Measure Seeks to Identify 'Cross Border Violence'

Washington, Jun 9, 2011 -

Measure Seeks to Identify 'Cross Border Violence'

 

Republican Congressman Francisco Canseco (R-San Antonio) is proposing that the crime of 'cross border violence' be specifically created, so the federal government can have an accurate picture of what the Mexican drug violence is doing to border counties, 1200 WOAI's Steve Soliz reports from Austin.

 

"The purpose of this bill is to create a definition that is going to serve as a metric for the Department of Homeland Security to assess whether we have cross border violence or not," Canseco told 1200 WOAI news on the steps of the state Capitol. 

 

"We need a good definition of it, it has to do anything of a violent nature that originates or is caused by or is part of the violence that is taking place in Mexico," Canseco said. "We need to protect our communities." 

 

Border area sheriffs who joined Canseco for the event said its time that the growing problem of 'cross border violence,' be taken out of politics and placed into law enforcement, where it belongs. 

 

"This is not a red issue, this is not a blue issue, this is a red, white, and blue issue," said Sheriff Clint McDonald from Terrell County. 

 

Canseco said the fact that federal authorities can't get a handle on just what cross border violence is can lead to bizarre statements like President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano like 'the border is safer now than at any time in the past several decade.' 

 

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