MEXICO: US CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH FOR ITS CITIZENS

People have to realize that there's a limit to what the U.S.
government can do for Americans caught up in the violence in Juarez.

A group of Mexican businessmen recently asked U.S. Rep. Silvestre
Reyes, D-El Paso, for more protection for people with dual
nationalities who still go to Juarez or who have to flee the city.

He was asked to see what could be done about having U.S. agencies in
Juarez become more active in protecting U.S. citizens and residents
working in that city.

True, there are U.S. law-enforcement elements working across the
border, but they are in investigative and advisory roles. They can't
do the same kind of police work they would do here because they don't
have that kind of jurisdiction.

As Reyes said, "We are making an effort to gather intelligence. We can
alert police when an event occurs, but the problem is they don't
respond on time."

Americans who go to Juarez have to realize that they are walking into
a potentially violent situation over which the United States has no
control. They also have to realize that they are at the mercy of the
Mexican law-enforcement and judicial systems.

Travelers to Juarez and other parts of Mexico have to realize that
Mexico guards its sovereignty very closely. And it's obvious that no
one in Mexico has any kind of handle on the drug cartel-driven violence.

Just remember: There are limits to what U.S. agencies can do to help
Americans in Mexico.