Posted on 01/23/2006 9:59:50 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
County and federal border lawmen took another step toward working together to address their common law enforcement problems when they met in Del Rio Thursday.
“I feel that it was a resounding success. I was very proud of the chief patrol agents responsible for the Texas border sectors for their role in agreeing to meet so we can begin these dialogues,” Val Verde County Sheriff A. D’Wayne Jernigan said of Thursday’s meeting.
Included in Thursday’s meeting were 14 of the 16 sheriffs who are members of the Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition and representatives of all of the U.S. Border Patrol sectors on the Texas-Mexico border.
Congressman Henry Bonilla joined the border sheriffs and Border Patrol agents at a working luncheon held at Memo’s Restaurant.
Bonilla, co-chairman of the Congressional Border Caucus and vice-chairman of the U.S./Mexico Caucus, encouraged the county and federal lawmen to nurture their partnership and told them that the problems of the border regions are drawing the attention of federal lawmakers.
“Illegal aliens are crossing our border by the hundreds on a daily basis. They are presenting an immediate danger to the lives of people in every Texas community and beyond. I respect the efforts of the Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition to contend with this issue and appreciate their input on how we can continue to work together to solve this problem.”
Bonilla also briefly addressed H.R. 4437, the Border Security, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act, which includes the Border Law Enforcement Act of 2005, which has been a top priority of the border sheriffs’ organization. Bonilla said the measure provides funding for the “Operation Linebacker” program conceived by the border sheriffs in 2005 “to increase public safety and national security” along the Texas-Mexico border between designated ports-of entry.
Addressing the sheriffs, chief patrol agents and their staffs during the luncheon, Bonilla noted that the problems faced by lawmen are much different than those that existed in the pre-9/11 world.
“It used to be that all you had to worry about was the Mexican national who sneaked across the border for a job and then went back home. . .We are facing very different challenges today,” Bonilla said.
Bonilla reiterated his protests to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that Border Patrol agents are continually detailed away from the border region to serve in other areas of the country.
Bonilla also told the sheriffs and chief patrol agents that he had spoken to President George W. Bush about the border. Bonilla said he reminded Bush that Bush had sent Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to the border when he was governor of Texas.
“Well, I told him, sir, it’s 10 times worse now,” Bonilla said.
U.S. District Judge Alia Moses Ludlum, U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor Roberto Garcia and Val Verde County Judge Mike L. Fernandez also attended the luncheon.
Jernigan said one of the most important discussions held Thursday dealt with ways to limit possible conflict between county deputy sheriffs and Border Patrol agents as they perform their assigned law enforcement duties along the border.
Randy Hill, acting chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector, also had positive comments about Thursday’s meeting.
“I think it was said best by one of the members of the group: we’re all law enforcement working here on the border, and it is incumbent on us to work together to ensure that everything that we can do or that we could do is done in regard to border security and our responsibility to keep the people of this country secure,” Hill said.
Hill added, “I was delighted that almost all of the border sheriffs attended, as well as representatives of each of the Border Patrol sectors in Texas. I saw a lot of good dialogue and networking occurring between the two groups, and I think this is going to plant the seed, if you will, for good things to come in border law enforcement.”
Sheriffs attending the Del Rio meet in addition to Jernigan were El Paso County Sheriff Leo Samaniego, Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, Culberson County Sheriff Oscar Carrillo, Jeff Davis County Sheriff Thomas Roberts Sr., Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez, Terrell County William Clint McDonald Jr., Kinney County Sheriff L.K. “Buddy” Burgess, Maverick County Sheriff Tom Herrera, Dimmit County Sheriff Doug Sample, Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo “Sigi” Gonzalez Jr., who is the head of the border sheriffs group; Starr County Sheriff Reymundo “Ray” Guerra, Hidalgo County Sheriff Guadalupe “Lupe” Trevino and Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio.
“Well, I told him, sir, it’s 10 times worse now,” Bonilla said.
Bonilla Ping!
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It will be interesting to see what, if anything, our president responds to Mr. Bonillia.
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