Construction of border fence to begin in the fall

Local officials and federal lawmakers will continue to protest the construction of a border fence despite statements by the Department of Homeland Security that groundbreaking on the project will be in September.

Both expressed outrage on newly released reports by Secretary Michael Chertoff that he would talk to local communities on the fence design, but would give them no veto power.

“Well then what the heck are they going to talk to us about? Are they going to ask us what color do we want the fence. Do we want brick and mortar,” said Cameron County Judge Carlos H. Cascos, who met with federal lawmakers last week to discuss the issue.

Chertoff is quoted in the Houston Chronicle saying he expects construction in Texas to begin this fiscal year, which according to the government’s calendar ends Sept. 30.

Details on the fence project show a chart of 370 miles of fence to be built along the border between the United States and Mexico. Texas is to have 153 miles, Arizona 129, California 76 and New Mexico 12.

The wall is opposed not only by officials and lawmakers, but environmental groups, agricultural groups and water suppliers as well who fear it could affect the wildlife and water supply.

Cascos said he isn’t surprised that the building could begin in two months since the majority of the country wants the wall built as well as many federal lawmakers.

“They see videos of the herds of people running across the border in San Diego and they hear about these people that are assaulting people that are illegal aliens. Only along the border are people against the fence,” Cascos said.

The border fence came under fire early this year after it was revealed that the government planned to build a portion of it in the Rio Grande Valley. Officials said they were not consulted with as promised by the DHS.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, plans to voice his concerns to Chertoff and wants to find out why the border fencing is being “handled in such a ham-fisted sort of way.”

“I’m very frustrated by the unilateral actions and basically the inconsistencies of the Department of Homeland Security when it comes to this issue. They do not have any appreciation of sensitivity of this issue and how controversial it is,” Cornyn said in a conference call with reporters.

Instead of building a fence, officials and lawmakers said the government should consider a weir project, or repairing the levees along the Rio Grande, which already serves as a natural barrier.

Chertoff said the government will consult with communities on the type of fencing to be installed. It won’t be a solid wall or a double layer of fencing on either side of the border road, the Chronicle reported.

Nobody wants border security more than Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas, who lives three miles from the river and has five children under the age of 10.

But, the government should focus on hiring more U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and cleaning the carrizo cane along the river banks to make it easier for agents to detect undocumented immigrants.

“In the history of the world, (walls) have never worked. … A wall or fence will not arrest one single person and put them in the county jail. A border patrol agent and customs agents will,” Salinas said.

U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, believes the same and said the government is stepping on the rights of landowners who have voiced opposition.

“They are trampling over the rights of communities, the rights of landowners, the rights of business owners with no regards on how they are going to be impacted. … It’s wrong for them to say, ‘we are going to listen to you, but you have no veto power,’” Ortiz said.