Giffords' office hosts border tour

By Francisco Barrios
Douglas Dispatch
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 11:06 AM MDT

Three members of the federal Blue Dog Coalition met with ranchers and Border Patrol officials Sunday.

Three congressmen from Pennsilvania and Georgia were in Southern Arizona this weekend to review border security issues with ranchers and Border Patrol officials in a fact-finding tour organized by the office of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Participating in the tour will be U.S. Reps. John Barrow of Georgia and Jason Altmire and Tim Holden of Pennsylvania. Like Giffords, the congressmen are members of the fiscally responsible Blue Dog Coalition.

The congressmen’s itinerary included a visit to Douglas ranchers with deep roots in Cochise County. They led the congressmen on a tour of a remote stretch of border east of Douglas. It was in this area early last year that suspected drug smugglers killed rancher Rob Krentz. Rancher Warner Glenn and his family were chosen to lead the congressmen through the border to discuss what they think is important to consider at the moment of talking about security at the border. Glenn’s family has lived in Douglas since 1896. Warner Glenn bought the Malapai Ranch in 1962.

“This fact-finding tour is part of an ongoing effort by Congresswoman Giffords’ office to familiarize lawmakers from across the country with the impacts an unsecure border has on our nation,â€