Border governors head to Mexico as violence rises

JULIET WILLIAMS

Published: 05.29.2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Governors from both sides of the border are meeting in Mexico City to push for more crime-fighting and border security amid unprecedented violence in Mexico.

The governors of California, Texas and New Mexico planned to offer support to Mexican President Calderon on Thursday for his crackdown against the drug trade, in which he has deployed more than 20,000 federal troops across Mexico.

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is also part of the coalition but won't attend Thursday's meetings because of a scheduling conflict, spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer said.

Cartels have responded with increasingly bold attacks against police and other security officials. On Tuesday, seven federal officers were killed in a shootout at a suspected drug safe house.

Beyond policy talks, it's not clear what the U.S. governors and the governors of the six Mexican states will be able to accomplish, because many of the actions they are seeking require congressional approval.