Before being elected to Congress. I spent more than 26 years as a member of the U.S. Border Patrol enforcing this Nations interdiction laws. I have personally observed Mexicos commitment to stem the tide of drug trafficking and have witnessed its strong crossborder drug interdiction efforts. I have been on the front lines in the socalled war on drugs. and I am here today to tell my colleagues that this resolution to decertify Mexico may be only symbolic to us. but it has with it some serious implications and consequences to those of us that live along the border. and I do not mean just people that live exclusively in Mexico. We have developed a spirit of cooperation with Mexico In many areas: trade. environment. Immigration. as well as drug interdiction. Our economies are interdependent along the border. In fact. more than 280 million people passed back and forth between MexIceo and the United States during fiscal year 1996. A vote to decertify Mexico would greatly Jeopardize the spirit of cooperation we have developed with Mexico. In addition. the threat of decertification causes the peso to plunge. as we saw late last month. which not only has an adverse effect on the Mexican economy. but can also increase the pressures on our border communities and has the potential to increase illegal immigration. Drug trafficking is not just a Mexican problem or issue. We on the northern side of the border must do more to stem the demand for illicit drugs.
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illegal immigration Border Patrol Immigration