[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page H5556]]

    INCIDENTS AT UNITED STATES-MEXICAN BORDER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Bilbray] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of representing the 
49th District of California. I also happen to have the privilege of 
living in the southwestern corner of the United States, where the 
Pacific Ocean meets the Mexican border. Sad to say, I also happen to 
have to represent an area that is severely impacted by intrusion and 
incursions across the Mexican border, not only of illegal immigration, 
but those individuals that cross the border to perpetuate crime and 
theft.
  Mr. Speaker, the problem is not just those of unorganized crime or 
organized crime, but the problem is actually of those who are invested 
with government authority in Mexico, participating in a program of 
theft and violence against the people of the United States and those in 
San Diego County.
  This photo here is a good example of the problem. This is a federal 
Mexican police officer driving a United States stolen car, without even 
having the wherewithal to bother to take off the California license 
plate that was on the vehicle. This vehicle is stolen, and identified 
by the Federal agents as stolen, and still is being used on official 
business for Mexico's Government.
  Now, this week we had a situation that I think has to be brought to 
attention here in Washington, D.C. Mr. Speaker, this week two Mexican 
Federal agents crossed over into United States territory at the port of 
entry and actually stopped members of the United States, citizens of 
the United States, with AK-47 weapons in their possession and took 
those individuals, tried to forcibly take those individuals back into 
Mexico. Our United States agents confronted them with their weapons 
drawn, and for a moment there was actually a standoff between Mexican 
Federal agents on United States soil and American Federal agents on 
United States soil, point-blank range, ready to have a shoot-out.
  Thank the powers above that we did not have a tragedy here. But we 
did have a situation that really calls for attention, and that is the 
fact that U.S. citizens were ready to be forced off of U.S. territory 
by agents of a foreign government, with weapons, I want to point out, 
that are illegal, not only to be
 imported into this country but to be possessed in this country, and 
that is a fully automatic AK-47.

  Now, the Mexican Attorney General has said these people are going to 
be handled, and our Government has turned them back over to Federal 
agents to be taken to Mexico City. I certainly want everyone in this 
capital and in Mexico City to recognize this Member will be watching 
this quite closely, along with my constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, not only did that happen, but in the City of Coronado an 
individual was arrested who has been identified as being a state police 
officer in the act of stealing a vehicle from my district to export it 
to Mexico. Now, let us be frank. A lot of us support free trade, but 
this is not the type of free trade I or my constituents support. If we 
are going to export cars, we would like it to be paid for first.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that an interesting side note to 
this incidence at the border is the car that was being driven by the 
Mexican officials who tried to take the American citizens across the 
border was not only found to have alcohol and drugs in it, but actually 
happened to be a stolen American car being driven in this act.
  Now, there was other instances that have occurred, again this week, 
where there were two individuals who identified themselves as being 
dealers for officials on the Mexican side who were Government 
officials, and they were being paid and reimbursed for that theft.
  Mr. Speaker, this is another incident of the situation that our 
border is out of control. I am not speaking against the people of 
Mexico or their Government, as much as the fact that there are problems 
within their Government that we must insist be corrected.
  There have been successes. I would like to announce that the State of 
Baja California Sur has cooperated with the United States, identified 
300 cars for investigation, and actually have identified that 75 of 
those 300 cars are in fact stolen American cars. They have cooperated 
with U.S. officials, and those cars are now going to be returned to 
their rightful owners.

                              {time}  1845

  So there are successes, but the problem is that we have recognized a 
situation here to where we not only have crime crossing the border, but 
we have crime and violence crossing the border under the guise of 
government authority.
  When my police officers in Coronado stop a car burglar and stop them 
in the act, I think it is quite inappropriate for my police officers to 
be greeted with a Mexican badge that says, you have to release me 
because I am a Mexican official.
  Well, thank God our police officers do not play by that game. I will 
ask all my colleagues to pay attention to this issue, Mr. Speaker, and 
that this Nation pay attention. And I hope that we send a message to 
the White House and to Mexico City that these things have to stop now.

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