EL PASO, Texas — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday that U.S. communities on the border with Mexico are safer than most Americans believe, but also warned Mexican drug cartels they'll be "met by an overwhelming response" should they move north.
Napolitano told an audience at the University of Texas at El Paso — just across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez and the unprecedented wave of drug-fueled violence engulfing it — that it's "inaccurate to state, as too many have, that the border is overrun with violence and out of control."
"This statement, often made only to score political points, is just plain wrong," said Napolitano, who was governor of Arizona before being confirmed as Homeland Security secretary in 2009.
Napolitano said violent crime has not spiked in U.S. communities across the roughly 2,000-mile border with Mexico. But the secretary also recognized that guarding against spillover from Mexican drug violence is an ongoing concern.
"Today I say to the cartels: Don't even think about bringing your violence and tactics across this border. You will be met by an overwhelming response," she said. "And we're going to continue to work with our partners in Mexico to dismantle and defeat you."
Napolitano said the Obama administration has increased the U.S. Border Patrol to more than 20,700 agents, more than double its size in 2004. She also said $600 million in funding signed last year by President Barack Obama will allow authorities to hire 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents and 250 new Customs and Border Protection agents to guard formal Mexico-U.S. border crossings.
An additional 250 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents focused on transnational crime, as well as increased unmanned aircraft patrols, also are budgeted.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry often slams Washington for not sending enough manpower and money to secure the border state. He said last year that the $600 million was a good start, but not enough.
"The federal resources in Texas are woefully inadequate to secure the border with Mexico, and Gov. Perry will continue urging the Obama administration to do its job and protect our citizens from the ruthless drug cartels," Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger said in a statement after Napolitano's speech. "It's unfortunate that a former border governor, who knows the implications of a porous border, continues to downplay the fact that there is a war waging within a stone's throw, or for that matter, firing range, from our border communities."
A sluggish U.S. economy has reduced the number of immigrants sneaking into U.S. territory and Napolitano said Border Patrol apprehensions declined 36 percent in the past two years as a result. But she also said U.S. authorities deported 779,000 illegal immigrants nationwide in fiscal years 2009 and 2010, more than ever before.
Last year, about 195,000 deportees were convicted criminals, Napolitano said.
"Let's stick with the facts and numbers when talking about where we are with the border," she said.
The statistics out of Juarez are nothing short of astounding. More than 6,000 people in the city have been killed by drug violence in the past two years alone, making it one of the most dangerous places on earth.
About 50 students protested outside the auditorium where Napolitano spoke, demanding justice for women slain in unsolved murders in Juarez, or for an end to the violence there. Others protested increased U.S. efforts to fortify its southern border at the expense of economic opportunity.
Napolitano said "a secure border does not mean a sealed border with no commerce."
During a 15-minute question-and-answer session with the audience, Napolitano said the U.S. had to do a better job stopping the flow of American guns smuggled south to fuel Mexico's drug war.
"I'm not here on a victory lap," she said. "We have more work to do."
Napolitano's address was part of a yearlong nationwide campus tour that began last week. She also was heading to Dallas on Monday to discuss Super Bowl-week security ahead of Sunday's contest between the Packers and Steelers at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington.
EmperorSmith posted at 4:06 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
Do not where to start but where is DC again, oh say 2000 miles away from the border.
Slabside posted at 4:32 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
This he - she is so incredibly stupid its almost unfathomable. It manages Homeland Security the exact way it governed Arizona. [thumbdown]
Dale Whiting posted at 4:35 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
You'd think after living in Arizona for so many years, Janet would know better than to attempt to confuze Neo-cons with the facts!
rrjenn posted at 5:40 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
Where are the southern border governors backing nappy with her the borders are safer than they've ever been speech? They are there on the border trying to do a job this administration doesn't want to do, and doing it mostly without much help from the feds who seem to have their heads in the sand. Nappy is just another retarded obamacon spreading lies.
rrjenn posted at 6:29 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
Today, nappy spread her fat lips and bleated, "U.S. communities on the border with Mexico are safer than most Americans believe", and it was seen that her nose grew 9 more inches for a grand total of 56 and one half inches. A dozen aids rushed into the room to stop her lengthening nose from pocking any members of the audience's eyes out. Rumor has it that she has already undergone several plastic surgeries to shorten her ever growing nose and that further operations have been scheduled.
AZMomma posted at 6:48 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
rrjenn: Nice post !
Poor Janet - she was once an Arizonian, now she is just a poor misquided DC hack, willing to sell what soul she has left to the Obama menage.
She can blather all she wants,cite all the stats they have fed her.
We do NOT believe her. She is as useless as teats on a boar...so to speak.
Richka posted at 8:12 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
Amen AZMomma and rrjenn.
The problem on the border is the lack of effective enforcement. As it is, the agents have to chase the "poor people looking for a better life" down, give them water, food and medical assistance and give them a ride back to the border.
Why chase them down? Don't they know how to use their weapons? (Sorry, they're not allowed to use them). A few well aimed rounds would surely deliver a meaningful message.
DrunkenMonkey posted at 8:13 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
As useless as:
a snooze button on a smoke alarm
Obama at a press conference
sandals on an amputee
a one legged man at an asz kicking party
an ashtray on a motorcycle
a screen door on a submarine
a fart in a thunderstorm
a s**t flavored lollipop
a bucket full of armpits
as a white crayon
Slabside posted at 8:33 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
Nice one (or many) DrunkenMonkey.
Cerulean posted at 10:36 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
DrunkenMonkey,
As useless as "a fart in a thunderstorm"? Sooo, are you a skilled gastronomer?
Anyway - thanks for the smile. [smile]
Leon Ceniceros posted at 11:22 pm on Mon, Jan 31, 2011.
Look at this "person" (for lack of a better word..[wink]).
The first thing that comes to mind is the old adage..."if their lips are moving = they are lying".
Do you see her taking a hike through the Santa Cruz or Catalina Mountains........I DON'T THINK SO.
A COMPLETE JOKE...WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT OBAMA CALLED ON THE TELEPHONE..A YEAR AGO ???
Slabside posted at 10:38 am on Tue, Feb 1, 2011.
Dunce Witless says' "You'd think after living in Arizona for so many years, Janet would know better than to attempt to confuze (it's CONFUSE you dolt), Neo-cons with the facts!" Yes Dale, as hard as it is to imagine, Janet is as ignorant as you.
Poorman posted at 12:55 pm on Tue, Feb 1, 2011.
Ole Nappy looks like the Washington life is agreeing with her,she seems to be getting chubby. Nappy couldn't keep something in a safe safe.At least she isn't in our state anymore.
manini posted at 5:12 pm on Wed, Feb 2, 2011.
Wot planet has Nappy been on & wot kind of glue has she been Huffin' anyway. She was the idiot Governor of AZ that
sent her AZ Army National Guard troops UNARMED WITH NO LIVE AMMO to Sasabe, AZ on the
border a couple of years ago, & they got manhandled, strip-searched & forced to surrender by a bunch of illegal MX Drug Cartel Gangster-Assassins-Terrorists armed with LOADED machine guns. She then awarded her NG Troops medals for retreating from the enemy threat and using harsh language on them after the bad_guys crossed back across the border into MX....LOL!!!!....yeeeah! We need more wimps, cowards & LOSERs as AZ Governors, Homeland Security Honcho & Prez's of the USA...dummies.
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:01 am on Mon, Feb 7, 2011.
Really Janet. Try telling that to Brian A. Terry. Sorry, too late. He's another VICTIM of those safe borders you're touting.
http://puppieswilldie.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/border-patrol-agent-murdered-again-blood-on-obama/
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:09 am on Mon, Feb 7, 2011.
By the way, the picture of Nappy was taken when she was saying: This is how much I don't care about the US citizen and their safety....