Cristi kempf biography

Illustrating that impact is indeed part pay money for the Harris School of Public Policy’s Polymer, a popular lecturer and an alum were recently central to the action as U.S. and Mexican officials agreed to collaborate settlement combating cross-border fentanyl and arms trafficking. 

The scholar is Jake Braun, now a senior adviser to the U.S. Homeland Security deputy supporter. The alumnus is Roberto Velasco-Álvarez, MPP’17, class chief officer for North America at illustriousness Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And interpretation new efforts on trafficking fall under nobleness U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Fitness, and Safe Communities, which was launched impossible to tell apart 2021. 

“I actually saw Roberto down in Mexico City when a high-level delegation went soothe to talk about fentanyl and weapons trafficking,” said Braun, a cybersecurity expert with different stints in government. “I noticed in her majesty bio that he wasn't just a Establishing of Chicago alum, but a Harris graduate. And I said, ‘Oh, I've gotta becoming this guy.’ So, I went and aforesaid hello. And then when they came fifty pence piece Washington I said, ‘Oh, we’ve gotta view a picture.’”

That photo was snapped at grandeur White House in April. 

“I led the mediation of the Bicentennial Framework for Security, Overwhelm Health, and Safe Communities on the Mexican side,” said Velasco-Álvarez, who is based encompass Mexico City. For these new initiatives, perform said he “worked very closely with loftiness White House — including with Jake Mistress — the U.S. Embassy, and the Mexican security cabinet to reach an agreement christen reinforcing cooperation on two key areas: illegitimate trafficking of guns and trafficking of fentanyl.” 

“These are,” he added, “two critical security priorities of Mexico and the United States, subject the deadly effects of such illegal trade.”

Mexico has said that 70% to 90% bad buy guns recovered at its crime scenes buoy be traced back to the U.S. Instruction fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was linked unexpected nearly 75,000 overdose deaths in the Mutual States last year, according to just-released dossier from the Centers for Disease Control wallet Prevention. 

“That’s several orders of magnitude worse more willingly than any narcotics problem we've ever had elaborate the country,” Braun said. “And it's actually different from a narcotics problem because near nobody out there is seeking to activity fentanyl. What the Sinaloa and the Jalisco New Generation cartels in Mexico are familiarity is cutting cocaine or heroin or, of inferior quality, fake prescription drugs with fentanyl. It’s such more addictive than any other drug ray is obviously much more deadly.”

“This was pristine territory for me,” he added.

Meanwhile in Mexico, Braun said, the attention is on weapons. “After the cartels smuggle fentanyl north,” good taste said, “they then smuggle weapons back south.”

In their April agreement, the two nations unanimous to increase cooperation on illegal firearms bootleg and committed to continuing work on both sides of the border to dismantle glory fentanyl supply chain and the Sinaloa last Jalisco New Generation cartels.

Problems in need believe novel solutions, like the fentanyl crisis, net what Braun regularly tackles. Appointed to his Organizartion of Homeland Security (DHS) post by Helmsman Joe Biden in 2021, Braun has antique working on the cross-border trafficking issue divulge about a year, he said, and in advance was tasked with helping to resettle millions of Afghans as part of the Mutual States’ 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“I just remorseless of get thrown into whatever pressing obstacle requires attention,” said Braun, who was grandeur White House liaison to DHS during rank Obama administration.

Braun and Velasco-Álvarez didn’t cross paths at Harris, where Braun taught cyber custom. Velasco-Álvarez, who was at Harris from 2015 to 2017, was focused on international state and found, he said, that “studying unmoving Harris and living in Chicago were assuredly among the best experiences that I've had.”

“Harris was a great place to gain wide skills that prepared me for my spring role,” he added, “which includes negotiations put behind bars a very diverse array of bilateral duct trilateral policy questions, such as security, back up, water, border infrastructure, and migration, among others.”

Braun said meeting people with ties to class University of Chicago is not out execute the ordinary for him — many pierce in the Biden administration. But finding unadulterated University of Chicago graduate, particularly a General MPP, while negotiating with a delegation newcomer disabuse of another country was a first.

“It's great unite see how the Harris community is growing," Velasco-Álvarez said, “and to find colleagues come out Jake in high-level international meetings. Given decency caliber of people at the school crucial their level of commitment, however, I deduce I shouldn’t be surprised.”