Fox News Channel Interview - Transcript
Interview
Fox News Channel Interview - Transcript
FOX NEWS CHANNEL INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-TX)
SUBJECT: DRUG VIOLENCE IN MEXICO INTERVIEWER: MEGYN KELLY
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MS. KELLY: Republican senator from Texas John Cornyn is my guest now.
Senator, good morning to you.
SEN. CORNYN: Good morning, Megyn.
MS. KELLY: This is getting more and more serious, and I know we've given over a billion dollars to Mexico in an effort to try to help them fight this problem of violence. And now you have, in essence, a war just south of your border in Texas. Just how worried should we be?
SEN. CORNYN: Well, this is a very serious problem. And that's why it's important that we support President Calderon and the federal government in Mexico to quell this violence there in Mexico before it does spill over across our borders.
It's important to note that the -- what we've provided were our resources -- intelligence, surveillance, equipment and the like, not cash -- under something that is called the project Merida -- Merida Initiative, which is, I think, very important, because while Mexico is a sovereign country and they don't want our troops there, they do need our help. And we need to provide them that help out of our own self- interest, if nothing else.
MS. KELLY: And now I know that Texas officials are planning for two emergency situations at least. Number one is spillover violence -- so these drug cartels take the fight north, or maybe the Mexican government inadvertently takes the fight north.
And number two is mass migration into Texas and other border states by families who are trying to get the heck out of Dodge because they don't want their little children to be caught in the crossfire. Which of those do you see as the number-one priority right now?
SEN. CORNYN: Well, I think we've already seen, as the Houston Chronicle reports today, that wealthy Mexicans who have the ability to leave Mexico to avoid the violence are doing so and coming to the United States.
I think it's unlikely that the cartels will engage in violence across the border in the northern side, because they know it will bring all the wrath and fury of the United States to bear on them. And right now they're battling for supremacy in Mexico because they want to protect the -- that drug traffic, which unfortunately uses the demand in the United States to fuel the violence and the threat of expansion, not only in Mexico but, as you point out, perhaps even across the border.
MS. KELLY: Now, what about these families who -- you know, you -- I know people in this country do not want to see illegal immigrants coming across the border. But you got to feel for these Mexican families in towns like Juarez, which is a war town now, which is under siege by these drug lords. And you know, people are getting shot in the street every day. There are beheadings going on now. They -- these drug lords sound like al Qaeda in their methods. So should there be some sort of refuge provided to these folks for a temporary time? Or is anything like that even being considered, Senator?
SEN. CORNYN: It's not being considered, to my knowledge. But there are -- you're right; there have been about 8,000 deaths in Mexico since 2008. Mainly it's been local law enforcement. It's been intimidation against them to force them to cooperate or else suffer the consequences -- or a family member suffer the consequences. But it's -- I think points out that the most important thing we can do is support President Calderon and the federal government to quell the violence and to defeat the cartels, because as long as they can make money off of trading in human traffic, weapons, drugs, you name it, they're going to keep doing it. And we need President Calderon to win this war and not to lose.
MS. KELLY: Well, and I know he's been very good about trying, at least, to crack down on these Mexican drug lords, although with limited success, you know, you could say, given the numbers. So my question to you is, you read these articles; is there any chance that this government is in trouble, that these drug lords are so powerful there may be some sort of a siege?
SEN. CORNYN: Well, it's a destabilizing influence on the government, as the Department of Defense -- U.S. Department of Defense has pointed out. And you're right. They said there are as many as a hundred thousand footsoldiers there. But this is a large country with a, you know, working government. So we're not talking about a failed state here. But it is in our interest to help them in any way we can. And unfortunately, it's still very dangerous. Most of the violence is being directed toward people engaged in drug trafficking, or local law enforcement who are being intimidated and in some cases killed to prevent them from defeating and fighting the cartels.
MS. KELLY: Yeah. What a situation. And I know that officials in your state as well as at the federal level are making plans, so there's some comfort in that. But Senator John Cornyn, looks like you have your hands full. Thanks so much for being here.
SEN. CORNYN: Thanks, Megyn.
END.
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