Mayor encourages residents to protest border fence agreement
Emma Perez-Trevino
June 30, 2008 - 6:43PM
BROWNSVILLE - Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr. continued his crusade against a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, urging and pleading with residents Monday to "stand up and say no."

The City Commission is scheduled today to vote on a condemnation agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The mayor urged residents to speak up before the commission at a news conference.

He said the commission should not allow entry to the federal government, which does not plan to pay the city for the 10 acres it wants and has not conducted appraisals on the property.

The commission is set to meet in executive session at 5:05 p.m. today at City Hall, 1001 E. Elizabeth St., and will take action on the proposed condemnation agreement following the closed-doors session.

Another related item on the executive session agenda is possible action on retaining legal counsel relating to the possible condemnation of city property.

The public hearings section in the regular meeting set for 6 p.m. also includes a hearing on border fence issues.

The mayor also invited landowners who have allowed DHS access, but felt they had no choice, to attend today's sessions to express their views about what he describes as a "monstrous wall that is divisive and unpatriotic and I believe a detriment to the economy, culture, tradition and security."

He said people should tell DHS that, "we are going to oppose you each step of the way." And he vowed to work until the very last minute toward an alternative to the border fence.

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