How Paris attacks are affecting security elsewhere

ISIS fighters are taking credit for Friday’s attacks in France, saying Washington, D.C., is next.

Federal authorities are taking that new threat seriously and ABC-7 is also looking into security in the Borderland.

No one would speak on camera about raising the security level and there didn’t appear to be any major changes in El Paso. ABC-7 contacted El Paso Police, Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, the TSA and even local malls.

There did appear to be more security at this Monday morning’s citizenship ceremony in Downtown El Paso. ABC-7 spotted barriers blocking the Convention Center, although no one would say why they were there.

ABC-7 also spoke with UTEP Special Events coordinator Jorge Vasquez about Saturday’s football game against Louisiana Tech at the Sun Bowl. He admitted security will be on high alert at the game in wake of the attacks in France.

“We’re very, very confident that what we have, it’s to the standards that they need to be,” Vasquez said. “Of course, I cannot give you too much information as to the particulars of what we’re doing, but rest-assured that the university makes every effort to ensure that every event that we have, when we open the doors, that it’s a safe, fun and enjoyable event.”

A professor in UTEP’s National Security Studies Institute told ABC-7 that higher security is the new normal.

“As a security expert, I would say, ‘Yes, we need to get use to this as the new norm,'” Dr. Damien Van Puyvelde told ABC-7. “As unfortunate as it may sound, more attacks are coming for the simple reason that government are not able, and I don’t see how government can be able, to provide 100 percent security to their citizens.”

Puyvelde still has family and friends in France. He said their attitude is to keep on living just as they used to. He says they refuse to become so focused on security, “that they don’t live anymore.”