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No Border Wall Rally will coincide with DHS's 'hearing'
http://www.riograndeguardian.com/rggnews_story.asp?story_no=27
By Steve Taylor
Steve Ahlenius
McALLEN, November 26 - The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is to stage a No Border Wall Rally at the same time and in the same venue as the federal government holds a public meeting on the issue.
Chamber President and CEO Steve Ahlenius said he hopes thousands of Valley residents opposed to the border wall will show up for the rally, including groups such as the No Border Wall group, La Unión del Pueblo Entero, and Valley Interfaith, and then go next door and testify against the government’s controversial plan.
“After seeing the proposed wall and its locations, I am more convinced than ever this is a total waste of taxpayers’ money and will not secure our country,” Ahlenius said. “We are for secure borders, but there are better ways.”
The No Border Wall rally is slated for Tuesday, December 11th, from 5:30pm to 6:15pm at the new McAllen Convention Center.
The Department of Homeland Security has organized an “open house” meeting about its border wall plan at the McAllen Convention Center on the evening of Dec. 11 and at the Brownsville Events Center on the evening of Dec. 12.
The DHS meetings are part of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which is designed to ascertain the merits of building 70 miles of border fencing in the Valley.
Like many Valley leaders, including Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada, Ahlenius believes the federal government is just going through the motions and does not really want to hear from the Valley public.
Ahlenius said the No Border Wall Rally will serve to coordinate and to encourage every Valley citizen to testify against the current proposal. “This may be our last opportunity to get the attention of the Department of Homeland Security and Border Patrol about the wall,” said Ahlenius. “It is time for the all citizen to speak-up.”
DHS has been careful not to use the phrase “public hearing” when promoting the McAllen and Brownsville events. In a statement accompanying the draft EIS, DHS called them “open house” meetings.
Critics are concerned that the events will be strictly stage managed, with much of the time given over to DHS and Border Patrol officials so that the EIS process can be fully explained. No “open mic” formats are planned.
Ahlenius said his chamber opposes the border wall because it “divides our communities, provides a false sense of security, betrays our region’s history, usurps private property rights and gives away part of Texas to Mexico.”
Ahlenius said his chamber supports the use of natural barriers and the clearing of Carrizo Cane at the Brownsville Weir and reservoir projects and other sites along the Rio Grade River.
“We oppose the Draft Environmental Impact Statement’s arbitrary dismissal of alternatives to the Border Wall suggested by border communities,” Ahlenius said.
“We support development and use of technology such as radar, ground sensor, unmanned aerial drones, intelligence networks to stem smugglers’ networks, more Border Patrol agents and increased funding and staffing at the ports-of-entry.”
Ahlenius said members of his chamber also support the enforcement of existing immigration laws.
“The proposed wall will in the long-term reduce the natural habitats found in the region,” he said. “Currently, the region has over 500 recorded species of birds, 39 which are seen no where else in the United States. This region is the funnel for the major migratory flyway in the Western Hemisphere and is home to 340 endemic species.”
Ahlenius pointed out that nature tourism in Valley has an economic impact of $125 million dollars and produces 2,500 jobs. He also pointed out that Mexico recently requested that the U.S. pursue other alternatives to building the border wall.
“Currently over $3 billion in retail trade occurs between Northern Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley. The wall sends the wrong message to tourists and legal visitors from Mexico,” Ahlenius said.
The move by the McAllen chamber comes hot on the heels of protests by Starr County leaders about DHS’s border wall meetings.
Starr County Judge Eloy Vela, Rio Grande City Mayor Kevin Hiles, and Roma Mayor Roy Ybarra are among those asking U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo to help set up a formal public hearing in Roma or Rio Grande City.
For more information about the No Border Wall Rally, contact the McAllen Chamber of Commerce at 956-682-2871.
Write Steve Taylor
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