Ted Poe: “National security is border security. Recently, I visited my friend Congressman Cuellar's hometown of Laredo, Texas, on…”

“National security is border security. Recently, I visited my friend Congressman Cuellar's hometown of Laredo, Texas, on the Texas-Mexico border. Being from Texas, I have been to the border about 20 times since I have been elected to Congress. The border is actually the middle of the Rio Grande River, not the shoreline. I toured the river with our Border Patrol, Texas State law enforcement officers, and the National Guard. It is a long border. From El Paso to Brownsville, Texas, it is about 900 miles--a river border. Laredo is right in the southern border of Texas. Standing on the United States side of the border near Laredo, I looked across straight into Mexico. A seemingly innocent stark-white water plant peeked out over the thick brush. Looking closer, a figure appeared, having a radio and binoculars in his hand. Why? He was waiting for the Border Patrol to pass; ready to send a ``go'' signal to another group of illegals waiting to rush across the Rio Grande River. The drug cartels, Mr. Speaker, control border crossings, whether they are smuggling drugs, people, or criminals. The cartels have an advanced system in place, a sophisticated criminal network. They have scouts on both sides of the border with cell phones and surveillance equipment. They have stash houses on both sides of the border where they hide drugs and people so they can move them closer inland to America. Everyone pays to cross. In the Laredo sector, the violent Los Zetas cartel is in control.…”