Border emergency declared in New Mexico

[__Kratos__]

Governor says area 'devastated' by human and drug smuggling

(CNN) -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson declared a state of emergency Friday in four counties along the Mexican border that he said have been "devastated" by crimes such as the smuggling of drugs and illegal immigrants.

The declaration said the region "has been devastated by the ravages and terror of human smuggling, drug smuggling, kidnapping, murder, destruction of property and the death of livestock. ...

"[it] is in an extreme state of disrepair and is inadequately funded or safeguarded to protect the lives and property of New Mexican citizens."

New Mexico shares 180 miles of border with the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

"The situation is out of hand," Richardson said Friday night on CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight," noting that one 54-mile stretch is particularly bad.

The Mexican government issued a statement in which it acknowledged the problems along the border, but said it continues to make consistent efforts to target them along with U.S. authorities.

It said some of Richardson's views stem from "generalizations that do not correspond to the spirit of cooperation and understanding that are required for dealing with problems of common concern along the border."

Richardson's declaration makes $750,000 in state emergency funds available to Dona Ana, Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties.

Richardson pledged an additional $1 million in assistance for the area, his office said in a news release.

He said on CNN that the funds will be used to hire additional law enforcement personnel and pay officers overtime.

In announcing the state of emergency, Richardson -- a Democrat who served in President Clinton's Cabinet -- criticized the "total inaction and lack of resources from the federal government and Congress" in helping protect his state's residents along the border.

"There's very little response from the Border Patrol," he said on CNN. "They're doing a good job, but they don't have the resources."

The governor announced the move after a helicopter and ground tour of the border near Columbus, New Mexico, the statement said.

He said on CNN that he "saw the trails where these illegal routes take place" as well as fenced areas along the border where the fence is "literally nonexistent."

According to Richardson's statement announcing the declaration, "Recent developments have convinced me this action is necessary -- including violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling, and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants."

He called on Mexico to "bulldoze the abandoned town of Las Chepas, which is directly over the border from Columbus."

The statement went on to say that "Las Chepas is a notorious staging and resting area for those who smuggle drugs and immigrants into the United States."

Some of the pledged funds will be used to create a field office for the New Mexico Office of Homeland Security to focus specifically on the border.

There will also be new efforts to protect livestock in the area near Columbus, "along a favorite path for illegal immigration where a number of livestock have been stolen and killed," the statement said.

Richardson said he wanted residents of the four counties "to know my administration is doing everything it can to protect them."

Alejandro Cano, secretary of industrial development for the Mexican state of Chihuahua -- which borders New Mexico -- pledged to support Richardson's efforts, the statement said.

Richardson told CNN he met with Mexican governors several weeks ago on border security.

"My people on my side asked me to take this step, and I've done so reluctantly," Richardson told CNN. "As governor, I have to protect the people I represent."

He noted he is the nation's only Hispanic governor, and "we're a state that's been very good to legal migrants. ... This action, I believe, had to be taken."

The Mexican Foreign Ministry sent Richardson a letter Friday saying it has requested that Mexican consuls in Albuquerque and El Paso, Texas, meet "as soon as possible" with New Mexico officials "to promote pertinent action by the authorities of both countries in the framework of existing institutional mechanisms."

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This is just sickening. State of emergency should mean lining up our National Guard or moving in Active/Reserve Army. Disgusting criminals should not be shown mercy!

[arben]

When will enough be enough?

[twpdyp]

The Mexican government issued a statement in which it acknowledged the problems along the border, but said it continues to make consistent efforts to target them along with U.S. authorities.

Please give me just a little more credit for what intelligence I do have. The Mexican government can't target anything. President Fox doesn't want us to secure our border he wants his people to be able to come here then his "government" will not have to support them. The illegals that are here also do the Mexican government a huge favor by sending back millions of US dollars to family members still in Mexico thus giving this government even more of a foot hold in our country. I strongly support closing the border building a fence from the Pacific ocean to the Gulf of Mexico and manning it with an appropriate number of armed Border Patrol units. Also I am for the deportation of any and all illegals currently living in this country. While we are at it repeal the NAFTA agreement, North American Free Trade Agreement my dimpled backside. Nothing about it is free except for the countries south of our southern border.

[Babs]

Shut down the borders.

Some folk up here get cheap labor, but then 'we' all have to pay for that Mexican's kids' schooling, medical, etc. etc. We are out big time!

Shut down the borders. God help us all, if these illegals aliens can come in near our nuclear facilites.

[Power2the1]

Yeah, I'd rather my tazes go to helping the poor, developing cures for sickness, etc...the betterment of mindkind, not Pablo De La El Lopez Nacho Sanchez's medical bill becasue he broke his leg in the USA while crossing the border here illegally heheh. Kinda make you wonder why the US is so rabid about Iraq when this has been a big issue longer than Iraq has been...

[__Kratos__]

Mexican Government Criticizes NM Governor for declaring state of emergency!

Richardson cited "violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants" in declaring the emergency.

He said the border security situation "constitutes an emergency condition with potentially catastrophic consequences."

Mexico has long opposed any increased border fencing, and is also sensitive to U.S. criticism about rising violence in Nuevo Laredo, to the east on the Texas border.

"The Mexican government considers that some of the New Mexico government's statements are generalizations which don't jibe with the spirit of cooperation and understanding needed to address border problems," Mexico's Foreign Relations Department said in a press statement.

Richardson's executive order, makes US$750,000 immediately available to Dona Ana, Luna, Grant and Hidalgo counties, along with a pledge of an additional US$1 million.

The money will aid state and area law enforcement efforts, fund a field office for the state Office of Homeland Security and help build a fence to protect a Columbus-area livestock yard where a number of cattle have been killed or stolen.

The funds will finance an 11-foot, razor wire-topped security fence around the stockyards. It will replace a shorter, barbed-wire fence that Richardson said "is so full of holes and gaps that trucks and people can cross with no control."

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Mexico go and get bent!

This is just insane how much crime these illegal immigrants bring to America. Just besides jumping the borders to... drugs, rape, murder, theft... Disgusting...

[sanchera1978]

Illegal aliens have no interest what so ever in your precious nuclear facilities. The majority come here to try and have a better life not to cause harm. Unfortunately there are some that cause crime and do bad things but that is the minority not the majority.