Early in the 90’s, we saw a militarization of this area...and an enormous jump in the number of Border Patrol agents and their various apparatuses,” Velarde said. “In the case of Sergio Adrian Hernandez Huereka, he was killed point blank by a Border Patrol agent. It’s a very ... violent space, as we see the mix of people” and the “state repression that exists there in all its forms.” Velarde compared the U.S.-Mexico border to occupied Palestine. He said: “The similarities are so obvious, especially to somebody who lives on the border. The fact that they can justify deadly force...