You no doubt remember the stunning massacre of nine Mormon women and children last month in Mexico.

Well, there’s news: Seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the grisly murders.

And here’s something incredible, though perhaps not wholly surprising: As reported by AFP, one of those taken into custody is a police chief.

You may recall that — horrifically — six of the victims were children. The family had dual U.S.-Mexican citizenship and were shot to death in an area known for turf wars between drug traffickers.

Theories have been tossed around — including, from some relatives, that the victims were knowingly and purposely targeted — but investigators believe it was a case of mistaken identity: A cartel thought the group belonged to a rival gang.

Of the seven, three were detained on the 26th for “probable responsibility” with regard to organized crime.

The slaughter — which occurred between the states of Chihuahua and Sonora — has served as additional pressure on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to take a stand against cartel violence.

He’s met once with the victims’ relatives, and he’s expected to do so again soon.

In response to the atrocity, President Trump threatened to declare the Mexican cartels as terrorist groups. But on December 6th, he said he’d hold off:

“All necessary work has been completed to declare Mexican Cartels terrorist organizations. Statutorily we are ready to do so. However, at the request of a man who I like and respect, and has worked so well with us, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, we will temporarily hold off this designation and step up our joint efforts to deal decisively with these vicious and ever-growing organizations!”

All necessary work has been completed to declare Mexican Cartels terrorist organizations. Statutorily we are ready to do so. However, at the request of a man who I like and respect, and has worked so well with us, President Andres Manuel @LopezObrador_ we…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2019

….will temporarily hold off this designation and step up our joint efforts to deal decisively with these vicious and ever-growing organizations! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2019

The border is a mess, and we haven’t seen the work that surely some expected by now. Congress doesn’t seem much interested in focusing on the problem, as the Democrats appear resolute to fight the President at every turn.

Anything he’s allowed to accomplish could hurt them in November.

So it’s partisanship over progress.

And what of Mexico? Will those responsible for murders ever see true justice? What’s the U.S. going to do to ensure it, in a place where a police chief is arrested in conjunction and nobody blinks?

How do we/they clean up the boundary between two very different nations?

These are big questions, and governments don’t appear in a hurry to address them.

In terms of personnel, a lot of things could change on Capitol Hill eleven months from now. But in order for things to improve at our southern edge, they shouldn’t have to.

-ALEX

See 3 more pieces from me:

In Retaliation for al-Baghdadi, an ISIS Group Murders 11 Followers of Christ: ‘This is a Message to Christians All Over the World’

Advice to Pete Buttigieg: Don’t Use the Christmas Story to Promote Your Politics if You Can’t Get the Story Right

Actress Jane Lynch Gets Tackled on Twitter for Pointing Out the Goofiness of Elizabeth Warren’s Class Warfare Angle

Find all my RedState work here.

And please follow Alex Parker on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you for reading! Please sound off in the Comments section below.