The University of Arizona has identified three students who are studying in Mexico with Tec de Monterrey, a student exchange program at the Tecnológico de Monterrey.

UA spokesman Paul Allvin said classes at the Mexican institution have been cancelled, and the students are coming back to Arizona.

In addition, the university has identified 42 visiting scholars at UA who are from Mexico, and five more are expected to arrive soon, Allvin said. The ones who are on their way will be informed about health precautions before they arrive, he said.

Officials at UA have been meeting daily to discuss what they’ve learned about the swine flu and to determine if actions need to be taken at the university that day.

Allvin said he wouldn’t speculate what UA would do if a confirmed case of the flu was found on campus because the response would be based on a number of factors such as if the infected student lived in a dorm.

“We also have 88 faculty-sponsored projects ongoing in Mexico, but it is impossible to know which of these have faculty on the ground in Mexico right now and how many other employees are down there on unfunded service projects,” Allvin said.

A message from the provost’s office went out to campus leadership this week explaining that the university needs to develop a system to easily indentify which faculty might be out of country at any given time, he said.

CHICAGO — The timing is not the best. Immigration-rights rallies are set for Friday as health officials try to clamp down on a swine flu epidemic with roots in the same country as many of the expected demonstrators: Mexico.

Public health officials on Thursday had not advised canceling large-scale events unless they were specifically tied to an institution or location with a laboratory-confirmed case of the illness. They urged people to stay home if they are sick.

In Tucson, a rally is planned for 9 a.m. at Southgate Shopping Center, Interstate 10 and South Sixth Avenue, with a march from there to Armory Park, 220 S. Fifth Ave., starting at 10 a.m.

Organizers of the May Day rallies, which have drawn thousands and even hundreds of thousands of people in recent years, said they would look to recommendations from public health officials about whether to cancel or modify the events.

“We’re monitoring the situation to make sure that anything that is going to be conducive to the health and safety of communities is observed,” said Clarissa Martinez, a director for the National Council of La Raza.

Crowds on Friday were expected to be around the same as last year. In Chicago, which has had the nation’s largest marches in the country, about 15,000 participated in 2008. That’s a dramatic drop from 2006, when more than 400,000 took to the streets.

Thousands also were expected at events Friday in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Seattle and other cities. Health officials urged participants to use common sense.

“The message ought to be clear that if people are sick no matter whether it’s Cinco de Mayo, a school, a church, a synagogue or any place of worship or anywhere else — a movie theater — they should stay home,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Terry Mason said Wednesday.

Some schools have closed because of the swine flu outbreak, and U.S. and Mexican officials have been urging migrant workers to take health precautions and get medical care if they feel sick.

The rallies come as illegal immigrants are being blamed on some conservative blogs and talk shows for spreading swine flu in the U.S. The outbreak is believed to have originated in Mexico, where there are 168 suspected deaths from the disease, before spreading to at least 10 other countries, including the U.S.

The only confirmed U.S. swine-flu death was of a Mexican toddler who family was visiting relatives in Texas; many reported cases were among U.S. citizens who vacationed in Mexico.

“For people who like to blame Mexicans, they are going to blame us for everything no matter what,” said Jorge Mujica, a labor union activist and organizer for Chicago’s immigrant rights march. “We are not going to pay attention to that.”

For most rally organizers, swine flu was secondary to promoting immigration reform, including pathways to citizenship for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants — hopes buoyed with Barack Obama in the White House and a Democratic-controlled Congress.

More than 1 million people marched in cities across the country in 2006, when some in Congress were pushing for tougher laws against illegal immigrants. Although turnout at the marches has dropped steeply since then, organizers say their mission remains the same.

“It’s important for us to continue the fight,” said Margarita Klein with Workers United in Chicago, adding that union workers had been preparing for two months for Friday’s event.

Union leaders said they have set aside differences to promote a unified immigration overhaul plan they hope will get through Congress this year.

“I think we’re in a different position now in April 2009 than in April 2007,” said Angela Kelley, vice president for immigration policy at the Center for American Progress. “I think it’s become more diverse and mainstream, sort of at the same time.”

Some say immigration reform will help the economy.

“Immigrants are workers that are central to our economic success, and immigration reform is essential for stabilizing our work force,” said Joshua Hoyt, executive director of Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Others say having a new president whose father was from another country — Kenya — has also buoyed hopes.

“You can feel it in the streets, people are waiting for some kind of solution,” said Mujica, the organizer in Chicago. “We have been waiting.”

Napolitano

WASHINGTON – Customs agents have stopped and cleared 41 people with flulike symptoms at U.S. borders and are awaiting test results on eight more.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano cited the numbers as she explained why no tightening of the U.S. border was needed.

She said the swine flu virus already has spread into this country and others, and it’s too late for border closures to contain.

At the border, none of the 49 people stopped so far was detained for more than a few hours while health officials checked them. She didn’t say where along the border people were stopped. Because symptoms may arise later, officials are handing out cards explaining the flulike symptoms to arriving travelers.

The U.S. Border Patrol says agents patrolling near Nogales have arrested 22 men after they were spotted carrying bales of marijuana into the U.S. from Mexico.

Border Patrol spokesman Mike Scioli (See-OH’-lee) said Wednesday that the men were spotted by agents who called in a helicopter and additional officers. As the agents closed in, the men dropped their bundles of marijuana and ran away.

Agents captured all 22 of them late Monday and seized 39 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 2,200 pounds. They also found a loaded .45-caliber pistol and 2 loaded magazines for an AK-47 assault rifle.

Scioli says the men were all identified as Mexican nationals who had entered the U.S. illegally.

The rapidly spreading swine flu is prompting calls for the U.S. to close its border with Mexico, where the outbreak originated, but some fear the disease is being exploited for political purposes by immigration foes.

A growing chorus of border-control advocates, including some members of Congress, is calling for the federal government to close U.S.-Mexico border crossings to prevent swine flu from further spreading into the U.S.

Civil rights groups and immigrant advocates, however, say that fanning anti-immigrant sentiment could make immigrants reluctant to seek medical attention.

“The risk of demonizing and stigmatizing a group of people is you risk alienating them and making them afraid to seek health services and that can continue the outbreak,” said Liany Arroyo, director of the Institute for Hispanic Health at the National Council of La Raza, a Washington, D.C., advocacy group.

Mexico has been the epicenter of the swine-flu outbreak. The only flu-related death in the U.S. is a 23-month-old Mexico City boy who died Monday after traveling to Texas.

U.S. Rep. Eric Massa, a Democrat from New York and House Homeland Security Committee member, wants “an immediate and complete closure” of the Mexico border until swine flu is contained.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the Department of Homeland Security should consider all options, “including closing the border if it would prevent further transmission of this deadly virus.”

It was unclear whether McCain was responding to political pressure. Last week, Chris Simcox, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, announced he will challenge McCain in the 2010 Republican primary.

Since the swine-flu outbreak, Simcox has intensified his call for the immediate deployment of National Guard troops.

President Barack Obama said Wednesday during a televised news conference that health officials see no reason to close the border.

“From their perspective it would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses are out because we already have cases here in the United States,” he said.

Brian Levin, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said agents at border crossings are trained to watch for possible contagious diseases. He said they have increased surveillance since the swine-flu alert; inspectors in Arizona have not quarantined or detained a single traveler because of flulike symptoms.

Alfredo Gutierrez, who hosts a Spanish-language talk show, said exploiting fear about the swine flu and its prevalence in Mexico is counterproductive.

“The logic that if you can get rid of Mexicans, (swine flu) will all go away” is simplistic logic that will play well to people’s fears, he said. “People are going to say it’s the Mexicans’ fault. The virus has no nationality.”

Carlos Flores Vizcarra, the consul general of Mexico in Phoenix, said that while a few are trying to link the virus with illegal immigration, most realize that swine flu is a public health issue, not an immigration one.

Contributing: Arizona Republic reporters Dennis Wagner and Dan Nowicki

By Daniel Gonzalez, Yvonne Wingett

ATLANTA – The acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the federal government is readying a travel advisory instructing Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico.

Dr. Richard Besser made that disclosure during a news conference in Atlanta, saying the advisory was being released “out of an abundance of caution.”

Besser also reported there have been 40 confirmed cases of swine flu in the United States, including 20 in New York City. He said individuals can help to keep the disease from spreading by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes and staying away from work or school if not feeling well.

Talent overflows as kids get to show what they learned in workshops

Isabella Bryant (left), 8, and Karina Romero, 7, of Mariachi Aguilitas de Davis perform during the showcase concert on Thursday at the Tucson Convention Center.

The Mariachi Espectacular concert always gets top billing, but to this writer, the real show happened Thursday night.

Though the Tucson Convention Center Arena was only around half full, the spacious joint was brimming with talent as the students who attend the Tucson International Mariachi Conference workshops got to strut their stuff.

It was a big night for the Valenzuela family in particular. Alfredo Valenzuela, who heads the mariachi program at Davis Elementary School, was inducted into the Mariachi Hall of fame. His group, Mariachi Aguilitas de Davis, was up first and full strength, with some 70 talented youngsters chiming out “Mexico Lindo,” “Tata Dios” and “Cancion Mexicana” in style. A group of his graduates called Mariachi Nueva Melodia made an impressive debut on the show, as did son Jaime Valenzuela’s Mariachi Tesoro.

Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo High School set the high water mark in a strong lineup. The group barreled through taxing arrangements with aplomb, wowing the crowd with a set that showed its grasp of the music’s roots, as well as its sophisticated branches. A practically classical trio tossed into the set set the audience on its ear.

Mariachi Mixteco from El Centro, Calif., won the hearts of Tucson with its soulful version of Lalo Guerrero’s “Barrio Viejo” and an equally joyous rendition of his “Cancion Mexicana.”

Mariachi Brillante Juvenil showed it’s grown into its name in every respect. Polished, suave and precise, it had chops to match its stage presence. The dedication to Jose Rincon, who was killed in a car wreck last year, tugged the hearts of all who recall his special talents.

David Gill’s Los Potrillos de Cholla High School was second only to Mariachi Aztlan in poise, showmanship and crisp virtuosity from every sector. Likewise Mariachi Apache from Nogales High School, under the direction of Gilbert Velez, brought commanding style and powerful vocal talent to its too-short set. And former Tucsonan Adam Romo’s Mariachi Los Vaqueros from Las Vegas, Nev., made a powerful impression, both instrumentally and vocally.

With each passing year, this showcase makes more and more evident the strides young people are making in this music.

My sole complaint is the absence of folklorico dancers at the show. They too are vital participants who deserve a showcase. Let’s fix this.

WASHINGTON — Wading into the politically charged immigration debate, a group of colleges and universities is urging Congress to give illegal immigrants tuition aid and a path to citizenship in light of efforts in several states to block them.

The College Board, made up of 5,000 schools and best known for its SAT college admission tests, released a report Tuesday that cites a need for federal legislation that would open up in-state college tuition, financial aid and legal status to many illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time, the board is making its push after states in recent years have moved to bar illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition and, in some cases, enrolling in their public colleges. It also comes as opponents are warning that immigration reform now could reduce already-scarce jobs and college enrollment slots in the ailing economy.

“This is a new area for us, but it was an easy call,” said Thomas W. Rudin, a senior vice president for the College Board.

He noted the contradiction in which illegal immigrants who are legally entitled to a K-12 public education suddenly hit barriers when applying to college, even when many are “honor roll students, athletes, class presidents and valedictorians.”

“We absolutely believe it’s important for opening up economic opportunities,” Rudin said.

Under House and Senate bills known as the Dream Act, illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children — defined as age 15 and under — and have lived here for five years could apply to the Homeland Security Department for conditional legal status after graduating from high school.

Such legal status would make the immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition rates and some forms of federal financial aid. Then, if they attend college or participate in military service for at least two years, the immigrants would qualify for permanent legal residency and ultimately citizenship.

The legislation, which has been introduced in various forms since 2001, comes as President Barack Obama is preparing to address the contentious issue of immigration reform later this year. The Dream Act has previously passed the Senate but failed to become law as it was folded into proposals for more comprehensive reform.

“It’s a straightforward test of what America is about: Do we punish children for the actions of their parents?” said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. “If, as we try to pursue comprehensive immigration reform, we can’t get this simple element done, I don’t know what we can get done.”

Opponents disagree.

“It’s a massive amnesty effort being laid for this fall,” said Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to restrict immigration. “Since many of these illegal aliens and their families are overwhelmingly on the lower end of the economic scale, they’re going to take the lion’s share of need-based financial aid.”

Among the College Board’s findings:

—About 360,000 illegal immigrants who have a high school degree could qualify for the tuition aid. Another 715,000 immigrants between the ages of 5 and 17 would also benefit if they are motivated to finish high school and pursue a college degree.

—States that offer tuition aid to illegal immigrants generally saw increased college revenue by enrolling these additional students, rather than financial burdens caused by an influx of immigrants paying cheaper tuition.

—An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of the 65,000 illegal immigrants who graduate from high school each year go to college. Their ability to receive a higher education and move into better-paying jobs would help the U.S. economy in the form of increased tax revenue and consumer spending.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that illegal immigrants are entitled to a K-12 public education, but federal law is silent as to their college rights. As a result, states have been divided over providing benefits, and in many cases leave it up to individual colleges to decide.

South Carolina bans illegal immigrants from enrolling at any of its public colleges, and Alabama blocks them from its two-year colleges. Missouri and Virginia are also considering laws that deny enrollment.

At least four states — Georgia, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona — generally prohibit illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition rates.

The nine states that offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants are California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Utah and Washington. New Jersey is now reviewing whether to offer in-state tuition, while California is considering whether to let immigrants compete for financial aid.

———

ON THE NET

College Board: www.collegeboard.com

WASHINGTON — Wading into the politically charged immigration debate, a group of colleges and universities is urging Congress to give illegal immigrants tuition aid and a path to citizenship in light of efforts in several states to block them.

The College Board, made up of 5,000 schools and best known for its SAT college admission tests, released a report Tuesday that cites a need for federal legislation that would open up in-state college tuition, financial aid and legal status to many illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time, the board is making its push after states in recent years have moved to bar illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition and, in some cases, enrolling in their public colleges. It also comes as opponents are warning that immigration reform now could reduce already-scarce jobs and college enrollment slots in the ailing economy.

“This is a new area for us, but it was an easy call,” said Thomas W. Rudin, a senior vice president for the College Board.

He noted the contradiction in which illegal immigrants who are legally entitled to a K-12 public education suddenly hit barriers when applying to college, even when many are “honor roll students, athletes, class presidents and valedictorians.”

“We absolutely believe it’s important for opening up economic opportunities,” Rudin said.

Under House and Senate bills known as the Dream Act, illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children — defined as age 15 and under — and have lived here for five years could apply to the Homeland Security Department for conditional legal status after graduating from high school.

Such legal status would make the immigrants eligible for in-state college tuition rates and some forms of federal financial aid. Then, if they attend college or participate in military service for at least two years, the immigrants would qualify for permanent legal residency and ultimately citizenship.

The legislation, which has been introduced in various forms since 2001, comes as President Barack Obama is preparing to address the contentious issue of immigration reform later this year. The Dream Act has previously passed the Senate but failed to become law as it was folded into proposals for more comprehensive reform.

“It’s a straightforward test of what America is about: Do we punish children for the actions of their parents?” said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. “If, as we try to pursue comprehensive immigration reform, we can’t get this simple element done, I don’t know what we can get done.”

Opponents disagree.

“It’s a massive amnesty effort being laid for this fall,” said Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to restrict immigration. “Since many of these illegal aliens and their families are overwhelmingly on the lower end of the economic scale, they’re going to take the lion’s share of need-based financial aid.”

Among the College Board’s findings:

—About 360,000 illegal immigrants who have a high school degree could qualify for the tuition aid. Another 715,000 immigrants between the ages of 5 and 17 would also benefit if they are motivated to finish high school and pursue a college degree.

—Roughly 10 states that offer tuition aid to illegal immigrants generally saw increased college revenue by enrolling these additional students, rather than financial burdens caused by an influx of immigrants paying cheaper tuition.

—An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of the 65,000 illegal immigrants who graduate from high school each year go to college. Their ability to receive a higher education and move into better-paying jobs would help the U.S. economy in the form of increased tax revenue and consumer spending.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that illegal immigrants are entitled to a K-12 public education, but federal law is silent as to their college rights. As a result, states have been divided over providing benefits, and in many cases leave it up to individual colleges to decide.

South Carolina bans illegal immigrants from enrolling at any of its public colleges, and Alabama blocks them from its two-year colleges. Missouri and Virginia are also considering laws that deny enrollment.

At least four states — Georgia, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona — prohibit illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition rates.

The 10 states that offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants are California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Washington. New Jersey is now reviewing whether to offer in-state tuition, while California is considering whether to let immigrants compete for financial aid.

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer urged a U.S. Senate committee Monday to help seek funding for sending 250 additional National Guard troops to the Arizona-Mexico border to assist authorities trying to curb violence committed by immigrant and drug smugglers.

The Republican governor was seeking help from the committee even though she said the Department of Defense has effectively denied her request for more troops at Arizona’s 370-mile southern boundary, where 150 National Guard troops are now working as part of a long-standing border assistance program.

“We are not seeing the help we need,” Brewer said.

The Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a field hearing in Phoenix, the nation’s busiest immigrant and marijuana smuggling hub, to gather information from state and local officials about the effects of trafficking violence on their communities.

State and local officials said the federal government hasn’t done enough to combat smuggling and related violence, leaving communities vulnerable to a litany of crimes committed by traffickers and a heavy bill from the social costs of a porous border.

The crimes cited by officials included immigrant and drug smugglers who kidnap their rivals for ransom in Phoenix, some human smugglers who sexually assault customers, traffickers who carry out home invasions in Tucson, and drug cartel associates who sneak guns from Arizona into Mexico.

“It all comes from our borders not being secured,” Brewer said.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was pleased with the Obama administration’s plans to dispatch nearly 500 more federal agents to the U.S.-Mexico border, but said that wasn’t enough.

The denial of Brewer’s request for more border troops was unacceptable, McCain said. “We must do more,” McCain said.

The troops already at the border are part of a long-standing program in which National Guard troops assist in anti-drug efforts and help federal agents inspect vehicles at ports of entry.

The Bush administration sent thousands of Guard troops to the border to perform support duties so that federal border authorities would be freed up to focus on border security. Bush’s buildup began in 2006 and ended last year.

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever, whose jurisdiction includes 83 miles of border, said smugglers don’t have much regard for police officers, but they view the military differently.

“They do have a great deal of respect (for) or fear of the military,” Dever said.

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said smugglers who bring drugs and immigrants into the United States from Mexico are a problem for both governments to confront.

Goddard said smugglers return to Mexico with cash that fuels their operations and guns that are bought from American weapons dealers and used in Mexico’s war against drug cartels.

The attorney general advocated a stronger crackdown on people who illegally buy guns on behalf of cartels and a closer examination of vehicles driving through American ports of entry into Mexico.

“The carnage in Mexico is being facilitated by a flood of arms coming from this country,” Goddard said.

Several officials suggested that the United States and Mexico ought to do a better job of monitoring border traffic to keep ill-gotten money and guns from heading to Mexico.

“I have a new focus on how we are going to monitor and checkpoint southbound traffic both to try to diminish the flow of weapons to the Mexican drug cartels and cash,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Independent from Connecticut who is the leader of committee.

DOUGLAS – Police said a 19-year-old Douglas man whose family reported that he was kidnapped over the weekend has been found slain in Agua Prieta, Son.

Douglas police said Alejandro “Alex” Abril was strangled and found in a vehicle with the bodies of a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy. Both were Mexican citizens.

Abril’s family reported him missing on Saturday, saying he had been kidnapped from a popular Agua Prieta nightclub, police said.

A police statement released Wednesday said family members told officers that Abril may have had ties to a drug and human smuggling organization. Police said say they have sketchy details of the investigation now being conducted by Agua Prieta Municipal Police.

Says $60 million in cash seized since Oct. 1

FROM LEFT: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Rep. Harry Teague, D-N.M.; El Paso, Texas, Border Patrol Chief Victor Manjarrez; and El Paso Field Office director of field operations Ana Hinojosa discuss border security during a tour of the Columbus, N.M., port of entry Wednesday.

COLUMBUS, N.M. – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano toured the Columbus port of entry on Wednesday as part of a daylong trip along the U.S. border with Mexico.

In a brief stop at the small port, the former Arizona governor said beefing up security and technology at ports along the southern border is key to stopping the flow of drugs north and weapons and drug profits south.

“They (customs agents) have seized $60 million in cash so far this year this fiscal year,” Napolitano told reporters earlier in El Paso, Texas. “That’s the money that goes south to fuel the drug cartels; that’s their gasoline.”

Napolitano has said routine checks of cars headed south is now a priority.

After announcing the appointment of former U.S. Attorney Alan Bersin as the new “border czar,” Napolitano flew by helicopter from El Paso to Columbus about 85 miles to the west, where she toured the small port of entry that connects the area with Palomas, Mexico.

As she toured the port more than a dozen federal agents manned a checkpoint along N.M. 11, where a single lane leads into Palomas.

Officials set up a similar checkpoint at the international bridge in El Paso where Napolitano announced Bersin’s appointment.

Traffic into Mexico was backed up several hundreds yards there during the secretary’s visit.

The secretary went to Nogales on Wednesday, before heading to Mexico later this week.

Missouri National Guard member Brian Coleman, 24, keeps watch on the border in this 2006 file photo.

NOGALES – On her first visit to Arizona as Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that requests to return the National Guard to duty along the U.S.-Mexico border are under review.

Arizona’s former governor said President Barack Obama wants to know what missions the guardsmen would perform before making a decision.

Napolitano was asked about restoring the National Guard’s border presence during a news conference announcing a $212 million renovation of the border inspection facility at Nogales and assistance for law enforcement agencies in their efforts to prevent a spillover of drug-cartel violence.

Govs. Rick Perry of Texas and Jan Brewer of Arizona have requested border troops. “The president … really has asked questions particularly of the governor of Texas, who was the first one to request it, saying, `Where would they go, what missions would they perform?”’ Napolitano said. “In other words, don’t just throw something like the National Guard at a place. They have a mission and a job to do.”

The Bush administration sent thousands of National Guard troops to the border to perform support duties in a mission called “Operation Jump Start” that began in 2006 and ended last year. It was intended to free up Border Patrol agents to focus on border security while new agents were hired. But since the troops pulled out, violence among Mexican cartels has exploded.

“When we did Jump Start here, it was to help us build the fence along this portion of the border. So that’s being looked at right now,” Napolitano said. “The National Guard issue, without being state-specific, is under consideration.”

Meanwhile, Arizona’s two Republican senators echoed the call for border troops Wednesday during a Phoenix-area luncheon sponsored by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sen. John McCain said a National Guard presence on the border is urgently needed. “I don’t envision it for an extended period of time, but right now, we need the Guard on the border because of this violence,” he said.

Sen. Jon Kyl added that the troops proved effective in assisting the Border Patrol and deterring immigrant- and drug-smuggling operations.

Mexico’s government is battling the drug cartels, which are also fighting each other for the most lucrative smuggling routes into the United States. More than 10,650 people have been killed in drug violence in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon sent out 45,000 troops in 2006 to directly confront the traffickers.

Mesa Police Chief George Gascon says the use of officers to enforce immigration laws is a waste of resources.

At a news conference Wednesday to discuss the arrests of 173 felons, Gascon says the city’s police department has kept its focus on local crime instead of illegal immigrants and Mesa’s violent crime has seen a steady decline since 2006.

But Gascon says that trend might not be able to continue if police officers are diverted to immigration duties.

For the first three months of 2009, violent and property crimes in Mesa decreased 13 percent compared with the same three-month period last year, according to police figures.

There also have been no homicides so far this year — the fewest number at this point into the year since 1988.

In another signal of increased attention to rising Mexican drug violence, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will return to the Southwestern border Wednesday to take a closer look at operations in El Paso; Columbus, N.M.; and Nogales.

Napolitano, the former Arizona governor, was in Los Angeles Monday to discuss security at ports of entry.

Napolitano announced a new series of border-security measures to guard against drug violence on March 24. She most recently visited the Southwestern border April 1 to 3, stopping in San Diego and Laredo, Texas, in conjunction with a trip to Mexico.

President Obama will visit Mexico later this week. From there he’ll head to Trinidad and Tobago for the Summit of the Americas.