U.S. border security plan stirs praise, doubts – Reuters
A U.S. plan to crack down on drug, gun and cash smuggling over the Mexico border drew a mixed response on Tuesday, with some doubting it would be enough to curb runaway violence.
The strategy aims to fight the growing power and violence of Mexican cartels, which ship thousands of tons of drugs into the United States and take weapons and cash back to Mexico, where cartels have murdered more than 7,000 people since the start of last year.
“I believe the United States has a very real opportunity to really reduce the flow of guns to Mexico,” said Susan Ginsburg, director of the mobility and security program of the Migration Policy Institute think-tank in Washington. “These steps that were taken today can make a very good start.”
But Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican, said more federal agents and even troops were needed to secure the border in his state, besides measures set out in the plan.
