Here is an excerpt from my latest article for Homeland Security Today's Correspondents Watch:
"For years, if not decades, Mexican drug lords and various upper-level members of Mexico’s transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) have resided in the United States. But because the savage drug war in Mexico has become so dangerous for them, they now prefer to spend more and more time at their “vacation” homes in the relative safety of US cities and communities. Knowing that violent TCO members are living among us is disturbing on many levels, and has begged the question of whether the United States can be equated to Pakistan as a country that allows itself to be a “safe haven” for violent criminals and narco-terrorists?"
To read the full article at HSToday.us, please CLICK HERE!
I, myself don't think we're a "safe haven", but I don't think we do enough to stop them (TCOs) from wanting to come live here.
I think it all points back to CBP not having enough resources to control out borders. I have at times thought that we're so wrapped up in the middle east terrorist thing that we lose sight on our own borders. I think if we put half the resources that we use for the middle operations towards our own borders that we would stop more at the border than what we do, drugs, illegals, TCOs, etc. Like my buddy with BORTAC told me one time "If instead of mexicans the people coming across the border or the cartel members were middle eastern imagine the resources we would get and imagine how many agents we could hire?".
I agree with you in that we need to be making life here for TCOs as crappy as possible then maybe they would find somewhere else to live other than the US.
Great article!!
Posted by: Cory | December 12, 2011 at 06:44 PM
Sylvia
I assume that you're implying that members of TCO's are traveling on false papers when visiting the USA. I can't imagine that the FBI or other agencies would hesitate to arrest these people if they could locate them. I would think that serious cartel leaders are more likely to have "getaway" villas in remote spots of Central America.
By the way, the news recently reported that Mexico has rounded up almost 66% of all the top cartel leaders on their original "hit list". They started with a list of about 36 suspects, and they have got almost 2/3 of them now. That's pretty impressive!!! It speaks to a lot of dedication by law enforcement people (and intel) in Mexico, and some excellent help from the USA. Congratulations to all who have contributed.
P.
Posted by: P | December 19, 2011 at 07:56 PM