Note: this discussion not limited to SE Texas, but all along
border. Many agendas at play here, and have to wonder extent of TCO/
cartel resources at work as in Mexico.
Border fence affects region
September 17, 2011 9:45 PM
By Jacqueline Armendariz The Brownsville Herald
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/border-131331-fence-
county.html
Drug trafficking from Mexico into Cameron County has increased, not
decreased, since the border fence was built, a Sheriff's lieutenant
said Saturday at a public meeting.
It was one of many points discussed at the "Border Wall Impact"
meeting hosted by State Senator Eddie Lucio Jr. at the Fort Brown
Memorial Golf Course. The event brought together legislators, city
representatives, state and county law enforcement and private
citizens to air concerns about the fence.
"Is the fence keeping drugs from coming in? No," Lieutenant Rick
Perez said responding to a question. "We have more drugs now than
before."
Perez is part of the special investigations unit of the Cameron
County Sheriff's Department.
A disconnect between U.S. border communities and the federal
government, and the perceived ineffectiveness of the border fence,
emerged as the major themes at Saturday's gathering.
One property owner shared stories about finding drugs near her home
and also being the victim of a home burglary.
Among people who spoke, some supported the fence while most did not.
"This is terrorism from the United States to other countries,"
Yolanda Garza Birdwell said of the fence and its environmental
impact. She described herself as a dual citizen of the U.S. and
Mexico and a Laguna Vista resident for a year.
Dagoberto Berrera was at the opposite end of the spectrum. He said he
supported the fence, and he spoke disparagingly of undocumented
immigrants.
'Better than nothing' "The wall is better than nothing," he said.
"Sure, it costs a lot of money, but it also costs us by just letting
everybody in here. We are a land of law and order. You've got to obey
the laws."
The audience, which included District 4 City Commissioner John
Villarreal, numbered a little more than 20 people.
Lucio said he has been disappointed by the lack of information about
the impact of the border fence, and said he hoped to use what he
learned Saturday to be an advocate for the region in Austin.
"I truly hope that today's meeting will be the first true step in
understanding the real impacts of the border wall on our region with
the information that you share, being armed with facts, figures and
knowledge," Lucio told those in attendance.
Lobbying for property owners
Lucio's brother, Bob Lucio, is the manager of the border golf course
that hosted the meeting and said his hope is to get more support for
his group called the No Man's Land Association.
With power in numbers, he said he wants to lobby to help for property
owners or businesses like himself whose land has ended up between the
Rio Grande River and the border fence.
At the meeting, several audience members brought up concerns about
being able to communicate with law enforcement and the environmental
impact of the fence, while others spoke to decreased property values
and alleged that the federal government has abused its power of
eminent domain.
Still others spoke to serious safety concerns, while another audience
member raised concerns about the potential psychological effects the
border wall has created for communities on both sides. There was also
discussion of a University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas
Southmost College study that found the fence effects minorities
disproportionately.
Fears for safety
Michelle Moncivaiz identified herself as a property owner living just
a short distance from the border fence, but she said she feared for
the safety of her family. She pleaded to the law enforcement
representatives and legislators present for "more boots on the
ground" to help.
"Washington doesn't understand what this fence has created," she
said. "Where is our Homeland Security? ... Where is America helping
us on the border?"
No one at the meeting disputed the assertion that more law
enforcement officers are needed along the border. Perez said at the
end of this year the Sheriff's Department will lose 12 deputies who
were temporarily staffed through a $2.2 million grant from the
Department of Justice.
He read a statement on behalf of Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio
saying that he never supported the fence. The sheriff was not present
at the meeting.
"The sheriff suggests that instead of building the fence, take into
consideration giving him the $10 million and you can hire 12 deputies
for several years and they would do a better job than the fence,"
Perez said. Still, the statement discussed a high-traffic drug
smuggling area along Highway 4, where there is no fence.
Sharing information
Texas Ranger Staff Lieutenant Art Barrera said he is the liaison
between local, state and federal law enforcement in Operation Border
Star, and he reports information to Austin. He and Perez said the
entities they work for have not conducted studies on the impact of
the fence.
"It's getting better," Barrera said of sharing knowledge. "I'm not
saying we're there yet, but information sharing between federal,
state and local is on the right track."
Hearing Monday
A federal hearing on border security is scheduled for Monday. Lucio
said state legislators were not invited and that testimony would not
be taken from the public. He invited people to attend and submit
written testimony with him.
"Only those that have been invited will be able to testify," he said.
"That's not the practice we're used to in Austin, and it bothers me."
On Saturday, Lucio said he had just found out about the federal forum
that day, but earlier in the week his spokesman told The Herald that
the timing of Saturday's meeting and Monday's hearing was coincidental.
The "Secure our Texas Border Forum," headed by House Representative
Ted Poe, R-Humble, and other members of the House Committee on the
Judiciary, was rescheduled at least once already this summer. The
forum will be at the UTB-TSC Arts Center at 10 a.m. Prominent figures
related to border security are scheduled to testify as witnesses.
Too expensive
Lucio said he introduced Senate Bill 1809 this past legislative
session in an effort to secure an economic impact study of the border
fence in this area. It failed in the House, he said.
He said the state comptroller told him such a study would likely be
too expensive to undertake, but he hoped legislation for it could be
pushed for in the future.
State Representative Rene Oliveira said the issue of security and
immigration were two different things, though they are often
connected when discussing the desirability of the border fence.
"I don't want cartels in the Valley or Texas," he said. "I don't want
those people to flourish in our country."
But, he said, learning the impact of the border fence, and how to
mitigate any negative effects, is now the necessary focus. "The wall
is here whether we like it or not," he said. "I don't think anybody
is going to tear it down. The political will is clearly nonexistent
for that."
Note: The Yaqui have taken to blocking roads lately, including hwy
15. They right in the middle of the activities in Sonora. Don't
know extent of involvement of elements of the tribe, but sources
indicate some are up to their eyeballs in the trade. Just as the
Papago res in the U.S. The tribe does have a host of legitimate
complaints. There is a long bloody history behind all this.
Published: 9/18/2011 3:36 By: Eduardo López elopez@elimparcial.com
Padres agreed commitments to the Yaqui Tribe
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
18092011/542354.aspx
Governor Guillermo Padres Elijah, made commitments to the
authorities of the Yaqui people who set 8 as a venue for official
decision making traditional guard of Guamúchil Loma, belonging to the
people of Cócorit.
LOMA Guamuchil, Sonora (PH)
With the commitment by the State Government raised the number to 20
agreements by the authorities of the Yaqui tribe, Governor Guillermo
Padres met with officials.
At a meeting in the traditional guard of Guamúchil Loma, Bush said
that next week there will be meetings of holders of ministries and
state agencies with authorities Yaquis.
"Here I tell you I'll give timely follow up those 20 points as we
agreed," he said, "so far we advance 30% of the points raised, but we
want a 100 and counting for it with the full support of the
Government of the State ".
He said his Government is firm in fulfilling the commitments made in
May 2010 with the tribe, because it respects and recognizes the
agreements that are generated in the traditional and sacred enclosure
guard.
DAILY MEETINGS
He said that next week will begin daily meetings with the secretaries
of state administration to follow up on specific projects Yaqui Tribe
has requested.
"Each of my Government agencies have my direct instruction to comply
fully with the commitment and follow up, that's the commitment to
making respect and recognition," he said.
During the meeting, Padres Elias was accompanied by the mayors of
Cajeme, Manuel Barro, Guaymas, Cesar Lizarraga, Splice, Cesar Javier
Caraveo and Bácum, Rosalía Benitez Audevez.
The meeting included five governors of the eight that make up the
Yaqui towns, including those of Rahum, Cócorit, Vicam Pueblo, Torim
and Pótam.
Demands Respect for decisions respecting the actions taken by the
State Government to help those most in need and not groups of power,
demanded Elias Guillermo Padres, Yaqui authorities and hundreds of
members of the ethnic group.
"I swore to respect the Constitution of the United Mexican States and
will do so," he said, "but also will respect the right of the
majority and never to yield to pressure from outside interests to the
majority and those who have less."
He noted that the most important is that among the Yaqui tribe and
state authority, to speak of government to government, because it
recognizes the authority of ethnicity and is expected to also respect
the authority of the State
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