CBNNews.com - The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday a doubling of border security teams along the U.S.-Mexico border to fight drug cartels and increasing violence.

There is growing concern that violent turf battles between cartels could spill over the southwestern U.S.

"Department of Justice stands ready to take the fight to the Mexican drug cartels," Deputy Attorney General David Ogden said in a White House briefing with reporters.

DHS secretary Janet Napolitano said the goal is twofold: to aid the Mexican government in breaking up drug cartels and to guard the U.S. against violence caused by the drug trafficking.

"Violence in Mexico has resulted into 6,000 homicides, over 550 of which were assassinations on law enforcement and public office personnel," she said.

The announcement is part of a $700 million plan to secure to the border by creating jobs for 16 new drug enforcement personnel and some 100 agents from the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco an Firearms who will be deployed within 45 days.

An estimated 90 percent of cocaine is trafficked into the Unites States through Mexican cartels, along with marijuana and methamphetamines.

Sources: ABCNews, Associated Press