KGNS - C-SPAN Washington Journal Visits Gateway City

News Article

By: Valerie Gonzalez

The nation had their eyes on Laredo these past two days during C-SPAN's Washington Journal Broadcast held on the border.

Guests included journalists, advocates and our district congressman, who addressed some of the topics that are currently being discussed on the campaign trail.

Laredo may be a border town of a little over 250,000 people, but the role it plays on topics like immigration or trade can influence national policy and debate.

Something that Congressman Henry Cuellar hopes will lead to improvements in our busy ports of entry.

Two countries dependent on each other in many ways, one of which is evident on the World Trade Bridge.

"There's also billions of dollars from Mexican companies that are coming in and investing in the U.S.", said Congressman Cuellar.

It's the message Congressman Henry Cuellar shares with the C-SPAN Washington Journal audience curious about the contributions Mexico has made to the U.S.

"Cemex, is the second largest producer of cement. They're a Mexican company." "Lala, they own Borden Milk. They're the second largest producer of dairy products in the United States", said Congressman Cuellar.

Every day, about 14,000 of these trucks pass through Laredo's ports of entry making Laredo one of the busiest inland ports in the country.

"Forty-percent of all the trade between the U.S. and Mexico comes through Laredo", said Congressman Cuellar.

Much of that trade is facilitated by the NAFTA agreement.

However, Texas Fair Trade Coalition director bob cash disagrees with the benefit of NAFTA.

He says it hasn't lived up to its promise, Yet he feels the trans-pacific partnership agreement that's on its way might be even more detrimental than NAFTA.

"It's very, very likely that Mexico, the United States, and Central America will lose hundreds of thousands, if not millions of jobs, to Bruni, Vietnam, Malaysia", said Bob Cash.

For the thousands who travel to Mexico daily, security continues to be a concern.

"I've told President Calderon. I've told president Enrique Peña-Nieto. We can help you as far as you want to. You want us to do more. We can do a lot more", said Congressman Cuellar.

Cuellar says the U.S. could help improve security by continuing to provide training for federal law enforcement or by using equipment like the aerostat.

This surveillance equipment currently being used by CBP is functional 24/7.

"Those cameras can go up and down the river. But, if we turn them around to Mexico, we can see what's happening for twenty miles. In fact, there have been instances, where we have provided information where the cameras are facing that way, to say, 'this, and this, and this is happening over there. Law enforcement, you all should take a look at it", said Congressman Cuellar.

He hopes Mexico considers this offer to improve the partnership that thousands rely on daily.

On Wednesday, journalists covering the border and an immigration attorney spoke over immigration reform, the different ways to achieve it and the current problems with it.

Congressman Cuellar says there can also be improvements to trade operations on our side of the border.

He believes hiring more CBP officers, working closer with Mexico to coordinate bridge operation hours and improving infrastructure and technology could help improve trade overall.

On Thursday, all eyes were on Laredo as it is one of the busiest ports of entries in the United States.

C-SPAN's Washington Journal ended their two-day broadcast focusing on our border city Thursday morning.

Congressman Henry Cuellar invited the TV network to visit and see what Laredo's role is on the national level.

During live interviews, they spoke about immigration, trade, border security and other relative topics to the border.

Cuellar says three things could be done to improve trade along the border.

"We still need more personnel. We added money for 2,000 new CBP officers. They're a little bit behind schedule nationwide. One quarter of them will come to Texas, the biggest amount will come to Laredo. But, at the same time, we're losing by attrition. We hire, they leave, they retire"

The other two improvements would be for the U.S. to coordinate hours of operation with Mexico and to improve infrastructure and technology along border.

Tonight at Ten, KGNS News reporter Valerie Gonzalez reports on what improvements to border security Congressman Cuellar is proposing.

Thursday was the final day C-SPAN visited Laredo during a two-day televised event focusing on the border.

During these past two days the C-SPAN Washington Journal, they've talked about issues pertaining to the border like immigration, border Security and trade.

They came after an invitation from Congressman Henry Cuellar who represents this district.

He was one of the guests interviewed on Thursday including a trade reporter from San Antonio and state director of the Texas fair trade coalition.

Tonight KGNS News reporter Valerie Gonzalez will share in what ways Congressman Cuellar says the U.S. could partner with Mexico to increase security on both sides of the border.

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