For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Guadalajara, Mexico—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano met with Mexican Interior Secretary Fernando Francisco Gómez-Mont today about joint security initiatives including combating transnational crime, enforcement efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border and coordination in response to H1N1 flu.
Secretary Napolitano and Minister Gómez-Mont continued ongoing discussions about efforts by DHS and the Mexican government to collaborate on law enforcement training, share traveler information to better facilitate commerce and trade, and enhance customs operations on both sides of the border to crack down on trafficking of arms, currency and drugs. They also talked about preparations for the upcoming fall flu season and cooperative efforts to protect the health and safety of citizens of both nations from H1N1.
The meeting followed the North American Leaders’ Summit, where Secretary Napolitano joined President Obama and Mexican and Canadian counterparts to discuss tri-national cooperation on a variety of issues such as H1N1 flu, combating transnational illicit networks and terrorism.
Secretary Napolitano will travel to El Paso, Texas, tomorrow to deliver a major speech on Southwest border security at the 2009 Border Security Conference, meet with state and local law enforcement officials and the Homeland Security Advisory Council’s Southwest Border Task Force, visit U.S. Border Patrol operations and participate in a video teleconference with stakeholders across the Southwest border.
Secretary Napolitano will also travel to San Antonio later in the week to participate in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 2009 Border Enforcement Security Task Force Conference.
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