Print This Post Print This Post          Email This Post Email This Post

1:31 pm CST - May 06, 2010

Posted under On The Record

Border Security: Cuellar Meets With Top Mexican, American Officials


Border Lawmakers Meet with Secretary Napolitano, Mexican Secretary  to Discuss Mutual Concerns, Border Security & Trade

Washington, DC – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) today joined southern border lawmakers and top security officials from the United States and Mexico to discuss the state of affairs between the two countries on Cinco de Mayo, a day which marks the historic triumph of the Mexican people over the French Army in the battle of Puebla in 1862.

Congressmen Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) and Harry Teague (D-NM) hosted the Capitol Hill meeting between the group of border lawmakers and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Mexico Interior Secretary Fernandez Gomez-Mont, Mexico Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan, ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton and CBP Commissioner Alan Bersin.

“Today, we celebrate the important contributions of Mexican Americans throughout this country and we recognize the mutual priorities shared between the United States and Mexico,” said Congressman Cuellar. “Cinco de Mayo has long been a symbol of unity and patriotism in Mexico’s history and we will continue to support Mexico in its endeavors to uphold safety and civility for its people.”

The group of border lawmakers discussed with Secretary Napolitano, Secretary Mont and other top border officials shared priorities between the U.S. and Mexico, including the $1.3 billion Merida Initiative, a cooperative partnership between the two countries to thwart drug-related violence.

Officials from both countries agreed that a second Merida Initiative is necessary as funding for the current program expires later this year. Officials also recognized an increase in southern border violence, in particular that along Arizona’s southern border and the Texas-Mexico border along the Rio Grande.

Texas members voiced specific concerns on how the recent violence is affecting cross-border trade.

“The popular consensus is that the violence has continued along the border. While both governments are doing what they can to stem the tide, our communities have been affected,” said Congressman Cuellar, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism. “Both CBP and ICE have made substantial progress over the past year in the number of interdictions, seizures and arrests. Still, we need to make specific investments that strengthen judicial systems and social programs in Mexico.”

Mexico’s Interior Secretary Mont highlighted Wednesday a new Federal Police Command Center (FPCC) that was established in Ciudad Juarez as a center for interagency coordination and intelligence gathering. Mont reiterated how the flow of weapons from the United States to Mexico is an ongoing problem, in addition to the level of drug consumption in the United States which continues to finance cartel operations.

Earlier this week, Secretary Napolitano highlighted ongoing efforts on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the unparalleled level of collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico to combat cartel-related violence and illegal trafficking.

According to DHS, illegal traffic across the Southwest border has decreased by 23 percent in the past year and the number of border patrol agents has doubled from 10,000 in 2004 to 20,000 in 2010.

Since March 2009, DHS reports that it has doubled the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel assigned to Border Enforcement Security Task Forces and that DHS has expanded the Secure Communities Initiative — which uses biometric information to identify and remove criminal aliens in state prisons and local jails — from 14 to 118 locations.

Since 2007, Congress has increased CBP funding from $8.2 billion to $10.1 billion, and provided an additional $1 billion for border security in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Last month, border lawmakers, led by House Select Intelligence Chairman Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-El Paso), requested from Congress over $400 million in emergency funding to augment border patrol hires and communications capabilities among Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

If approved by Congress, this funding would be included in the Iraq-Afghanistan war supplemental bill anticipated to move through Congress later this May.

Wednesday’s meeting comes in advance of Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s address to a joint session of Congress later this month.

To learn more about this and other border related issues, please visit: http://www.cuellar.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=3833

Post to Twitter

18 Comments

CWJensen
12:33 pm CST
May 06, 2010

This is ONE of many links I suggest every American citizen check out:
http://www.ojjpac.org/memorial.asp

CWJensen
12:38 pm CST
May 06, 2010

CWJensen
12:41 pm CST
May 06, 2010

Still Another for you LYING Obama stooges:
http://www.immigrationshumancost.org/

CWJensen
12:43 pm CST
May 06, 2010

Are you SICK yet?

CWJensen
12:59 pm CST
May 06, 2010

“Today, we celebrate the important contributions of Mexican Americans throughout this country and we recognize the mutual priorities shared between the United States and Mexico,” said Congressman Cuellar. “Cinco de Mayo has long been a symbol of unity and patriotism in Mexico’s history and we will continue to support Mexico in its endeavors to uphold safety and civility for its people.”
http://mexicanoccupation.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-many-americans-murdered-by-illegals.html

SJK
4:28 pm CST
May 06, 2010

One of the “legal” immigrants on the Glenn Beck program today said (paraphrasing) that “illegals” who come here undercover,really has no interest in the United States and what it stands for! They abuse all the systems using false ID to get welfare, education, healthcare, etc. and jobs they get the majority send the money back home to thier families. This legal immigrant described “illegal” immigrants as nuisances and a drain on the economy. Thie “legal” immigrant went on to say that America is a country of laws (the rule of law) and that is what makes America the great country it is!

Freedom is not free! You have to work for it and earn it and prove you really want it! Breaking our laws and coming in our country illegally isn’t the way to do it! America is the land of opportunity and dreams come true for any immigrant who whats to become a naturalized citizen abd live her! Or if they want to work here, there is that opportunity to do that—get a green card! I repeat—–LEGAL IS LEGAL! ILLEGAL IS BREAKING THE LAW! We welcome all immigrants, but do it the right way!

CWJensen
6:21 pm CST
May 06, 2010

Obama Opening the USA to Mexico trucks………………………………….Now they can bring in ILLEGALS ,TERRORISTS and WMD by the truck load:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0626694320100506

Mike
6:40 am CST
May 06, 2010

“Officials from both countries agreed that a SECOND Merida Initiative is necessary as funding for the current program expires later this year. Officials also recognized an increase in southern border violence, in particular that along Arizona’s southern border and the Texas-Mexico border along the Rio Grande.”

My comment to the above quote is that by all means we should throw more money at the issue because it’s REALLY worked well so far!

CWJensen
9:27 am CST
May 06, 2010

History lesson:
Make sure you read the last paragraph :)
Introduction
The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually September 16.

Setting The Stage
The battle at Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico’s history. Mexico had finally gained independence from Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle, and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, had ruined the national economy.

During this period of struggle Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England and France, who were demanding repayment. Similar debt to the U.S. was previously settled after the Mexican-American War. France was eager to expand its empire at that time, and used the debt issue to move forward with goals of establishing its own leadership in Mexico. Realizing France’s intent of empire expansion, Spain and England withdrew their support. When Mexico finally stopped making any loan payments, France took action on its own to install Napoleon III’s relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.

Mexico Confronts The Invasion
CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVALS, PARTIES

France invaded at the gulf coast of Mexico along the state of Veracruz (see map) and began to march toward Mexico City, a distance today of less than 600 miles. Although American President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico’s cause, and for which he is honored in Mexico, the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to provide any direct assistance.

Marching on toward Mexico City, the French army encountered strong resistance near Puebla at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. Lead by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a smaller, poorly armed militia estimated at 4,500 men were able to stop and defeat a well outfitted French army of 6,500 soldiers, which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the historical date’s celebration.

Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon III had found an excuse to send more troops overseas to try and invade Mexico again, even against the wishes of the French populace. 30,000 more troops and a full year later, the French were eventually able to depose the Mexican army, take over Mexico City and install Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico.

Maximilian’s bullet riddled shirt on display Maximilian’s rule of Mexico was also short lived, from 1864 to 1867. With the American Civil War now over, the U.S. began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to expel the French, after which Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans – his bullet riddled shirt is kept at the museum at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. So despite the eventual French invasion of Mexico City, Cinco de Mayo honors the bravery and victory of General Zaragoza’s smaller, outnumbered militia at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Today’s Celebration
For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday throughout the country with different levels of enthusiasm, but it’s nothing like that found in Puebla.

Traditional Mexican dancers Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico.

Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also had a hand in promoting the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, with music playing a more visible role as well. Several cities throughout the U.S. hold parades and concerts during the week following up to May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo has become a bigger holiday north of the border than it is to the south, and being adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year.

[Sources: Encyclopedia Encarta, Encyclopedia Britanica, Prescott's Mexico:1900, HistoryChannel.com, other sources. minor edits April 25, 2007]

alicia
9:47 am CST
May 06, 2010

Conferences, meetings, Merida, etc. are total nonsense.

Build the fence and man it with Border Patrol & National Guard.

We’re being engulfed.

Until last year, The Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution were placed *behind* LULAC in our local July 4th parade! We raised hell and got that changed.

But, that’s an example……….engulfed.

David
11:10 am CST
May 06, 2010

C.W. thanks for the very informing websites. I plan on forwarding them to appropriate people so that they can see what destruction and sorrow that the illegals are causing to families in this country.

StopTreasonWithin
5:59 pm CST
May 06, 2010

We are repeatedly insulted and threatened by the Mexican Government, President(s) whom end up constructing castles in Spain from US Taxpayers money=Peso Bailing; 67 helicopters in l997 where are they? On and on…to fight drugs while Mexico legalizes them–and their thousands of heathen breeders via sperm donors hemoraging every l5 seconds into the USA sent by Mexico’s elites and government; buses blessed by the largest global Real Estate conglomerate–the Catholic Church who violates GOD and man’s laws daily living in gold while telling females to be baby-machines(we have enough of our own like Duggers, Osmonds,Kate Jon; Sulleman(from middle east and her parents & her sperm doctor on taxpayers….we do not need nor want Mexico’s over 60% of our overpopoulation destroying our choices not to be baby makers-nor killers of Planet Earth as the RACE -666=The Plague invades while our US TROOPS our sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers each generation have been and now are 24/7 being systematically sacrificed on foreign soil for Open BOrders Criminal Illegal Alien Invaders who continue to aid and abett the same as The RACE(who would dare to refer to themselves as the Race other than EVIL pure EVIL?} that is what we have permitted on USA soil via the TRAITORS cowards within.
Non profits former Amnesty recipients or just plain products of heathen breeders via sperm donor exponentials from womb to tomb dropping just in time after planning their run acorss the USA borders to drop a future breeder(Three is what Mexico wants to takeover). Alll youth on the USA borders know that just dumb etc pretend they don’t hear or see EVIL because they do not want to take responsibility for what they do know! All will pay.
NO MORE AMNESTY: start filing for TREASON against those aiding and abetting ILLEGALS sedition against the USA. Prior generations H U N G TRAITORS by the neck and let their bodies dry up and blow away…
Remember the Alamo because it is at everyone’s door step now.
Will you hide in your closet and keyboard pretending all will go away–?
Get real this is EVIL vs good…take you stand because that is where you will end up doing nothing or watching…
US TROOPS betrayed…B E T R A Y E D by coward traitors within who bow to everything and everyone…will reap their reward by becoming that which they BETRAYED and failed to right!
Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto YOU

gena
7:58 pm CST
May 06, 2010

HISPANIC is not a RACE!!! I’m so tired of hearing that we’re racially profiling … Hispanic is a nationality … just like French, Italian and (dare I say?? American). The news media and the Hispanice elevate themselves with the implication that they are a race of people.

There are negros, caucasians and orientals … that’s it!

I live in a border state and we see the problems of illegals first hand …. day in and day out. It’s no longer a state problem. The governor of Pennsylvania is working to enact a law based on Arizona’s. That’s a long way from the border!

God bless those families from Mexico who DO want to come to the US to better themselves and give their children a shot at a dream. If you’ve not been to Mexico, it’s eye opening, the way those people have to live. It’s no wonder they come to the states, move into a three bedroom house that they share with two other families and think they’ve made it! And here at least, the Catholic chruch is a true enabler.

Oh, well .. I suppose it hasn’t changed in my lifetime, perhaps my grandchildren will have the chance to live in a country with secure borders.

MAGGIEB
11:29 am CST
May 06, 2010

This is one of the Pigs that needs to be voted out this year. He is total Anti American and needs to be sent back to Mexico to stay. We are pushing to get Him out in November

Preachers Daughter
5:18 pm CST
May 06, 2010

Alicia,
We could build that fence and put troops on the border if we stopped financing Israel’s apartheid oppression of Christian Plalestinians to the tune of $3billion a year.

Would $3billion a year keep our border states safer? Yes.

Would ending tax cuts to companies to send jobs away from the US so people can earn a living, recover their dginity and stop doing drugs help? Yes.

Would farmers paying a living wage so that American citizens can afford to work on farms help?
Yes.

We need to kick out even Republicans who deregulated banks and Wall Street and who shipped our jobs out of the US. Bring our factories back, folks, so we’d have enough jobs for ourselves and some to spare.

$3billion a year invested in US industry would go a long way.

Bring our money back from Israel.

Preachers Daughter
5:40 pm CST
May 06, 2010

BTW Alicia,

DAR and SOL is about Atlantic Coast people. SOL and DOL are clubs started in Boston, MA a long way from LULAC territory. In 1776, the US was east of the Appalachians.

If your parade is about historical order, LULAC should be second to Native Americans because Spain was fully filling up our border states with people back then. It was Native American land, then some Spain-sponsored colonists, then the Americas after Mr. Polk’s little war.

Please check in the the SBOE of Texas. They will set you straight.

This is why racism is a bad argument. Racism requires ignorance and ignorance is weak.

I forgot to mention the rich people who snort those illegal drugs. Poor people can’t afford them.
So, detox the rich and get them back to the business of expanding honest jobs in America.

Spoiled rich kids are making our American economy into their dirty little diaper. Enabling parents let them and try to cover it up with racist comments.

We have a lot of soul searching to do to fix this problem. It will take more than money but it will take more money, too.

Christian Archer
8:25 am CST
May 06, 2010

STWithin, I meant watch these videos. They are long and you will probably have to watch them in blocks of time. The true enemies of this nation are the elitists and those videos expose who they are. Elitists don’t care whether the country is conservatve, moderate or liberal. They work any political persuasion to their advantage.

Leave a Comment

Your Name
(required)
Your Email
(required - not published)
Your Website
(optional)
Your Thoughts


six × = 36

online roulette|blackjack online
%d bloggers like this: