Mayors opposed to border wall voice opposition

Group that included Brownsville leader travel to nation’s capital

By EMMA PEREZ-TREVINO
The Brownsville Herald

January 18, 2007 — Mayor Eddie Treviño left a day of meetings in the nation’s capital Wednesday confident the message brought by a coalition of mayors opposed to fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border was heard by this country’s leaders.

“They were extremely positive, and I think our message was well received,” Treviño said via telephone from Washington, D.C.

Earlier, the group that also included mayors from El Paso, Eagle Pass, Laredo, McAllen, Hidalgo and Rio Grande City met with Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and others.

“Our concerns, we hope, will be addressed in some shape or form,” Treviño said.

He said the ideal would be congressional repeal of last year’s legislation calling for construction of 850 miles of fencing to stem illegal immigration.

“The non building of a fence is critical,” he said. “There is still concern that the law is in the books. The optimum solution is the repeal of the law. That is our best scenario.

“As long as it doesn’t get built, we all will be very satisfied.”

Chertoff said after the meeting there are parts of the border where a fence will work, and the agency wants to be “expeditious” in building it, but he said some border areas will need a mix of technology.

“In all cases, we need more boots on the ground,” he said.

The mayors also met with Rep. David Price, a North Carolina Democrat who is chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security. The meeting was arranged by Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, an Appropriations Committee member.

Bush signed the law last year, and Congress provided money to start it, but Republicans worry that, now they have lost control of Congress, they never will see the fence built. The Democrats now in charge generally oppose the fence.

The fence law dictates one segment stretching east from El Paso, another from Del Rio to Eagle Pass and a third from Laredo to Brownsville. It also sets out locations in California and the entire Arizona border. Though the total fencing was believed to be about 700 miles, congressional researchers say it is closer to 850.

A separate law that funds the Homeland Security Department provided $1.2 billion for the fencing, but that law also withholds $950 million until the House and Senate appropriations committees approve the department’s plan for spending the money, giving those committees say over the design, location and length of the fence.

Treviño said new government estimates place the cost of constructing the fence at $50 to $60 billion, not including maintenance costs.

“Everybody has got to understand that we can’t make a colossal mistake on something that will not enhance homeland security,” Treviño said.

Cameron County Transportation Director Pete Sepulveda, who represents the Border Trade Alliance, also attended the meeting with the mayors.

“We are unified,” Treviño said.

The group of mayors also provided their perspective of alternative solutions, such as clearing areas along the river of vegetation to allow for a better line of sight, enhancing the legal flow of people and need to invest in infrastructure.

“Obviously, we don’t want to confuse border security with comprehensive immigration reform, legal trade and economic development between the two countries,” Treviño said.

“It’s important for the coalition to remain strong and viable.”

Suzanne Gamboa with The Associated Press contributed to this report.

eperez-trevino@brownsvilleherald.com

The fence law is Public Law No: 109-367. The Homeland Security Appropriations bill with money for the fence is Public Law No. 109-295
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On the Net: To look up bills and laws: www.thomas.loc.gov