The U.S. Mexico Border Fence
07/15/2010
U.S. Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowski recently noted that he is more focused on the Texas-Mexico border than that of California because of the myriad deaths in Ciudad Juarez. The border has become a point of contention not only because of illegal immigration, but also because of the other crime seeping into the United States such as narcoterrorism. The Bush Administration’s solution was to create a fence or wall to control the flow of what is entering the United States. The fence, however, has proved to be quite controversial. Further downstream from Ciudad Juarez lays the small City of Eagle Pass that has become known for more than its reputation as the first U.S. settlement on the Rio Grande. The City of Eagle Pass and its coalition of neighboring municipalities sued the United States’ government over the border fence, claiming that it was not only a poor solution to illegal immigration and security concerns, but that it impedes their very way of life.
Rallying the opposition, former Mayor Chad Foster’s Texas Border Coalition has gained notoriety with Congressional testimony, press interviews, and even an appearance on Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. The Coalition asserts that border matters are dictated from Washington and that Eagle Pass cohabitates comfortably with its sister city, Piedras Negras. They claim the border crossing is not only cultural, but an integral and necessary aspect of the economy. The Coalition further admonishes any need for the fence as they advocate more “boots on the ground” and laud the decrease in border apprehensions (ignoring what the significance of a decrease may actually indicate).
Meanwhile, the U.S. government employed eminent domain and waived environmental standards to gain access to land on the border defying some of the very principles of property rights and limited governance that Texans hold dear. With over 640 miles of fence built from California to Texas, Eagle Pass appears to be one of the main barriers to completing the fence. Without cooperation of one segment, the fence’s effectiveness could diminish. TBC claims that the government did not properly consult them in the process and that they as locals have better ideas of how to secure the border.
In the exchanges and proclamations from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Texas Border Coalition (TBC), the battle has grown murky as over 20,000 deaths tick off across the border and smugglers enter the country. Is TBC right that the fence is an ineffective and costly enterprise that is the true evil? Or was the United States government right in suggesting TBC was the only snag in a fence that would be part of an overall strategy to curtail border incursions allowing reallocation of vital resources? After two years from the date of an initial Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and a Court order, Customs and Border Protection finally finished producing all records to Judicial Watch. The voluminous documents provide insight into the debate and positions.
The documents reveal that at least part of the opposition to the fence is political and involves land interests. While Mayor Foster vociferously denounces the border fence, “in a private meeting with CBP in February 2007, Mayor Foster expressed his understanding of the need for barriers, but stated that political considerations made it difficult for local officials to support fencing.” (Memorandum for Michael Chertoff June 2, 2008).
Such political considerations most likely surround the ownership of the land that the U.S. government would possess. While the land in dispute was previously characterized as belonging to the City of Eagle Pass or a few victimized residents, CBP discovered Luis Sifuentes and Aruturo Garcia owned certain land interests. CBP noted “The Sifuentes Vega Property West (on the Mexico side) of the fence is operationally imperative to own. The Maverick County Development Co. (Merlin Land, ACO Land, and Tony Sifuentes properties) has been planning to build a housing development just outside the (East) of the fence." The real estate involved includes 29.0022 acres for Sifuentes and 0.8471 for Merlin Development (Garcia).
Sifuentes is actually a council member for Eagle Pass. Meanwhile, Maverick County Development Corporation maintains part of the land partnership interest in question. Former Mayor Chad Foster and other TBC members like Judge Jose Aranda are Directors of Maverick County Development Corporation. The web grows more tangled as Maverick County Development Corporation is a supporting member of TBC. This leads one to question whether the official positions of Foster and other TBC members are not just self-serving efforts to line their own pockets.
Texas Border Coalition appears to have imposed its business interests above the serious border concerns. In a memorandum dated July 17, 2007, the Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent identifies the City of Eagle Pass’ Operational Challenges as “this area is frequently used by illegal alien and narcotic smuggling organizations. This very same area has been highlighted previously by local, state and national media organizations as a major thoroughfare used by smuggling organizations that specialize in third country nationals and in some cases involves aliens from countries of special interest. The area in which this infrastructure is proposed is responsible for the highest total of illegal entries during FY06 within the Del Rio Sector.”
In the Del Rio Sector M2-a deployment analysis about Eagle Pass, the nature of the threat is outlined as:
* Multiple gangs and criminal organizations have moved into neighborhoods and control territories in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. These organizations monitor agent and camera movements to gain tactical advantages.
* Criminal organizations favor the close proximity of two heavily populated cities on opposite sides of the border because of quick access and ability to quickly assimilate into the population of whether initially detected or identified.
* This densely populated urban area in and around Eagle Pass is the area exploited the most in Del Rio Sector by drug trafficking organizations.
An additional analysis on the Eagle Pass Zone 17 states:
The highest numbers of gang member apprehensions in the Sector occur within the area that will be impacted by the fence. We apprehend members of MS-13, Mexican Mafia and other criminal organizations. We also apprehend a number of aliens with criminal records. Many of these aliens have previously been deported. There have been assaults on our agents and aliens within the area. Assaults include shootings, rockings, and physical confrontations. Last year a victim of a homicide was found dumped in the area.
Perhaps these Texas government officials oppose the border fence for legitimate reasons, but the reasons they have presented are seriously countered by CBP documents.
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