John Cornyn: “the increasing instability along the Texas/Mexico border is of great concern to me. U.S. citizens who live in the border…”

“the increasing instability along the Texas/Mexico border is of great concern to me. U.S. citizens who live in the border communities of my home State are caught in the crossfire of drug cartels engaged in illegal trafficking of drugs, weapons, cash, and people. Nuevo Laredo, a city across the river from Laredo, TX, has been caught up in a violent turf war between rival drug gangs fighting for billion-dollar smuggling routes into the United States. This issue is relevant because many people are missing as a result of the violence in Nuevo Laredo, including over 20 U.S. citizens. One tragic example involves Brenda Cisneros and her friend Yvette Martinez a 27-year-old mother of two young girls. On September 17, 2004, the two women were celebrating Brenda's 23rd birthday at a concert across the border in Nuevo Laredo. Neither has been seen since. The ongoing drug wars in Nuevo Laredo are spilling over into Laredo and nearby communities in the United States. I fear the threat of violence to our citizens who live and work in border regions will only continue to escalate. This condition is unacceptable and Mexico must act immediately to end this situation.”