Border securityLawmakers seek to block weapons, cash heading to Mexico

Intercepted cash and weapons bound for Mexico // Source: stopthedrugwar.org

DHS could soon be doubling the amount of resources it devotes to inspecting southbound shipments at U.S.– Mexico border crossings.

Lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would double the money for border security teams that interdict shipments of cash and weapons heading south to drug cartels. Earlier this month, Representatives Henry Cuellar (D – Texas) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) co-authored a bill to allocate $15.4 million to border security teams.

The proposed legislation comes in response to growing Mexican drug violence and the U.S. weapons and cash that are helping to fuel it.

For instance, last week Members of the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) intercepted a shipment of several assault rifles and 50,000 rounds of ammunition headed for Mexico.

Additionally in August, a Mexican national was arrested at Gateway International Bridge in Texas after he was caught trying to cross into Mexico with thousands of rounds of ammunition, and one month prior, an eighteen year old girl was taken into custody for trying to smuggle $92,00 in cash into Mexico at the same crossing.

“BEST Teams have proven to be effective in cooperating with other law enforcement agencies in securing and protecting the southern border as well as stopping the illegal flow of firearms and money,” Representative Cuellar said.

While BEST teams have been successful in finding contraband items, large quantities of guns, ammunition, and cash are continuing to pour into Mexico.

To help ease the flow of these dangerous items, Representative Sylvestre Reyes (D – Texas) said increasing the number of southbound checks was critical for border security.

“We need to focus resources on the ports of entry. … The problem today is that those ports of entry were designed exclusively to inspect traffic coming north,” Reyes said. “We’ve got to pay attention to remodeling those ports of entry so our BEST teams and others can have a safe enough environment to actually screen traffic going south to the ports of entry.”

For the past three years, Judge Carlos Cascos of Cameron County, Texas has been pushing for an increased number of southbound inspections and welcomed Cuellar and McCaul’s bill.

“We have to recognize that we cannot be living with the same attitudes that we had twenty to twenty-five years ago and even ten years ago, things are different,” Cascos said. “There are going to be some inconveniences but I think the inconvenience is going to be outweighed by the benefits.
“That is how the drug dealers are getting their money back. They are not going to Wal-Mart and buying a $3 million money order. They are transporting their cash through our ports of entry. Some of it gets caught. Most of it does not,” Cascos added.