DHS says no on further fence meetings

McALLEN — U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials have rejected demands from leaders along the border with Mexico for a face-to-face meeting, signaling the government’s continuing resolve to build a border security fence.

David Pagan, a liaison with Homeland Security, said in a letter to Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster that border fence construction would not be delayed to allow department officials to meet with Foster and other local leaders along the Texas-Mexico border.

“We appreciate your support for securing our borders and welcome any additional input from local communities in Texas that will not require delays to the timeline for installation of the border fence,” the Jan. 10 letter reads.

Homeland Security is in the process of building approximately 670 miles of fencing and vehicle barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border to combat illegal immigration.

Construction has already begun in Arizona and looks as though it could begin shortly in Texas, where the U.S. Attorney’s Office began filing condemnation lawsuits against property owners last week to gain access to land along the border.

Twelve suits have already been filed in Cameron County, as well as one in Maverick County against the city of Eagle Pass, which owns a park and golf course tentatively targeted for fence construction. No suits have been filed in Hidalgo County, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office has said more litigation is coming.

Foster could not be reached for comment Wednesday. However, he said in an interview last month that he believed an amendment written into a $556 billion spending bill President Bush signed in December required Homeland Security to consult more closely with local officials and property owners.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Veronica Valdez said the department had already gathered input along the border through a series of town hall meetings and briefings last year.

“We are committed to dialogue and have been all along,” Valdez said.

“We expect to maintain that communication in the future.”

A representative for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who wrote the border fence amendment, echoed that statement and said Hutchison was satisfied with Homeland Security’s recent outreach efforts since it was made clear last summer that local consultation needed to improve.

“I think because of her efforts (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) has been consulting some this last year,” spokesman Matt Mackowiak said.

“One landowner expects one thing and another landowner expects something else. You’re never going to please everyone, but where we are now is a lot better than we were before.”