Alicia A. Caldwell
Napolitano lauds successes in US border security
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The U.S. and Mexico are making headway in the ongoing struggle to curb the flow of illegal drugs, cash and weapons across the border, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday.
Napolitano, who spoke at a public policy conference at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, said “historic” agreements with Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s government and increases in enforcement are helping with security issues in the U.S., and curbing the flow of drugs into the U.S. and weapons and cash into Mexico.
“We stand at a historic moment,” she said. “We have the opportunity to work with the government of Mexico to make significant advancements in the safety and security of the border area and the safety and security of Mexico in the very courageous battle President Calderon is fighting there.”
Calderon launched a nationwide offensive against violent and powerful drug cartels shortly after taking office in 2006. Since then, more than 13,000 people have been killed. In Ciudad Juarez, just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, federal police and Mexican troops have been deployed to curb the near-daily killings.
Napolitano said successes are coming slowly but steadily, and can’t fully be measured by the number of arrests made or the amount of cash and weapons seized. “It will be a marathon, but progress is being made, again because of the historic relationship we have,” she said.
During her 45-minute speech, Napolitano highlighted a series of border initiatives her department has announced since she was sworn in earlier this year, including increased numbers of federal agents working at the border and the creation of routine southbound checkpoints at U.S. ports of entry. She also reiterated a commitment to work with local and state authorities and overhaul immigration detention facilities and policies.
“Historically in the 1980s and ’90s, issues involving the border … drug trafficking, immigration, were viewed as strictly federal issues,” Napolitano said. But she said her department has seen the impact on local and state agencies and has “put a premium” on partnering with them.
The secretary also briefly discussed the need for comprehensive immigration reform. She said once health care reform is passed, President Barack Obama’s administration will focus on immigration as a top priority.
“I’m not going to give you a timeline,” Napolitano said of potential legislation. “But there’s a whole lot of work going on behind the scenes.”
She said any reform would include enforcement and visa reform, and deal with the millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S.
“It will mirror the fact that we are a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants,” Napolitano said.
Related News
1 killed, 6 wounded when gunmen attack truck carrying illegal migrants in southern MexicoSeptember 19th, 2009 Gunmen kill illegal migrant in southern MexicoTUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico — Mexican officials say gunmen have attacked a group of illegal immigrants in southern Mexico, killing one and wounding five as well as an alleged people smuggler. According to Mexico's federal preventative police, gunmen fired on a truck carrying the migrants before dawn Saturday along a highway outside the city of Comitan in Chiapas state.
Napolitano says US, Mexico making headway in curbing the flow of illegal drugs and cashSeptember 16th, 2009 Napolitano says border security progress seenLAS CRUCES, N.M. — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the U.S.
Mexican inspectors find at least $5.4 million hidden in fertilizer shipment bound for ColombiaSeptember 11th, 2009 Mexico police find over $5.4 million cash in cargoMEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities say they have found at least $5.4 million hidden in a shipment of ammonium sulfate at a Pacific coast port, and are still counting the cash. The Mexican navy says the bundles of cash were hidden in large sacks of the granular chemical, most commonly used as a fertilizer.
Mexican inspectors find at least $5 million hidden in fertilizer shipment bound for ColombiaSeptember 11th, 2009 Mexico police find over $5 million cash in cargoMEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities say they have found at least $5 million hidden in a shipment of ammonium sulfate at a Pacific coast port, and are still counting the cash. Authorities earlier said the estimated amount was at least $5.4 million.
Ambassador says US must stem flow of weapons to Mexican drug cartelsSeptember 4th, 2009 Ambassador: US must stop flow of arms to MexicoMONTERREY, Mexico — Washington's new ambassador to Mexico says the United States must stop the flow of weapons smuggled south across the border to improve security. Carlos Pascual says "we cannot continue to arm the cartels," referring to guns bought in the United States and sold to drug gangs in Mexico.
Venezuela: Collaboration with US Coast Guard led to drug bust in Caribbean SeaAugust 21st, 2009 Venezuela helps US seize cocaine-laden shipCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela says its collaboration with U.S. authorities led to the seizure of about a ton of cocaine aboard a ship in the Caribbean Sea.
Funding disagreement stalls Obama goal to put National Guard troops on southern borderAugust 12th, 2009 Plan for Guard troops on border stalls over moneyWASHINGTON — A government plan to use National Guard troops to help stem Mexican drug violence along the southern border is stymied by disagreements over who will pay for the soldiers and how they would be used. Ordered by President Barack Obama in June to help secure the border with Mexico, the Pentagon and the Homeland Security Department drafted a $225 million plan to deploy temporarily 1,500 Guard troops to supplement Border Patrol agents.
Napolitano: Heightened enforcement to prevent drug violence from spilling in from MexicoAugust 11th, 2009 Napolitano announces $30M in fed border grantsHomeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced $30 million in federal grants Tuesday to prevent drug-fueled violence from spilling into the United States from Mexico, heralding it as the latest of several moves in recent months to bolster border enforcement. Law enforcement agencies in Texas will get nearly $13 million, California and Arizona will get more than $7 million each and New Mexico will receive nearly $3 million under the federal Operation Stonegarden program.
Feds seize heroin worth $17 million, indict 21 in Mexico, California drug ringJuly 30th, 2009 Feds seize heroin worth $17 million in CaliforniaSACRAMENTO, Calif. — Authorities say federal drug agents have broken up a narcotics ring responsible for importing heroin valued at $17.5 million into California from Mexico.
Homeland Security chief says public should be educated, engaged to help fight terrorismJuly 29th, 2009 Napolitano says public should help fight terrorismNEW YORK — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the U.S. government has not done everything it can to educate and engage the public in preventing terrorism.
Homeland Sec'y Napolitano heading to Europe, Kuwait for meetings on counterterrorismJune 25th, 2009 Napolitano to Europe, Kuwait for terrorism talksWASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano leaves this weekend for meetings with officials in Europe and Kuwait on counterterrorism issues. At a meeting with reporters Thursday, Napolitano said she will be meeting with her counterparts in Britain as well as officials in Spain, Ireland and Portugal.
US and Mexico agree to improve customs processes and secure travel and tradeJune 15th, 2009 US and Mexico agree to improve customsWASHINGTON — The U.S. and Mexico formalized an agreement Monday to work together to secure legal travel and trade across the countries' shared border.
Obama administration outlines strategy against drug traffickers, gun runners along SW borderJune 5th, 2009 New drug war strategy focuses on weapons and cashALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Obama administration officials said Friday they will devote more resources to fighting Mexican drug cartels and use new technology to thwart them while trying to quell the U.S.
Obama immigration enforcement policy focuses on employers, much like Bush policyApril 30th, 2009 Gov't going after hiring of illegalsWASHINGTON — An Obama administration policy to go after employers who knowingly hire and exploit illegal workers is not significantly different from the Bush administration strategy, according to a copy of the guidelines, obtained by The Associated Press. The new guidelines for immigration agents, which the Homeland Security Department calls a "renewed department-wide focus" will impose fines and criminal charges against employers who break the law.
Homeland Security's Napolitano: "Passive surveillance' of US borders sufficient to contain fluApril 28th, 2009 Gov't: Stern border monitoring not yet necessaryWASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is arguing that "passive surveillance" of the U.S. border with Mexico is sufficient and that tougher monitoring measures are not yet necessary.
Loading ...