21st Century Border Initiative: Meet Alan Krieger, Mayor, Yuma Arizona

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will be giving a speech on the administrations vision for a 21st Century Border on April 1st at 9:30 AM ET. Immediately following the Secretary's speech there will be a roundtable of distinguished speakers:

John Morton, Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
David V. Aguilar, Deputy Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Alan Krieger, Mayor, Yuma, AZ
Al Zapanta, President, U.S. Mexico Chamber of Commerce

Ahead of the speech NDN caught up with Mayor Krieger and asked him to discuss what he saw as the most important component of the 21st Century Border Initiative.  He responded:

The increased security focus on the entire U.S. Border , has highlighted the need to continue building trade partners.  These partners will help provide safe, secure, communities on both sides of the Border.  The efforts of the Department of Homeland Security to reach out to local communities for input, reaffirms the commitment we all have to solve the issues in the 21st Century.

After years of investment by the federal government along the border between the United States and Mexico there has been significant progress in creating a more harmonious region.

This has happened due to several developments: 

Unprecedented amounts of resources allocated to the southwest border. Link

A drop in crime along the US side of the border with little spillover of violence from Mexican cartels.Link

A historic number of deportations of criminal undocumented immigrants. Link

Finally an increase in narcotics seizures and a leveling of  illegal migration into the U.S. Link

For more on this please be sure to join us at Forward Together/Avanzando Juntos/Avançando Juntos Conference Looking at the Changing Politics of the Americas on April 11t. 

Secretary Napolitano's speech and roundtable can be seen by webcast at 9:30 AM ET on April 1st here.