Congressman Henry Cuellar Calls On Congress And Attorney General To Act on Border Violence

CONGRESSMAN HENRY CUELLAR CALLS ON CONGRESS AND ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ACT ON BORDER VIOLENCE

Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar called on Congress and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to respond to the increase in violent crime along the United States-Mexico border. In letters addressed to both the Congressional Leadership and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Congressman Cuellar requested that they travel to the Laredo area to see first hand the conditions along the border. Congressman Cuellar has also requested that they meet to discuss the deployment of additional resources along crime hotspots on the border and increased assistance to Mexican law enforcement.

Just earlier this week, several prominent American citizens were kidnapped from a hunting lodge only miles from the Unites States Border. This past year a fire-fight between Mexican authorities and drug cartel members threatened to spill across one of bridges that connects Laredo to Nuevo-Laredo and necessitated the deployment of Webb County Sheriffs deputies and the Laredo Police to the bridge.

"We must come together to give our law enforcement agencies the resources they need to fight the increasing levels of crime along the border," noted Cuellar. "I strongly believe that we must work with the Mexican government and provide them the assistance they need to be effective partners in securing the border region. Mexico, our southern neighbor and one of our largest trading and cultural partners, receives significantly less foreign aid from the United States than some of our other allies. In fiscal year 2006, Mexico received $69 million in aid, while Colombia received $561 million and Bolivia received $132 million. I support additional assistance to Mexico because a strong, secure, and stable Mexico will help keep our borders safe.

http://www.house.gov/list/press/tx28_cuellar/borderviolence113006.html