Subscribe to the Newspaper
View the Online Newspaper
Publish your Stuff
Need Help? Click Here
Search: Site   Web
Print Story | E-Mail Story | Font Size
Liza Longoria/The Brownsville Herald
J. Johnson Castro, far left, a community activist in the Rio Grande Valley and other concerned residents take part in the Border Wall Walk Saturday, protesting the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border on the banks of the Rio Grande in Bro
What is this?

Save & Share this Article

‘Say no border wall’

Comments 0 | Recommend 0

Group forms human wall in protest of border fence

Local residents gathered Saturday afternoon on the banks of the Rio Grande near Alice Hope Park to protest the government’s construction of a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

And, their message was clear: “say no border wall,” as the group linked their hands forming a human wall.

The groups of more than 100 demonstrators marched down Elizabeth Street as they headed toward the Jacob Brown Auditorium on International Boulevard.

Jorge Martinez, a student at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, said the construction of a border wall would be a burden to tax payers, and stood firm on his word that he did not want for such a wall to go up.

“It sends a bad message to the rest of the world,” the junior communication major said. “China tried (built a wall) and it didn’t work.”

Martinez is skeptical a border wall would be the most appropriate solution to stop the immigration spill into the U.S.

“The Berlin Wall (did not work),” he said. “People risked their lives to get across, (in Germany) and some people lost their lives.”

Martinez said nothing will stop immigrants from coming to the U.S. looking for what he calls the “American Dream.”

He does support the concept of a “virtual wall,” which would allow U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents to keep a watchful eye on the close to 2,000 miles of border, which stretches from San Diego, Calif., to Brownsville, through the use of radar, high-technological computer advances and satellite, among others.

However, Martinez, said the most efficient way to find a solution to immigration would be an immigration reform that would grant amnesty to the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

Mario Garza, another student at UTB-TSC, yelled “no to the border wall,” while the group marched down Elizabeth Street.

He asked, “Do you think a wall is going to stop it (immigration)?” And then yelled, “no,” as crowds cheered him on.

Cameron County Judge Carlos H. Cascos was also in attendance at the rally and told the crowd that late last week, while in Washington, D.C., he learned some officials there, are also opposed to the construction of the wall.

“Salomon Ortiz, (D-Corpus) is against the wall,” Cascos said. “We have to do something, we have to protect our border.”

He suggest the building of a “much-needed” weir on the banks of the Rio Grande, which would allow for a reservoir for water, and if a hurricane were to ever make land fall in the area, the weir would help collect water.

“The water has no place to go right now,” he said. “Our levee system can not support a category three hurricane.”

The group chanted and yelled as the young hit a piñata in the shape of a wall in front of the Jacob Brown Auditorium.

When the piñata broke, the group yelled and cheered, “no border wall, no border wall.”

J. Johnson Castro, a grassroots activist, said no border wall is going up anytime soon.

“We are going to tear the wall before it’s built,” he assured. “We are opposed to the wall.”


See archived 'Local' stories »
 


Reader Comments
From the editor: Many of you have expressed concerns about some of the harsh anonymous comments from readers. To remedy that, we are introducing new features. You can create your own blog, publish your news and share your photos with the community. Once you fill out a simple form and leave a verifiable e-mail address, you can set up your profile page. It will display all of your contributions and allow you to track issues and easily connect with others.

We want our site to be a place where people discuss and debate ideas that foster stronger communities. We built this for you. Please take care of it. Tolerate broad thinking, but take action against obscene or hateful material. Make it a credible and safe place worth preserving and sharing.


Weather
Yellow Pages
ADVERTISEMENT 
Publish your Stuff (beta)
ADVERTISEMENT 
Should government officials strictly adhere to the Texas Open Meetings Act?
Yes
No
Enter The Code To Vote
 
Read Related Article
powered by
google
Search
        Search: Web    Site