Border-wall foe to quit post as Douglas mayor
Sean Holstege
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 3, 2007 12:00 AM

Ray Borane, Douglas' outspoken mayor and ardent opponent of the federal buildup on the border, has announced that he will step down after 12 years as the border city's leader and step away from public life.

The 69-year-old has argued often against the border walls and a military-style development, suggesting that most lawmakers don't understand border cities and their culture. Borane has repeatedly told lawmakers and federal officials that militarized zones will cost the region in revenue and hurt families.

The outcry to secure the border has made Borane a frequent guest on national television news shows.

But Borane, who will leave office in June, has also had the ear of Arizona governors and Mexican presidents as he's touted free commerce. Now, Borane says he's had enough.

After 12 years in office, Borane is retiring. He talked about what's next for the border and for him.

Question: Is the condition of the border and border security better, worse or unchanged since you took office?

Answer: There's more intensity and more concentration of security. I haven't seen any meaningful or effective change in border policy in my time. The only thing that's changed is it's much more on the national level now. But I don't think they will ever respect the work of these undocumented workers.

Q: What's been the most and least encouraging development on the border in your tenure?

A: Nobody was paying attention to illegal immigration when I first started talking about it. I think I did a lot to bring it to the public attention, working with Gov. (Jane) Hull, then Gov. (Janet) Napolitano and (former District 8 U.S.) Rep. Jim Kolbe. The most disappointing thing is there's nothing going on with it at all. The federal government has been very effective in convincing the public that the problem is all at the border. Forget that insignificant wall that will be a monument to government failure. It's a boondoggle. They can't begin to address all the millions of people who are here already. It's totally, totally ridiculous, in my book.

Q: Which leader, public or private, has been the most effective on border issues? Why?

A: I have to give credit to Gov. Napolitano for that. She was the U.S. attorney, state attorney general and now governor. I worked closely with her in every job. Before it was vogue, she would come to Douglas. She has been the only person who's been hands-on and personally interested all along. Her relations with the governors of Sonora have been a manifestation of that. It hasn't been eyewash or cursory. It's been genuine.

Q: Who will succeed you and will he or she share your views in support of an open border?

A: There is a diversity of candidates with all sorts of opinions. My understanding is there will be seven. Any mayor of a border community has to recognize that you are totally dependent socially and economically on your sister city for everything that you do. We share the same holidays. People have family on both sides. We are a region. That's paramount.

Q: Have you been effective at getting your message out, or have you been drowned out by the current political climate?

A: I feel I've been able to get that message across. I do it for my community. I've been able to serve my community well.

Q: Does that mean we won't see you talking about the border on national TV any more?

A: Depends on the issue. If they continue to try to put that wall up, as a private citizen I will be very vocal. It sends a horrible message. These border communities are interdependent. For those disbelievers in Phoenix who don't agree with me, they need to walk in our shoes.

Q: Describe the border in Arizona in 10 years.

A: Once the campaigns are over and elections are done, you'll see border issues waning. I think you'll see a sincere interest from (Arizona Sen. John) McCain. He was on board with me from the beginning. I hope the conversation will shift away from the enforcement and be more about how we are going to deal with all these people here now.

Q: Any other thoughts?

A: The Russell Pearces, Jim Weierses and Ron Goulds of the world just need to understand it's easy to mandate things on other people, that we border communities don't just exist to legislate against just to please their constituents. Border communities are unique.

Q: Why, then, do other border mayors disagree with you about border security?

A: No other mayor has been exposed to it as long as I have.

Q: How do you think Arizona's employer-sanctions law will play out?

A: It's poetic justice for some employers. You never heard from so many people who are upset about it when it was working through the Legislature. They thought the governor would take care of it for them. It's too late now. ... I think it will have a tremendous effect on employment. I get a lot of calls from people saying they are going to lay people off.

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