In U.S, Napolitano discusses illegal immigration

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Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (pictured) sat down with Times reporter Anna Gorman Monday while attending a conference in Texas on border security.

A number of issues were discussed, including the Mexican drug war, immigration detention in the U.S. and legislative reforms.

How effective have the new technology and extra personnel at the border been, and what more can be done to target the drug cartels and border violence?

‘They have been very effective because they have been coordinated, they have been targeted, they have been done in collaboration with the Mexicans, which is a change from years past. ... How has it worked so far? It’s done well. What do we need to be doing more of or do differently? We want to continue our joint efforts to add to Mexican civilian law enforcement. At some point, for example, the military needs to leave Ciudad Juarez and we need to have a civilian law enforcement capacity there. ... You have got to be able to match manpower with technology, with really good, smart, targeted, intelligence-driven law enforcement to really have a system that makes sense.’

Read the rest of the question and answer session here.

Click here for more posts on immigration.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City