HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 9

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

Nathan P. Cote

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND BORDER AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE A BORDER SECURITY LIAISON TO WORK WITH BORDER COUNTIES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FORM PART OF A BORDER SECURITY RAPID RESPONSE TEAM.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico shares a one-hundred-eighty mile border with Mexico, and that border is rural and remote; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico occupies such a strategic east-to-west position with an extensive interstate highway system; and

     WHEREAS, a state of emergency was recently declared for the counties that border Mexico due to serious duress caused by the lack of security at New Mexico's international border; and

     WHEREAS, there is an unprecedented wave of violence along the United States and Mexican border that has claimed more than fifteen thousand lives since 2006; and

     WHEREAS, the state cannot condone violence at its international border or allow certain parts of its border to be safe havens for criminals; and

     WHEREAS, coordination among county governments, the state and federal agencies can effectively improve response times to incidents at the international border; and

     WHEREAS, the formation of a border security rapid response team could reduce violence and assist in the systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of new strategies for international border security; and

     WHEREAS, border security liaisons can bring an international border security perspective to the review of all strategic planning reviews;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of public safety, department of transportation, homeland security and emergency management department and border authority be requested to designate a border security liaison to work with the federal government and counties sharing a border with Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of public safety, department of transportation, homeland security and emergency management department and border authority be requested to provide an international border security perspective at all strategic planning reviews; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public safety, secretary of transportation, secretary of homeland security and emergency management, executive director of the border authority and the governor.

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