Haliburton subsidiary KBR has been quietly working on these camps for the past few years.

The contract, which is effective immediately, provides for establishing temporary detention and processing capabilities to expand existing ICE Detention and Removal Operations Program facilities in the event of an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S., or to support the rapid development of new programs, KBR said. The contract may also provide migrant detention support to other government organizations in the event of an immigration emergency, as well as the development of a plan to react to a national emergency, such as a natural disaster, the company said.

As Jerome Corsi points out, NSPD-51 gives the President dictatorial powers, indefinite in duration, in the event of a declared emergency. The term “emergency” is quite broadly defined:

The directive loosely defines “catastrophic emergency” as “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.”

….NSPD-51/ HSPD-20 also makes no reference whatsoever to Congress. The language of the May 9 directive appears to negate any a requirement that the president submit to Congress a determination that a national emergency exists, suggesting instead that the powers of the executive order can be implemented without any congressional approval or oversight. (source)

Now some may believe that our current President would not follow in the previous President’s footsteps and abuse power in this manner. I think the public record speaks for itself:

* Is Obama Embracing the Lawless, Omnipotent Executive?
* Obama Administration Supports Telco Spy Immunity
* Obama Administration Keeps Bush View on Afghanistan Detainees
* Obama Adminstration Tries to Kill E-mail Case
* Obama, Not Bush, Now Seeking Delay of Rove Deposition
* Obama Signals He Isn’t Interested in ‘Truth Commission’ to Investigate Bush Abuses
* Obama Administration Pressing Ahead with an Argument for Preserving State Secrets Involving Rendition and Torture Developed by the Bush Administration
* Biden: US Stands Ready to Take Pre-emptive Action Against Iran
* Obama Sides with Bush in Spy Case

Army Civilian Inmate Labor Program

The Army’s Civilian Inmate Labor Program (i.e. where many of us will go if martial law is imposed in the event of total economic collapse)