A former special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms told a House committee that the agency had, in fact, allowed firearms bought in the United States to be transported to Mexico, in the hope that “we could further the investigation” against Mexican drug cartels. … Read more
Abstract: Over the past 10 years, traversing the U.S.–Mexico border illegally has become increasingly dangerous for would-be immigrants. Illegal immigrants face kidnapping, murder, and rape at the hands of violent drug cartels and ever more ruthless human smugglers. Crossing treacherous desert areas exposes the… Read more
When Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon meets President Obama in Washington on March 3, the atmosphere will be tense. Even White House media management cannot camouflage gathering tensions in the U.S.–Mexican relationship. Mexico’s bloody battle with drug cartels and criminal violence dominates media headlines and fuels growing uncertainty… Read more
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with her Mexican counterpart in Guanajuato, Mexico, on January 24, the high-level encounter will focus on topics of great importance to the U.S. and Mexico. Topping the agenda will be Mexico’s deadly narco-conflict. Last year was a somber one for Mexico, one in… Read more
Ray Walser discusses Mexican drug violence on CSPAN's Washington Journal. … Read more
Ray Walser discusses recent fatalities to Mexican drug cartels. … Read more
Although U.S. officials cannot confirm reports of the arrest Jamel Nasr recently in Tijuana, they should acknowledge that the reports are consistent with increasing concern that Hezbollah is seeking an operational base in the Americas. Nasr was no ordinary tourist or would-be immigrant. He is a made member of the… Read more
Executive Summary On April 20, 2010, the explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in a massive, continuing release of underground oil. Washington must develop a comprehensive response to the crisis that mitigates damage,… Read more
Mexican President Felipe Calderón is in Washington for a two day state visit from May 19-20. He and President Obama have a lot to talk about, ranging from reaffirming a shared commitment to the North American Free Trade Agreement to the vital need for both countries to emphasize competitiveness, technological… Read more
Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s visit to Washington on May 19–20 highlights the complex nature of America’s critical relationship with its southern neighbor. President Obama will honor Calderón with a lavish state dinner, and the Mexican leader will address the U.S. Congress. The visit will set the tone for… Read more
Abstract: Mexican drug cartels virtually rule large parts of Mexico, with violence and murder spilling across the U.S. border. In 2009, the death toll reached a high of more than 9,000. While… Read more
Delivered July 30, 2007 immigration has become the most controversial, complex, and sensitive subject we face today. It directly affects our economy, our culture, and our future. To ensure that any action we take on immigration policy is in our national interest, we need to approach the subject with reason and facts.… Read more
Abstract: Conventional wisdom holds that offshore oil and gas production harms the surrounding environment. This blanket "wisdom" ignores the fact that the largest source of marine hydrocarbon pollution is offshore natural oil seepage. It also ignores the fact that offshore oil production has lowered… Read more
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Washington, November 19, 2009- Three Heritage Foundation scholars have been tabbed to serve as international observers for the Nov. 29 presidential election in Honduras. All three speak fluent Spanish. The three Heritage representatives are: Ray Walser, Heritage's senior policy analyst for Latin America.… Read more
Felipe Calderón, who began his single sexenio (six-year term) as President of Mexico in December 2006, has made significant progress in the fight against narcotrafficking, but Mexicans are still waiting to see whether his government will successfully challenge the private- and public-sector monopolies and duopolies that dominate huge portions… Read more
In a historic first, Josefina Vazquez Mota was chosen on Sunday to be the presidential candidate for Mexico’s National...… Read more
More than 15 months after the Obama administration lifted its ban on offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, oil and...… Read more
According to information obtained by a liberal environmentalist group, the White House deliberately misled the public...… Read more
Americans hitting the road this week are likely to encounter the highest-ever price for gas at Christmas in history....… Read more
Few people have been more vocal about the challenges facing offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico than Sen. David...… Read more
Last week, in Merída, Mexico, the leaders of Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Colombia met to affirm their shared commitment to...… Read more
Last night, NBC Nightly News continued its series “Mexico: The War Next Door.” In its latest segment, NBC highlighted...… Read more
A new report from a New Orleans-based group reveals that the Obama administration is approving just 35 percent of the...… Read more
In an op-ed for FOX News Heritage's Jim Carafano lays out policy ideas that can lead to true immigration reform. The...… Read more
How goes the battle for the border? Heritage Foundation Latin American specialist Ray Walser and I spent some time on...… Read more
Senior Policy Analyst