and agencies should consider the following general measures in addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures they develop and implement:

Refining and exercising as appropriate preplanned Protective Measures;
Ensuring personnel receive proper training on the Homeland Security Advisory System and specific preplanned department or agency Protective Measures; and
Institutionalizing a process to assure that all facilities and regulated sectors are regularly assessed for vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks, and all reasonable measures are taken to mitigate these vulnerabilities.

2. Guarded Condition (Blue). This condition is declared when there is a general risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the Protective Measures taken in the previous Threat Condition, Federal departments and agencies should consider the following general measures in addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures that they will develop and implement:

Checking communications with designated emergency response or command locations;
Reviewing and updating emergency response procedures; and
Providing the public with any information that would strengthen its ability to act appropriately.

3. Elevated Condition (Yellow). An Elevated Condition is declared when there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the Protective Measures taken in the previous Threat Conditions, Federal departments and agencies should consider the following general measures in addition to the Protective Measures that they will develop and implement:

Increasing surveillance of critical locations;
Coordinating emergency plans as appropriate with nearby jurisdictions;
Assessing whether the precise characteristics of the threat require the further refinement of preplanned Protective Measures; and
Implementing, as appropriate, contingency and emergency response plans.

4. High Condition (Orange). A High Condition is declared when there is a high risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the Protective Measures taken in the previous Threat Conditions, Federal departments and agencies should consider the following general measures in addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures that they will develop and implement:

Coordinating necessary security efforts with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies or any National Guard or other appropriate armed forces organizations;
Taking additional precautions at public events and possibly considering alternative venues or even cancellation;
Preparing to execute contingency procedures, such as moving to an alternate site or dispersing their workforce; and
Restricting threatened facility access to essential personnel only.

5. Severe Condition (Red). A Severe Condition reflects a severe risk of terrorist attacks. Under most circumstances, the Protective Measures for a Severe Condition are not intended to be sustained for substantial periods of time. In addition to the Protective Measures in the previous Threat Conditions, Federal departments and agencies also should consider the following general measures in addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures that they will develop and implement:

Increasing or redirecting personnel to address critical emergency needs;
Assigning emergency response personnel and pre-positioning and mobilizing specially trained teams or resources;
Monitoring, redirecting, or constraining transportation systems; and
Closing public and government facilities.

Tactical Alerts

The new Homeland Security Advisory System characterizes appropriate levels of vigilance, preparedness and readiness in a series of graduated Threat Conditions.

U.S. Central Command officials use scales of threat levels and defense readiness conditions to standarize the identification of threats and recommended responses throughout the military. While the THREATCON scale determines the condition for defense of the United States homeland and assets abroad, the DEFCON scale determines the posture of the military to prepare for the likelihood of war.

The THREATCON scale is intended to achieve interservice coordination and support for defense activities within the United States, on US bases abroad, and aboard US vessels. The military's four threat levels, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta, each bear a set of increasingly restrictive security precautions. When no threat level is indicated, the threat level is considered Normal. Threat-level considerations include the movement of people, visitor identification, vehicle checks, and the offset of allowed parking next to facilities and buildings. Following the terrorist attack of September 11th, while NASA prepares for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour, the Kennedy Space Center states that their current level of alert is Threatcon Charlie.

The DEFCON scale describes progressive alert postures primarily for use between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of unified commands. DEFCONs are graduated to match situations of varying military severity, and are phased increases in combat readiness. In the event of a national emergency, a series of seven different alert Conditions (LERTCONs) can be called. The 7 LERTCONs are broken down into 5 Defense Conditions (DEFCONs) and 2 Emergency Conditions (EMERGCONs), shown below.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US Strategic Air Command was placed on DEFCON 2 for the first time in history, while the rest of US military commands (with the exception of the US Air Forces in Europe) went on DEFCON 3. On 22 October 1962 SAC responded by establishing Defense Condition Three (DEFCON III), and ordered B-52s on airborne alert. Tension grew and the next day SAC declared DEFCON II, a heightened state of alert, ready to strike targets within the Soviet Union. On 15 November 1965 the day Strategic Air Command (SAC) postured down to defense condition (DEFCON) III. On 6 October 1973 Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise attack on Israel. On 25 October U.S. forces went on Defense Condition (DEFCON) III alert status, as possible intervention by the Soviet Union was feared. On 26 October, CINCSAC and CINCONAD reverted to normal DEFCON status. On 31 October USEUCOM (less the Sixth Fleet) went off DEFCON III status. The Sixth Fleet resumed its normal DEFCON status on 17 November 1973.

THREATCONs
THREATCON NORMAL: This condition of normal readiness exists when there is no known threat requiring a heightened state of alert.

THREATCON ALPHA: This condition applies when there is a general threat of possible terrorist activity against personnel and facilities, the nature and extent of which are unpredictable, and circumstances do not justify full implementation of THREATCON BRAVO measures. However, it may be necessary to implement certain measures from higher THREATCONS resulting from intelligence received or as a deterrent. The measures in this THREATCON must be capable of being maintained indefinitely.

THREATCON BRAVO: This condition applies when an increased and more predictable threat of terrorist activity exists. The measures in this THREATCON must be capable of being maintained for weeks without causing undue hardship, affecting operational capability, and aggravating relations with local authorities.

THREATCON CHARLIE: This condition applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action against personnel and facilities is imminent. Implementation of measures in this THREATCON for more than a short period probably will create hardship and affect the peacetime activities of the unit and its personnel.

THREATCON DELTA: This condition applies in the immediate area where a terrorist attack has occurred or when intelligence has been received that terrorist action against a specific location or person is likely. Normally, this THREATCON is declared as a localized condition.

LERTCONs

DEFCONs
DEFCON 5: Normal peacetime readiness.

DEFCON 4: Normal, increased intelligence and strengthened security measures.

DEFCON 3: Increase in force readiness above normal readiness.

DEFCON 2: Further Increase in force readiness, but less than maximum.

DEFCON 1: Maximum force readiness.

EMERGCONs
DEFENSE EMERGENCY: Major attack upon U.S. forces overseas, or allied forces in any area, and is confirmed either by the commander of a unified or specified command or higher authority or an overt attack of any type is made upon the United States and is confirmed by the commander of a unified or specified command or higher authority.

AIR DEFENSE EMERGENCY: Air defense emergency is an emergency condition, declared by the Commander in Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command. It indicates that attack upon the continental United States, Canada, or US installations in Greenland by hostile aircraft or missiles is considered probable, is imminent, or is taking place. Sources: DefenseLINK, Federation of American Scientists

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