| | |  Americas & Beyond | December 2009 
US/MEX Border Security Kicked up a Notch
 The News
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December 09, 2009
 |  | The two officials said that the goal is to continue working in coordinated efforts to identify and attack criminal activities, such as drug- and merchandise-trafficking. |  | | |
Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano this week signed an updated and enhanced Declaration of Principles (DOP), in a measure to improve security along the Southwest U.S. border and facilitate the flow of legitimate travel and trade.
"The exchange of information is an essential instrument in this process of binational cooperation, with the purpose of improving security of our borders," Carstens said.
The two officials said that the goal is to continue working in coordinated efforts to identify and attack criminal activities, such as drug- and merchandise-trafficking.
"We are building upon a longstanding relationship and cooperation, which have derived extraordinary results, particularly in matters of trade facilitation to legitimate stakeholders and law enforcement," said Secretary Carstens. "However, today's world demands from us a more intelligent and coordinated way to protect our borders and facilitate trade."
The U.S and Mexico have signed three agreements since January that build on unprecedented levels of collaboration between the two nations designed to combat transnational crime, increase law enforcement collaboration and increase the secure flow of travel and trade along the Southwest U.S. border. The DOP was established in 2007 to reinforce bilateral cooperation and promote more interaction, which stemmed from the Strategic Bilateral Plan.
Since March, President Barack Obama's administration has doubled the number of personnel dedicated to identifying and apprehending violent criminals, in addition to increasing south-bound weapons and money searches.
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