Worried by violence from Mexico's drug war, the U.S. Senate voted Wednesday for a $550 million plan to stop the southward flow of U.S. guns and money to Mexican narcotics cartels. The measure, sponsored by Senators Joseph Lieberman (Independent from Connecticut) and Susan Collins (Republican from Maine), seeks to hire, train, equip, and deploy more federal agents and investigators to the U.S.-Mexico border region. The measure, which was approved by unanimous consent, includes $260 million for the Customs and Border Protection to deploy 1,600 officers and 400 canine teams to strengthen inspections of vehicles crossing the border. The initiative also includes $130 million for 350 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigators to work on weapon trafficking and money-laundering investigations, and $50 million to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) to hire 150 more investigators and 50 inspectors to probe weapon trafficking. Another $20 million would improve communications between border-patrol and immigration authorities, and an additional $20 million would modernize technology to identify criminals at crossing points. Efforts to help local law-enforcement in border areas, prevent human trafficking, and increase staffing at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City also would receive funding.
