Editorial: A Cool Head on Immigration

New York Times, 12/1/2008
The word is that Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona is President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for homeland security secretary, which would make her the country’s top official handling immigration enforcement and border control. Lucky country. Poor Arizona. It would be a relief to see the job go to someone with a solid understanding [...]

CFR Backgrounder: Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State Nominee

Council of Foreign Relations, 12/1/2008
Hillary Clinton’s selection to serve as Barack Obama’s Secretary of State follows her strong race for the 2008 Democratic Party presidential nomination against him. In general a supporter of free trade, she has expressed skepticism about aspects of the North American Free Trade Agreement and has taken less enthusiastic positions on [...]

Mexico hopes risky project stabilizes oil flows

Reuters, 12/1/2008
Mexico’s options for avoiding a dramatic decline in oil output are narrowing to a multibillion dollar gamble on the Chicontepec basin, where producing crude is so difficult it has been largely ignored since its discovery in the 1920s. Chicontepec, an onshore oil basin bigger than Luxembourg located in eastern Mexico, could hold more than [...]

NPR Series: The U.S.-Mexican Border: A Changing Frontier

National Public Radio, 12/1/2008

The U.S.-Mexican border is in flux as economic, political and social changes reshape the relationship between the two countries. The U.S. is building hundreds of miles of fence along the boundary and aggressively deporting more illegal immigrants than at any point in history. Yet, at the same time, trade across the border [...]

Homeland security pick Napolitano expected to reassert federal authority on immigration

Dallas Morning News, 12/1/2008
As governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano pushed the federal government to take more responsibility for illegal immigration. When it didn’t do so, she signed a state law that filled the vacuum, establishing the nation’s toughest penalties for companies that hire illegal workers.
Analysts expect Ms. Napolitano, introduced Monday as President-elect Barack Obama’s choice [...]

Mexico’s Calderon Urges U.S. to Do More to Fight Illicit Drugs

Bloomberg, 12/1/2008
Mexican President Felipe Calderon said his country’s efforts to fight drug traffickers won’t be effective if the U.S. doesn’t do more to reduce demand for illicit substances under President-elect Barack Obama.
“He’s recognized the effort we’ve carried out and showed a willingness to keep collaborating,” Calderon said about Obama in an interview today with Mexico [...]

Houston #1 Source for Guns in Mexico

KRGV-ABC News 5, 12/1/2008
Federal officials say Houston has become the top source for guns going into Mexico that are being used in deadly attacks. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms says the drug cartels work out of Houston because it has lots of gun shops, is close to the border, and has established smuggling [...]

U.S. can’t duck Mexico’s problems

Dallas Morning News, 12/1/2008
As much as volatile states like Pakistan will remain a top-shelf issue for President-elect Barack Obama, his new national security team must equally put its shoulder into problems afflicting the United States’ southern border.
We suggest incoming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton begin her prep work by reading U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony [...]