Americans visiting border states are becoming the targets of violent Mexican kidnapping operations, according to federal agents.

FBI agents said that the kidnapping cells, described as Mexican cartels, are well-financed, organized and violent. One group does the scouting for victims, another carries out the abduction, a third keeps the victim, and a fourth handles the ransom.

One of the oldest and longest running national Latino and Mexican American political organizations in the country recently endorsed Illinois Sen. Barak Obama as their candidate for the Democratic Party.

“In preparation for the general election in November, the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) has launched a campaign called ‘MAPA for Obama’ which will allow people to form chapters of MAPA specifically dedicated to the Obama candidacy,” said Nativo Virgil Lopez, MAPA’s national president.