Wednesday, October 12, 2005 · Last updated 1:13 p.m. PT
U.S. sends agents to patrol Mexico border
By MARK SHERMAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. is dispatching federal agents to Texas to combat violent crime along the Mexican border, a source of tension between the two countries in recent months.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the issue would be the focus of his meeting in San Antonio on Thursday with his Mexican counterpart, Daniel Cabeza de Vaca.
The Violent Crime Impact Team will go to the border city of Laredo, Gonzales told reporters Wednesday at the Justice Department. Such teams previously have been sent to about 20 U.S. cities that are struggling with violent crime problems despite a dropping U.S. crime rate.
The teams typically include agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; FBI; and Drug Enforcement Administration. A Justice Department prosecutor handles cases of those charged.
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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1152&slug=US%20Mexico%20Border%20Violence