Cornyn Calls On Mexico To Assist In Locating Missing Persons From Laredo Area Requests that Ambassador Garza pressure Mexican government, provide upda

Cornyn Calls On Mexico To Assist In Locating Missing Persons From Laredo Area Requests that Ambassador Garza pressure Mexican government, provide updates
Wednesday, April 05, 2006

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship subcommittee, on Wednesday said the Mexican government must show a greater commitment in locating the numerous missing persons from the Laredo area.

Cornyn sent a letter to Tony Garza, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, noting that "the good work of U.S. law enforcement will never be enough without serious commitment and strong efforts from Mexico."

"I therefore respectfully request that you call upon the Mexican government to assist the families and friends of missing persons by helping them obtain information about their loved ones," Cornyn wrote to Garza, "and that you would provide me with timely updates so that I may inform and support the families who have been affected by this senseless violence."

It is reported that 27 United States citizens are missing from Laredo alone, and more than 400 persons are missing from Nuevo Laredo. Cornyn met recently in Laredo with several families whose loved ones are missing.

"The ongoing drug wars in Nuevo Laredo are spilling over into Laredo and nearby communities in the United States," Cornyn wrote. "I fear the threat of violence to our citizens who live and work in border regions will only continue to escalate. This condition is unacceptable—and Mexico must act immediately to end this situation."

Cornyn introduced legislation last year to combat narco-terror in response to violence in Nuevo Laredo. He is also the author of The Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act, S.1438. The bill would dramatically strengthen enforcement, bolster border security, and comprehensively reform our immigration laws.

--Below is the text of the letter Sen. Cornyn sent to Ambassador Garza--

April 5, 2006

The Honorable Tony Garza

American Ambassador to Mexico

United States Department of State

Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Ambassador Garza:

Thank you for your service to our country. I am writing to express my concern over the growing number of missing persons in and around Laredo, Texas. To date, it has been reported that 27 United States citizens are missing from Laredo alone, and over 400 persons are missing from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

One tragic example involves Brenda Cisneros and her friend Yvette Martinez - a 27-year-old mother of two young girls. On September 17, 2004, the two women were celebrating Brenda's 23rd birthday at a concert across the border in Nuevo Laredo. Neither has been seen since.

The ongoing drug wars in Nuevo Laredo are spilling over into Laredo and nearby communities in the United States. I fear the threat of violence to our citizens who live and work in border regions will only continue to escalate. This condition is unacceptable—and Mexico must act immediately to end this situation.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials along the border routinely seize guns, ammunition, drugs, and illegal aliens. Additionally, Border Patrol agents face hundreds of assaults each year ranging from shootings, to rock throwing, to attempts to run them over. In late August, I sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requesting that additional resources be allocate to remedy this situation. The Attorney General and the administration quickly took action to protect the people of Texas, sending a Violent Crime Impact Team to address the violence, particularly the problem of missing persons.

However, the good work of U.S. law enforcement will never be enough without serious commitment and strong efforts from Mexico. I therefore respectfully request that you call upon the Mexican government to assist the families and friends of missing persons by helping them obtain information about their loved ones, and that you would provide me with timely updates so that I may inform and support the families who have been affected by this senseless violence.

Considering the urgent nature of this request, I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience to discuss this issue. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN

United States Senator

http://cornyn.senate.gov/index.asp?f=record&lid=1&yid=1&rid=237154&pg=1