Mexican-Bus Safety Rules Unmet, Audit Finds

Yareni De Anda
09/04/09
11:56
Summary:
This article discusses a recent report that states that some Mexican passenger buses were crossing the United States-Mexico border without being properly inspected. The daily passenger buses were crossing unchecked at crossing in Calexico and San Ysidro in California and Laredo and McAllen-Hidalgo Bridge in Texas. This is troubling to the United States Department of Homeland Security and The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association, which monitors licenses of truck and bus drivers crossing the border. The article continues to discuss the reason for the unchecked crossings. They state that the unchecked buses were crossing because there was no space to pull the busses aside to completely check them without being put in danger of passing cars and other trucks. The two concerned departments are working with Customs and Border Protection agency to find a space to check incoming busses. The two departments are concerned that unchecked busses could contain illegally smuggled goods, drugs or peoples. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association is concerned because there has not been a high amount of convictions across the country of Mexican commercial drivers’ license holders. Reports say, “the safety association said the lower conviction reporting could be attributed to law-enforcement budget cuts, court noncompliance and drops in commercial driving because of the economic slump”. Overall the two agencies are concerned that unchecked bus crossing will contribute to unsafe driving across the country and movement of potentially illegal items and peoples cross the border. The article points out that there are still weaknesses in the governments plan to completely secure the border.
R:
I believe this article reflects more evidence to the fact that closing the border between the United States and Mexico is not possible. Recently, anti-immigrant discourse has pushed for increased funds and manpower to close the border in an effort to stop the flow of drugs and the flow of undocumented immigrants. This article shows that even with increased efforts on the border the departments of the United States cannot hope to stop all unchecked movement across the hugely long and rural United States-Mexico border. I feel that this article shows that there are still many places along the border that are not secured like the government wants to make the public believe.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125192176392380745.html