Inhofe visits U.S.-Mexico border; meets with Army officials

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, visited the U.S.-Mexico border earlier  this week and met with U.S. Army officials, including Lt. General Laura Richardson, commander of Army North.

They discussed Department of Defense support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southern border, including the operation of mobile surveillance units.

“After my visit, I am confident that our soldiers at the border are benefiting from their deployment by getting needed small unit training to support readiness,” Inhofe said. “In addition to the training, they are performing key tasks in support of Customs and Border Protection—providing surveillance, aviation assistance and logistical support.”

Inhofe was the first Congressional leader to engage with senior Mexican military officials about border cooperation efforts. Inhofe visited Mexico’s 8^th Mechanized Calvary Regiment, south of Matamoros, Mexico, and met with key military leadership, including those responsible for border security: Gen. Jens Pedro Lohmann Iturburu, Admiral Rosendo Jesus Escalante Ilizaliturri, Brigadier General Homero Mendoza Ruiz and Julio Cesar Sanchez Amaya, where they discussed the mutual benefit of working together to secure the border.

“The meeting in Mexico was the first of its kind — but I’m sure it won’t be the last,” Inhofe said. “Since June of this year, the Mexican government has committed to working with President Trump and his administration to secure our shared border and address the transit of migrants moving through Mexico in an effort to gain illegal entry to the United States. We’re already seeing the positive effects — border crossings have dropped 43 percent in the past two months — and over the long term, this will be beneficial for planning our active duty troop numbers. During our meeting, it was clear that our Mexican partners understand the urgency of addressing the border crisis, but also that we need to continue to work together on our shared goals.

“They assured us that our cooperative security efforts will not be a one-time thing. This commitment is a real testament to President Trump’s leadership, and I look forward to sharing the outcome of my visit with him.”