Yes- it has been problem for quite some time. I am in Texas in the winters-usually. My neighbors (Hispanic),there warned me the day I moved there to NOT go to Mexico unless he or his family were with me- his SIL is a anglo cop, the father is in his 80's-ex military cop- they say it is ok if an Anglo is with a Hispanic family AND you only go to certain places. I have fair skin, blue eyes and light hair. That is what they want the most,(but younger I hope), but if they know the family has ANY money at all then it doesn't matter what you look like.
Last week on the news- Phoenix, AZ now has kidnappings so often that they had to assemble a police force just for that- It is mexican people who do the kidnapping- for drugs or money. They cut off body parts to send to the family, and often kill the person they kidnapped. The news says it is all mexican drug related.
I am willing to bet that the mexican drug market will take over the Texas, Arizona, California area in a rather short time. Bet my bippy on it. It is well known that the attitude of the illegals that come over to Texas want to overtake Texas- it is 'very out in the open'. Maybe I am more aware of it because several of my friends are cops there- both street and undercover. It is sick what I hear.
Please don't think I am 'picking' on the Hispanic culture- it is just because mMexico is right there and is run by drug cartels. There are alot of Anglos helping out...It really isn't such a poor country- there is alot of touristry-agriculture- unfortunately a very few bad people control 99% of the monies. Alot like our crooked politicians in the US- in the US it just isn't drug related- it is greed of corporate monies.
Google Phoenix/kidnappings and see what comes up right here in Arizona.

I am very thankful I don't live in Mexico (or a lot of other places) and I would never go to Mexico on vacation. Way too many stories of tourists getting killed and the authorities doing nothing to try and find the killers.

My daughter has visited Acapulco Mexico several times. She was warned by felow travelers to stay in the hotel, not go exploring on her own.

My brother has been in Mexico since the middle of January. He doesn't go to resort areas but travels arouond the country on his own. My sister and I are worried about him because he hasn't been in touch for a couple of weeks.

I'm in El Paso...about 1 mile or less from the border.It's scarey here.Juarez is one of the worst places in Mexico right now.The police chief there just retired under threats that his officers would be killed at the rate of one every 48 hrs.2 were killed.There are numerous killings,beheadings,every week there.So far they said it hasn't crossed into El Paso,but I wonder....there seems to be a LOT of business's burning down here.Makes you wonder if it's not the cartel having it done.

I can't imagine having to live with that kind of terror. I feel for the people who have to live under those circumstances.

I have been to Mexico several times. Not a place I would go alone. And probably will never return. Seeing how they live is sad. It makes you understand why so many come to the US.

Casey's right. There have been a few Canadians killed while vacationing in Mexico. A couple years ago a family from outside Toronto were there as a wedding destination. The parents were murdered in their hotel room. This was a 5-star hotel, and to date it still hasn't been solved. And the hotel cleaners went and scrubbed the room before the cops could "investigate" which they've done half-heartedly.

No matter how beautiful everyone says Mexico is, I would never go there.

Years ago now we used to routinely go to Mexico and had a great time. It was just something we had to do because we enjoyed it so much but right now..I wouldn't go for any reason.

For many years I lived about 90 miles from Mexico in New Mexico. I made many trips into Mexico exploring and camping in the mountains. I don't think I'd do that anymore. Once you get away from the large border cities the people are very friendly and accomodating. It's a shame how the situation has deteriorated. Tourism in Mexico could be so much more than it is.

Ron

It IS ALIVE AND WELL RIGHT HERE IN THE USA!

A friend of mine is down near Mexico right now. He is there, helping building with Habitat for Humanity.

Go to the end and start looking at the pictures going backwards. He kept posting new pictures, and thus, the newest ones are in the front.

It is VERY sad to see, how some people there live.

here are pictures he took:

Here is a link that might be useful: Mel's pictures in Mexico

Amen, to what ilmbg said. We have so many illegals here that you would think you are in Mexico. A couple of the local supermarkets quit carrying some of their regular products, in order to give space to Mexican brands.

I do have sympathy for their plight...and we used to go to Mexico too, and last time was with a friend from there. So much better traveling with someone who was able to speak the language and knew how to pay off the Federales.

However, Texas alone paid out $677 million in hospital and doctor bills for illegals, and they are on welfare here, and
we also have the Mexican gangs here, and 43% of inmates of Federal prisons are illegals, and a good portion of the state prisons as well.

Uh, thanks to lax border patrol, Mexico's problems are fast becoming America's problems.

Mexico City is number one in the WORLD for kidnappings. Number one.

Any guesses what city has the second largest number of kidnappings in the WORLD??

Phoenix, Arizona, with 370 kidnappings last year, thanks to the violence spreading from Mexico.

Ah, but the good news is, there are only "a few dozen" radical muslim extremists coming over our southern border each month. They found our back door and they found that it's always open and mostly unguarded.

Here is a link that might be useful: 370 kidnappings last year in Phoenix

We used to go into Mexico fairly often to shop in the border towns. We have also gone to motorcycle rallies down into Mexico and had such a great time. We were treated like royalty. This morning on the news they said that it's okay to travel into Mexico, just stay away from known drug areas and prostitution areas.
I wouldn't have a problem going to the places we normally go to. Jammer is fluent in Spanish, so we have no problem communicating.

Like CR said, Juarez is one of the worst places to cross over at. I don't think I would go to that border crossing.

What a shame. I've been there a few times and it's one of the most beautiful lands. The water is a gorgeous aqua and the beaches are pure white. I've only been to the tourist areas but have traveled a few hours by coach and you'd never know it's so corrupt there.

Hope it improves.