http://www.delriolive.com/node/1637

Del Rio Mayor Efrain Valdez rejoiced during his long road home last night, gratified by the response of Sen. John Cornyn to pleas opposing a physical barrier to illegal immigration.

Valdez, Assistant City Manager Billy Guerra and about forty other mayors, city officials and county judges along the U.S.-Mexico border, all members of the Texas Border Coalition (TBC), met with Cornyn in McAllen, Texas, during a two-hour meeting, Wednesday (Oct. 1. Val Verde County Mike L. Fernandez did not attend.

The TBC representatives were hosted by McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez, and the meeting at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce was orchestrated by Mike Allen, president and CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation. Allen founded the now-powerful TBC group that meets regularly on a variety of issues facing border communities.

The proposed border wall along the Rio Grande has grown in popularity among congress members in Washington, D.C., but has horrified government, business and civic leaders in communities from El Paso to Brownsville.

“But our meeting was very productive,” enthused Valdez during a LIVE! telephone interview Wednesday afternoon. “I’m very happy about the meeting; it turned out super good, because we have a promise from Senator Cornyn that, because there’s been no money appropriated for the fence, that before it is, our recommendations will be heard.”

Valdez chairs the TBC Immigration Committee, so he introduced the topic to Cornyn saying the organization recognizes the urgency of slowing illegal immigration, but prefers a “virtual” barrier, one that would rely on much-increased Border Patrol presence and electronic surveillance, rather than an imposing, physical wall.

“We said we were in favor of a virtual fence, and asked the senator to take the extra money [that would be saved] and put more manpower with the Border Patrol, the Ports of Entry, and more equipment for both,” explained Valdez.

Valdez said the question was put to Cornyn, “Why is it that here in Texas we have only 12,000 Border Patrol Agents spread out over 2,000 miles of border, but there are 40,000 police protecting New York City.”

The group also reported that funding should be available to put existing detection and deterrent equipment in working order. “We know only 86 percent of the equipment works, so the Border Patrol is telling us that they have equipment, but it’s not operational,” Valdez said.

“Senator Cornyn promised they would not put in a single inch of physical fence until they have heard all our concerns in Washington, and he said it would not be difficult to change this focus from a physical fence to a ‘virtual’ fence,” Valdez said.

Valdez admitted, “There are examples of places in Arizona where this kind of barrier may be needed, but not here in Texas,” adding, “Everybody at the meeting, from El Paso to Brownsville, said that what we need is not a physical fence.”

Valdez may be asked to travel to hearings on the subject in Washington, and Cornyn said he’d be invited if necessary as the senator takes his recommendations to the last legislative session in November following the upcoming elections. But Cornyn also reminded TBC members that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison also opposes the proposed wall barrier.

According to Valdez, Hutchison “met” with TBC during a September meeting via teleconference call, and pledged her support to halt plans for a physical wall.

Media coverage at the McAllen meeting was aggressive, said Valdez. Following the meeting, leaders adjourned to a press conference attended by the San Antonio Express-News editorial board, and Mexican broadcast media, Univision and Telemundo.

Valdez said TBC will follow the issue in the Nation’s capitol closely, and he will keep constituents here equally informed.

CONTACT SENATOR CORNYN. TELL HIM WE WANT A PHYSICAL WALL.
http://cornyn.senate.gov/index.asp?f=contact&lid=1