Speaker Summary for October 17, 2011 - Ben Wagner
Last Monday our club had the privilege of hearing keynote speaker Ben Wagner, Esq., edify us on the legal status of issues pertaining to our border relations with Mexico. Mr. Wagner is the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California, empowered with enforcing all federal laws in 34 northern California counties. He was appointed in 2009 by President Obama, and oversees a staff of dozens of lawyers and law enforcers out of his Sacramento offices.
Of chief concern to Mr. Wagner and his staff is stemming the proliferation of the black market “weapons-for-drugs” economy which is creating havoc in several parts of Mexico. Mr. Wagner says our communities have seen a rise in certain Mexican gangs over the past few years, and he believes they are continuing to provide illegal drugs to our area. His office is working closely with the other U.S. attorneys from southern California, as well as with those handling matters in Arizona and Texas, to try to coordinate efforts to track and apprehend those peddling the drugs in our State. He noted that one challenge is in our Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to secure the enormous and often rather porous border regions, as well as in thwarting the ever increasing efforts of smugglers to import their drugs over water routes (including even using submarines on the Atlantic side).
On the “good news” side, Mr. Wagner believes we are making some key arrests of significant players in the local branches of the Mexican “La Familia” drug cartel, and sending a message back to Mexico that we will actively prosecute such crimes on our soil. Those efforts are focused on stemming the sale of meth and cocaine, but also on marijuana production and distribution. Mr. Wagner conceded that stemming the growth and use of marijuana is virtually impossible nowadays; given that so many are able to obtain medical use cards and grow it virtually anywhere in the State. He also noted that his office and others are providing support and training for prosecutors in Mexico, and that he believes certain recent efforts to reform parts of the Mexican judicial system are making a difference there.
On the “bad news” front, Mr. Wagner noted that the violence along our border region will likely continue in the near future as the cartels continue to find an active market for their drugs here, and our gun traffickers continue to provide arms to the cartels. He also fears that ongoing and ever-deepening budget cuts affecting his office will hinder his ability to aggressively stem the tide of drug distribution and related gang violence in our areas. Ultimately, Mr. Wagner firmly believes that the never ending “war on drugs” must be fought – and can be “won” -- on a daily basis along our border and in our courts to minimize the harmful effects of drugs in our country.