Mayor testifies about border-related violence

By Ofelia McCollough
Published Tuesday, April 28, 2009 10:10 AM MDT

Nogales Mayor Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel had the opportunity in Phoenix on Monday to address the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs regarding issues stemming from violence involving drug cartels in Mexico.

??Since May 2007, the City of Nogales, Arizona, has been witness to several brutal slayings,? Mayor Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel said.

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The committee listened to local and state officials who are on the front lines dealing with the effects of criminal organizations that smuggle humans and drugs into the United States.

Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl along with Chairman Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) listened to Garcia-Von Borstel, Gov. Jan Brewer, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Attorney General Terry Goddard, Tohono O'odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr. and Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio at Monday??s hearing. It was the second such meeting on border security. The first hearing was held in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.

??Since May 2007, the City of Nogales, Arizona, has been witness to several brutal slaying that occurred between drug-cartels in our Sister City of Nogales Sonora in Mexico,? Garcia-Von Borstel told the panel. ??While the violence in Mexico is serious, it does appear that it is rarely perpetrated against innocent parties or tourists.

??In fact, it is not random violence. Rather, the Department of National Drug Intelligence Center has identified that it is tied to Mexican drug-trafficking organizations. They are the greatest organized crime threat facing the United States today,? the mayor said.

??Whether merited or not, the perception alone of increased violence in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, has greatly reduced the amount of business and tourist visitors to Nogales, Ariz.� This reduction in business and tourism has had a detrimental effect on our community. This serves to damage our commerce, tourism, and ultimately reduces our precious sales tax which is the main source of revenue for Nogales, Ariz.,? he said.

"Today the committee visited Arizona to hear directly from local and state elected officials and law enforcement officers who have the difficult job of securing the safety of the citizens of Arizona," said Sen. John McCain.

Mayor Garcia-Von Borstel thanked the senators for the opportunity to testify at the hearing. ??By continuing to work together, we can develop new ideas to refresh our strategies and rise to the current challenge.?

The purpose of the hearings was to help assess the rising level of violence in northern Mexico and the implications for increased terrorist activity. The panel will also examine how the U.S. government is working with the Mexican government through initiatives such as El Plan de Merida, a State Department program of training and funding assistance for Mexico.

Finally, the committee will look at the Department of Homeland Security??s role, its personnel needs, the effectiveness of its efforts to coordinate and share information, and the need to ensure the integrity of the Customs and Border Protection workforce.