Mexican state’s risk seen equal to Syria’s

The claim: “These cartels endanger Americans and threaten our country’s national security. The problem is so bad that (the U.S. State Department) issued a “Do Not Travel” advisory to a Mexican state that has a 230m border with the US — the same designation as Syria.” — U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, R-North Carolina.

Walker made the statement via Twitter in reaction to a story about the U.S. designating drug cartels as terrorist groups.

PolitiFact ruling: True. The Mexican state the congressman referred to is Tamaulipas, which includes 230 miles of MexicoTexas border, stretching roughly from the Gulf of Mexico to Laredo.

Discussion: The State Department labels the safety levels in foreign countries using a four-step scale:

1- Exercise normal precautions.

2- Exercise increased caution. 3- Reconsider travel.

4- Do not travel.

The State Department considers Mexico as a whole to be a Level 2 country, meaning travelers should “exercise increased caution.” The department also assigns advisory levels to individual states. Five states in Mexico are at the “do not travel” level: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas.

Only one of those states, Tamaulipas, shares a border with the United States. And it is known for being dangerous.

The state department website says this about the area: “Violent crime, such as murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, extortion, and sexual assault, is common. Gang activity, including gunbattles and blockades, is widespread. Armed criminal groups target public and private passenger buses as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers hostage and demanding ransom payments.”

As it turns out, Tamaulipas has the same travel advisory as Syria.