Pubdate: Sat, 14 Mar 2009
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author:  Cam Simpson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/mexico

NAPOLITANO TARGETS BORDER VIOLENCE

Homeland Security Chief Seeks To Stem Flow Of Cash, Guns To Mexican
Gangs

WASHINGTON -- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said
the Obama administration would soon unveil a plan for dealing with
rising violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, including more resources
to stem the flow of dollars and guns to warring drug gangs.

"I think there will be some announcements with some specifics that
either I or the president will be making in the coming weeks," Ms.
Napolitano said Friday during an interview.

Ms. Napolitano said the plan would include more resources aimed at
stopping U.S.-acquired firearms and cash earned from illicit drug
sales flowing back across the border. Money and guns are fueling the
escalating violence in Mexico that is spilling into U.S. communities,
including in Arizona. Ms. Napolitano was the state's governor before
joining the Obama cabinet. Ms. Napolitano revealed few specifics of
the new effort, but said special task forces run by DHS -- uniting
federal, state and local law enforcement -- would get greater
attention. Those task forces are aimed specifically at the Mexican
cartels' guns and cash, but currently have no designated funding.

Ms. Napolitano indicated there would be more so-called outbound
enforcement: checking people and vehicles leaving the U.S. to see if
they are carrying contraband. She said those efforts wouldn't hamper
the job of stopping illegal immigration into the U.S.

"We can do significant things," she said. "And you know we're not --
let me be very, very clear -- we are not removing border-protection
agents who are between the ports of entry guarding our border. We are
not doing that. We need those people....We need those boots on the
ground on illegal immigration."

Mexican drug gangs are warring over lucrative trade routes into the
U.S. At the same time, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has mobilized
his military in a two-year crackdown on drug trafficking. An estimated
7,000 people have died in drug-related homicides since 2008.

Ms. Napolitano on Friday cited stepped-up planning by the Obama
administration on the issue, as more public attention is directed
toward Mexico's violence and its potential to spill over the border.
"I can say that there are several cabinet- and security-level
departments that are working with us now and looking at what can be
done," she said, "not only to protect the U.S. side of the border and
Americans on the U.S. side, but also to work with President Calderon,
because it is in our joint interest that these drug cartels be
demolished." She didn't give details. Susan Ginsburg, who heads the
security program at the Migration Policy Institute, a centrist think
tank in Washington, said the administration should create a plan that
joins foreign and domestic policy, as well as domestic agencies that
can often clash over turf.

"There hasn't been a coordinated plan," Ms. Ginsburg said. "There
haven't been enough resources. And the agencies involved don't always
play too well together." Although there has been no new funding
announced, Ms. Napolitano has asked U.S. border agents to work harder.
On Friday, two of the four top issues trumpeted on the DHS Web site
were gun seizures and cash seizures. "We already are beginning to
increase our operation of looking at guns and cash going southbound,
because it's those guns and cash that are fueling the battle against
Calderon and...the very, very violent battle in Mexico," Ms.
Napolitano said.

She is expected to appear before the Senate Homeland Security
Committee to address the issue on March 25.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin