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July 11, 2001 U.S. and Mexico Expand Safety Efforts Along the
Texas Border El PASO, Texas - Vowing to do everything possible to safeguard migrant lives and reduce deaths, U.S. and Mexican officials today announced new measures designed to enhance both countries’ lifesaving capabilities along the international border in Texas and New Mexico. These measures, developed during a meeting here today, include expanded cooperative training in search-and-rescue techniques and aquatic safety. The two delegations, which included chiefs from the five Texas Border Patrol Sectors, the Mexican Consul, Antonio Meza and the Regional Director of the National Immigration Institute, also agreed to enhance their exchange of intelligence related to migrant smuggling and to improve electronic communications capabilities between officers in the field. Attorney General John Ashcroft expressed the Administration’s continuing support for expanded border safety measures. “I’m encouraged by the progress being made,” said Ashcroft. “These local meetings underscore our unwavering commitment to establishing and maintaining a safe, legal, orderly border. It is a commitment shared by all – from the White House to the agent on the line in Texas.” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gus De La Viña added, “Through these meetings, we have established an open dialogue on border issues. They give us an opportunity to work cooperatively on areas of mutual concern.” The Mexican delegation announced that it will expand Grupo Beta to include a unit in Juarez, Mexico. Grupo Beta is a permanent specialized task force designed to provide assistance and support to migrants in Mexico. “We are committed to doing our part to promote safe, legal and orderly migration,” said Roberto Rodriguez-Hernandez, the Deputy Director of Protection and Consular Affairs with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From a local standpoint, one of the most important measures to come out of this latest round of binational meetings is an agreement to step up joint training aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of rescue efforts. Under the agreement, U.S. and Mexican officers will receive training in aquatic safety, water rescue techniques for water rescues, surviving in the elements and basic search-and-rescue techniques. To date, more than 400 officers on both sides of the border have participated in joint training. “Joint training not only results in better-prepared agents, it also helps establish successful working relationships among officers on both sides of the border,” said Luis Barker, Chief of the El Paso Sector, one of five Border Patrol Sector Chiefs who were members of the U.S. delegation. In addition to the expanded joint training efforts, the U.S. delegation announced that the Central Region will send 10 agents from each of its five sectors on the Southwest border to the Border Patrol’s Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) training. The session will be held in September in Artesia, New Mexico. Participating agents will be trained in basic search-and-rescue techniques, as well as special techniques for water rescues. Another crucial facet of the border safety effort is raising awareness among would-be migrants about the dangers they may encounter when crossing the border illegally.At the meetings, the two delegations committed to work closely on enhancing the effectiveness of these outreach efforts. The Border Patrol’s most recent Public Service Announcements warn migrants about the risks of trusting smugglers and the dangers of traveling in unsafe and overloaded smuggling vehicles. One of the spots features two men who were rescued by the Border Patrol after a smuggler abandoned them in the Arizona desert. Both men vow never to trust a smuggler again. “This is the border. This is the truth,” the narrator’s voice intones. |
Last Modified 02/20/2003