Border Patrol Addresses Illegal Brazilian Problem
Jun 2, 2005, 7:42 PM

http://www.team4news.com/global/story.a ... =Printable

Reported by Romeo Cantu

The U.S. Border Patrol answered a Valley woman’s questions Wednesday night, regarding problems she’s having with illegal Brazilians entering through her back yard.

"They leave marks," Hidalgo County resident Idalia Gonzalez said. "They'll leave backpacks, candy wrappers, but mostly it's just marks. When I come here I just break it down."

Just south of Palmview, Gonzalez has discovered illegal Brazilians are using her family's land as a gateway into the United States.

She said that she's tried to get answers by even calling people in Washington, but has gotten no where.

So Gonzalez decided to contact the Action 4 News Listens Line.

"Why are they here? Is it for safety? To live a better life?" she asked. "When is it going to stop? When is it going to end? That's what I want to know. I don't know about the rest of the people, but I do. I'm worried."

Action 4 News took Gonzalez’s questions straight to the Border Patrol headquarters in McAllen. Agents said that the influx of Brazilians is largely due to our neighbors to the south.

"Currently Brazilians do not need a passport to travel through Mexico," said Roy Cervantes, a spokesman for the Border Patrol. "They can travel through the country without being impeded by Mexican immigration."

According to the Border Patrol’s latest figures, last year there were a little over 2,600 Brazilians captured in the Rio Grande Valley.

Already this year, there have been more than 14,000.

To help Gonzalez, some agents will be sent to her area and she's also being asked to be more active with the border patrol.

"We've reached out to Ms. Gonzalez and listened to her concerns," Cervantes said. "We've also invited her to the next Community Partnership meeting that will be held on June 22 at 7 p.m. at the McAllen Border Patrol station."