Fox News "Your World" - Transcript

Interview

Fox News "Your World" - Transcript

FOX NEWS CHANNEL "YOUR WORLD" INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-TX)

INTERVIEWER: NEIL CAVUTO

SUBJECT: MEXICAN BORDER VIOLENCE

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MR. CAVUTO: Well, he is pulling troops out of Iraq and into Afghanistan. My next guest says the president might want to think of a mess closer to home, real close, like in Mexico, like a real mess and a real dangerous and right now real problematic mess. He's Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, and he's concerned things have gotten out of control just south of the border.

Senator, how out of control?

SEN. CORNYN: Well, we've had about 7,000 Mexicans die since early 2008 as related to the drug violence in Mexico where two of the major cartels are fighting it out. Recent estimates of the Department of Defense estimate there are as many as 100,000 foot soldiers engaged in this violence. And of course, some of it has involved American citizens as they've traveled across the border, been kidnapped, and some haven't been returned to their families on this side of the border. So it's very serious.

MR. CAVUTO: All right. Now, there are a lot of college kids and a lot of parents of college kids who are listening and watching this right now, Senator, who are seeing those kids heading off to Mexico, Cancun for spring break. What would you tell them?

SEN. CORNYN: Well, I'd tell them to be careful where you go and to be guided by the U.S. State Department in terms of travel conditions and arrangements. Many places in Mexico are basically self-contained resort areas where, frankly, you're not going to have a lot of interaction with people from the outside. And my guess is those are probably a safer bet than some of the other areas where you might just go on more or less a self-guided excursion.

MR. CAVUTO: All right. So are these drug-related wars going on and U.S. citizens get caught up in the middle?

SEN. CORNYN: Well, most of the casualties are Mexicans who are killed. They are people who are kidnapped or who are intimidated because they are related to local law enforcement who are then threatened either to cooperating with the cartels or they will be killed or kidnapped. Now, the people I was talking about who are American citizens are ones who, for example, have gone across from Laredo into Nuevo Laredo and been caught up and kidnapped. And there have been dozens of them killed and not returned right there along the border region.

MR. CAVUTO: And these are the same folks who are taking no chance. They're armoring their cars, that sort of thing. Is that just being overly precautious or what?

SEN. CORNYN: No, I think not. I mean, many Mexicans who have assets, who know that their family might be targeted either for kidnapping, for ransom or other similar criminal activities, have their own private security arrangements. It's particularly bad, Neil, in Juarez, right across from El Paso, where more than 1,000 people have died in the last year. And frankly, we need to support President Calderon, the president of Mexico, and the Mexican government because this could be a real threat to stability in that country, and that would have grave consequences for the United States.

MR. CAVUTO: Well, real quickly, Senator -- I don't want to jump on you there -- have you heard from the president on this? Our president?

SEN. CORNYN: Well, I have not talked to President Obama yet. The purpose of my letter was to make sure that this was high on his radar screen because it is a serious problem. I've also talked to the secretary of Homeland Security.

MR. CAVUTO: All right, Senator. Good luck on this. Thank you very much.

SEN. CORNYN: Thank you.

END.

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