HOUSTON, Texas — Texas Governor Rick Perry recently penned a letter to Mexican President Peña Nieto, after Nieto responded negatively to Perry’s decision to deploy the Texas National Guard to his state’s southern border. Perry’s decision came amid the border crisis, which has involved thousands of Central Americans entering the U.S. illegally.
Last week Nieto said during an interview with El Universal newspaper that he thinks the National Guard deployment is “not only unpleasant, I think it is reprehensible. This attitude is totally deplorable and does not resolve a problem a problem that we have to face in a joint manner.”
Breitbart Texas obtained a copy of Perry’s letter to the Mexican president, which started, “I read with interest and concern your comments regarding border security on the week of September 11, which called Texas’ increased law enforcement presence on the border ‘unpleasant’ and ‘reprehensible.’ As neighbors and economic partners, Mexico and the United States are inextricably bound by shared interests and culture. As friends we might not always agree, but we must have an honest and respectful dialogue about the challenges we share, which is why I write to you today.”
Perry further pointed out that as Texas has continued to flourish economically, the state has had a strong commercial relationship with Mexico. This has created “opportunity for families on both sides of the border,” Perry argued.
Given this strong relationship, Perry said he found Neito’s criticism “concerning.” The governor wrote, ” I believe strongly that our continued prosperity depends on a partnership that works collaboratively to address our shared border security challenges, rather than marginalizing the legitimate views of one side. Our partnership cannot advance if we fail to acknowledge the serious issues associated with lax border enforcement along both of our southern borders.”
Perry correctly pointed out that cartel violence negatively impacts both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, and that in order to put a stop to such violence the two nations must work together. He added that while many of those illegally crossing the border may be good people, others have criminal intent.
The governor also asserted that Mexico is partly responsible for the border crisis. Mexico has largely failed to secure its own southern border. Because of this, thousands of children from Central America have risked their lives traveling through Mexico’s cartel-ridden cities on their journey to the United States.
“Our challenges today are partly a consequence of the failure of the Mexican government to secure its southern border from illegal immigration by unaccompanied children and other individuals from Central America, or to deploy adequate resources to control the criminal element in Mexico,” the governor wrote.
Ultimately, Perry invited Nieto to Texas in order to prompt a discussion regarding solutions to the border crisis.
Whatever the case, however, Perry made it clear he is sticking to his guns. He wrote, “I will continue to act as necessary to uphold my constitutional obligations, and when it comes to the safety and security of Texans, I will not be dissuaded by rhetoric of any kind.”
Follow Kristin Tate @KristinBTate.
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