Violence Along Our Border

The situation along our southern border remains grim. In light of the recent murders of two U.S. citizens with ties to the American consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Senator Hutchison and I sent a letter to President Obama demanding swift action to help quell the drug-related crime that has begun to spill over into our towns and cities. In our letter, we asked for more federal resources to be deployed to the border, as well as for a comprehensive plan to address the rise in violence. We also invited the President to visit the border region, so that he can hear the stories and see the impact on our border communities. I’ve also requested that Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, schedule a committee hearing as soon as possible to help identify the security needs and priorities for our border communities. Finally, on April 21, I have organized a hearing before the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control that will focus exclusively on the ongoing law enforcement efforts along our southern border to curb drug-related activity.