Thread: Ex-border agent will fight fence 'tooth and nail'

Ex-border agent will fight fence 'tooth and nail'


February 21, 2008


By Jerry Seper - QUEMADO, Texas — Charles "Dob" Cunningham patrolled the rugged shoreline of the Rio Grande here for more than 30 years as a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Now retired, he operates an 800-acre cattle ranch along two miles of the river that has been in his family for more than a half century.

Illegal aliens and drug smugglers moving across his property have cut down his fences, created well-worn paths over his sprawling pastures, stolen ranch equipment and slaughtered and rustled his cattle. A pile of inner tubes used by those crossing the river sits near the corner of one his storage buildings, each shot "through and though" by the 74-year-old retired agent "so they won't be used again."

Mr. Cunningham, who served as port director in nearby Eagle Pass and Del Rio during his government career, often tracks down the intruders himself, with help from his aptly-named dog "Little Runt," whom he described as "quite successful in finding people hiding in the brush."

One might assume that he would embrace a $1.2 billion government plan to build 370 miles of fence on the U.S.-Mexico border, including 65 miles stretching from the neighboring towns of Eagle Pass to the south and Del Rio on the north that would put a 15-foot high metal barrier along the river on his property.

One might, but one would be wrong.

"We don't need a fence here," Mr. Cunningham said, showing a wide smile under his dusty cowboy hat. "It might make some folks in Washington happy, but it would do little more here than to cut off our access to the river, to water — not just for our cattle but for the abundance of migrating wildlife that can be found all along this river.

"I'm against this fence and I will fight it tooth and nail," he said. "And while a country has a right to secure its borders and fences do work in some places where there is nothing but sand and a straight line of sight, they won't work here. The politicians in Washington ought to know that."

Instead of building a fence along the river in this remote and rugged area of south Texas, Mr. Cunningham thinks the government ought to be putting more "boots on the ground," demanding aggressive patrols and making better use of technology, including sensors and security cameras.

Mr. Cunningham, who has lived on this stretch of the border all his life, said there is "ample evidence" that increasing the number of law-enforcement personnel on the border deters illegal entry and does so more effectively than a fence. After the recent addition of 280 new Border Patrol agents in the Del Rio-Eagle Pass area, he said the number of apprehensions of illegal aliens dropped by about 30 percent.

Mr. Cunningham, who retired in 1990, said the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Border Patrol, has set out to beef up the agency to increase its size from 12,000 to 18,000 by the end of this year, but that it should consider hiring more agents "instead of spending a billion dollars on a fence that just won't work.

"The border is not a nice place and you often have to deal with very mean people," he said. "But the idea of this fence has put fear into all of us. We are becoming more afraid of our government than we are of the dope dealers who come through here."

www.washingtontimes.com

Instead of building a fence along the river in this remote and rugged area of south Texas, Mr. Cunningham thinks the government ought to be putting more "boots on the ground," demanding aggressive patrols and making better use of technology, including sensors and security cameras.


With all of those boots on the ground we just might get into a war with Mexico yet. Oh, I forgot, our government won't let us use force.

Now retired, he operates an 800-acre cattle ranch along two miles of the river that has been in his family for more than a half century.

Hmmm.........Mr. Cunningham wouldn't be biased would he?

In this case I agree with him, there is no way they can deny his cattle access to the river so openings would have to be made large enough for groups of cattle to get through.
Even where I live openings are made for sesonal streams and wild life to pass through.
A fence will work in some areas but not all of them, who knows, he may change his mind when more are channeled into his ranch.

im sure there is some kind of fence that will allow farmers along the river to access water. might have to build an aquaduct type system onto ones property but makes sure there is a fence there and this former agent wont have the problem again

My first reaction was---"another person who puts self interest above the USA". After reading what the man said---I agree with more boots on the ground. Also, we survived for a long time with no fence (I am for the fence), because the braceros came and went. The fence has become a need because now the braceros come and come and come. They are sucking up all the resources of our country. Then they send the money back to Mexico. If ever there was an insidious plan to take over another country, the invasion from the south is even deadlier than the invasion of the Moors in the 7th century in Europe.

The Fifth Column is more dangerous because of all the American businessmen who would make greater profits through the lower labor costs of this invasion. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but a fence would not have been needed if those we have entrusted with the care of our great country had enforced the laws.

I find myself, recently, in spite of the fact that I support the war in Iraq, wishing that our troops were on our borders instead of in the middle east.

The main purpose of fences is to channel the illegals into sparsely populated border areas where it is more difficult and hazardous to cross and easier for the BP to apprehend them. The National Guard should be deployed to unfenced area and given very permissive rules of engagement.

But ranchers who own property on the border must be watched carefully as they may be involved in drug or human smuggling. Property directly on the border should really be owned by the government to assure the highest possible security.

I agree there has to be a way to channel water onto those farmers land.


>>>>>ACTION ALERT!!!!2/21<<<<<<
Please help ( we need YOU!) see if your state is on our list!!
These are the states fighting to pass illegal immigration laws!
NOW is the time to get involved and be heard!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-629839.html#629839

No whining. Follow the law and build the fence. The security of our nation is more important than this rancher's cattle.