Thread: Targeting Smugglers:US-Mex. Prog. May Soon Start in El Paso

Targeting smugglers: US-Mexico program may soon start in El Paso

By Adriana Gómez Licón / El Paso Times
Posted: 02/19/2010 12:00:00 AM MST

EL PASO -- A pilot program in which U.S. Border Patrol agents work in Mexico and Mexican federal police work in the U.S. and share intelligence to catch drug and human smugglers may soon start in El Paso.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mexican Secretary of Public Safety Genaro GarcÃ*a Luna signed a declaration on Wednesday to copy a program that began along the border at Nogales, Ariz.

"The U.S. and Mexico have been engaged in joint and cooperative efforts in the border region of Sonora and Arizona," said Matt Chandler, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. "This new declaration will allow us to build on our successful cooperation thus far, and expand it to other high-risk areas moving forward."

The Border Patrol will send two agents to Hermosillo, the state capital of Sonora, about 150 miles from the Arizona border, an official said.

The Mexican secretary of public safety could not be reached for a comment on whether officers would work at Border Patrol stations in the United States.

The Mexican consul in El Paso, Robert RodrÃ*guez, said no Mexican officials were working in Border Patrol stations in the U.S.

Chandler said Homeland Security does not disclose details of future actions, such as the work along the El Paso and Juárez border.

Doug Mosier, spokesman for the Border Patrol in El Paso, said he did not know of any reproduction of the project in the area. He said he expected that information would be forthcoming.

The El Paso sector covers all of New Mexico and parts of Culberson and Hudspeth counties. It was the sixth-busiest area in border apprehensions, a 2009 Homeland Security report said. The report said El Paso had about 30,300 arrests in 2008, and officials said the number fell by 50 percent to 15,000 in 2009.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said the El Paso-Juárez corridor is the gateway for large quantities of marijuana and cocaine traveling through interstate highways to metropolitan areas in the United States. Traffickers have stash houses in El Paso, and local small businesses launder large amounts of drug proceeds, the agency said.

Mosier said the Border Patrol began training local, state and federal Mexican police after officials reached an agreement several years ago. "We've always had a good working relationship with authorities in Mexico," he said. "Whether or not that will increase, that remains to be seen."

The Border Patrol in El Paso has trained Mexican police on topics such as search and rescue and investigative techniques.

The negative image Mexican residents and authorities had of Border Patrol has changed over the years, Mosier said, and that has helped establish a better working environment.

"The whole notion or stigma that people in Mexico are afraid of the Border Patrol has changed," he said. "The criminal elements still very much respect the Border Patrol badge."

Napolitano selected Nogales to test the Border Patrol and Mexican federal police operation months ago. She was the governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009. The Tucson sector, which includes Nogales, has had the largest number of apprehensions since 1998 and is the busiest drug corridor, according to Homeland Security.

Tucson accounted for 317,709, or 45 percent, of all southwest border apprehensions in 2008.

The initiative between the two countries was disclosed one day after Mexican President Felipe Calderón visited Juárez for the second time to talk about the rising problem of drug-related violence in the border city. Calderón has sought a binational solution to the problem of smuggling guns and cash into his country.

President Barack Obama has cracked down on illegal immigration by firing undocumented workers, and Napolitano has publicly said the immigration policies in effect are not working.

In the past, other U.S. agencies have gained clout in the neighboring country. The FBI has a main office in Mexico City and suboffices in Monterrey, Guadalajara, Hermosillo and Tijuana. The DEA has eight offices in Mexico including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Hermosillo and in Juárez.

Adriana Gómez Licón may be reached at agomez@elpasotimes.com;546-6129.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_14430939

Related:
Mexico to help secure the border???
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-188848-joint.html

Joint border patrols won't endanger US agents, official says
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-188947-joint.html

The negative image Mexican residents and authorities had of Border Patrol has changed over the years, Mosier said, and that has helped establish a better working environment.

"The whole notion or stigma that people in Mexico are afraid of the Border Patrol has changed," he said. "The criminal elements still very much respect the Border Patrol badge."

Yeahh, the criminals "respect" the USBP by becoming more aggressive and violent against them, KILLING more of them I could care less what residents of mexico think of our BP, we love em!

Big mistake working with corrupt mexican officials and showing them what we look for in smugglers. Dumb move, will enable them to spill the secrets to smugglers. What morons think of this?!?!?!