The solution to security issues on the U.S. border with Mexico will need to include some sort of swinging door so that workers can come and go as they want, according to the White House press secretary.

WND's correspondent at the White House, Les Kinsolving, asked spokeswoman Dana Perino:

"Reuters reports that our Customs and Border Protection Commissioner admits that the U.S. may not meet the goal of essentially stopping illegal immigration from Mexico by 2011. And my question: What does the president believe would help most in this effort, more border security personnel, more miles of border fence, or more enforcement of immigration regulations nationwide?"

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"The president thinks that all of those issues are important, but he would add another measure, which is a temporary worker program so that we could have a legal mechanism for people who want to cross the border and work in America, but also want to go back home," she said.

The Reuters report cited an admission from Ralph Basham, commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who said in 2005 the government projected having "operational control" of the border within five years.

However, in testimony before Congress, he said the Secure Border Initiative included several assumptions, and some of those underlying events have not happened.

"We're going to be pushing to meet those goals … but I cannot with any assurance tell you right now that we'll meet them," Reuters reported he told a meeting of the House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security.

One congressman, Kentucky Republication Hal Rogers, said the bottom line has to be, "We are going to secure our borders and end illegal immigration."

But Basham said one of the factors on which the protection was based was the assumption about a comprehensive immigration reform package, dubbed an amnesty program by opponents, which failed in Congress.

Officials also said the "virtual fence" that has been built along a 28-mile section of the border in Arizona has been delayed by technical problems, and opposition from landowners along the border also is delaying plans for 670 miles of fencing.

In a second question, Kinsolving asked, "Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has just written a new book entitled, 'On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For.' And my question: Does the former governor of Texas who is now president agree or disagree with this title?"

"I don't know if he's even aware of the book. And Gov. Perry was around last week and talked to him. I'm going to move on," said Perino.

Kinsolving followed up: "You don't want to leave the impression the president opposes both Perry and the Boy Scouts, do you?"

"Of course he doesn't," Perino said.

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