No Border Wall - Take Action!

Draft programmatic environmental impact statement released for the entire northern border - CBP has announced public meetings

2011-09-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Customs and Border Protection has prepared a draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for unspecified enforcement activities along the entire US - Canada border, from Maine to Washington. These could include new or expanded forward operating bases, fencing, roads, towers, and just about anything that they think of over the next decade or so. The PEIS is extremely vague on exactly what might be done and where. It can be viewed here:

http://www.northernborderpeis.com/about-the-peis.html

The public and interested organizations should offer comments, either online or at one of the scheduled public meetings along the northern border. Public meetings will be held from 7-9PM at the following locations:

October 4, 2011
Massena, NY VFW
101 W. Hatfield St.
Massena, NY 13662

October 6, 2011
St. Albans, VT
St. Albans Historical Museum
9 Church Street
St. Albans, VT 05478

October 5, 2011
Augusta, ME
The Senator Inn & Spa
284 Western Ave.
Augusta, ME 04330

October 4, 2011
Caribou, ME
Caribou Inn and Convention Center
19 Main Street
Caribou, ME 04736

October 11, 2011
Rochester, NY
Holiday Inn - Rochester
Airport 911 Brooks Avenue
Rochester, NY 15624

October 12, 2011
Erie, PA
Ambassador Banquet Center
7794 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16509

October 6, 2011
Detroit, MI
Holiday Inn Express
1020 Washington Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48226

October 17, 2011
Washington, DC
Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport
1999 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22201

October 3, 2011
Duluth, MN Holiday Inn
200 West First Street
Duluth, MN 55802

October 13, 2011
Naples, ID
The Great Northwestern Territories Event Center
336 County Road 8
Naples, ID 83847

October 5, 2011
Bottineau, ND
Twin Oaks Resort and Convention Center
10723 Lake Loop Road
Bottineau, ND 58318

October 11, 2011
Bellingham, WA
Hampton Inn
3958 Bennett Drive
Bellingham, WA

October 6, 2011
Havre, MT
The Town House Inn
627 1st Street West
Havre, MT 59501

Border Wall Film Festival in Austin August 18

2011-08-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Austin Border Film Festival
Violet Crown Cinema * 434 W 2nd Street, Austin, TX
Thursday, August 18th, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Join the Sierra Club's Borderlands Team Thursday, August 18th for a free screening of 3 short documentaries that explore the issues and controversies surrounding the recently constructed U.S./México border wall

-Featuring Three Documentary Films and a short discussion to follow-

• Fencing the Border and its Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s gives an inside perspective on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s concerns about the wall's possible effects on wildlife and protected refuges in south Texas – 7 minutes.

• Wild vs. Wall, Sierra Club’s produced by Tucson filmmaker Steev Hise, is an overview of the environmental effects of current border policies, including insightful interviews and impressive footage demonstrating the long-term ecological effects of border infrastructure – 20 minutes.

• The Fence, Award-winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy’s HBO documentary features candid interviews with Border Patrol agents, ranchers, environmentalists and voices from both sides of the border security debate. Kennedy uses humor to highlight contradictions and politically-driven misinformation, as well as the ineffectiveness and costliness of the controversial border barrier – 30 minutes.

Admission is FREE
Donations to the Sierra Club Borderlands Protection Campaign gladly accepted at the door.

This film festival is dedicated to the memory of long time borderista Mary Grisco

Presentations on the border wall's impacts in South Texas August 22 & 23

2011-07-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

The rugged deserts and mountains of Arizona’s southern border can be a treacherous place. Josseline was fourteen years old when she and her little brother crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, hoping to reunite with their mother in California. Walking for days, Josseline got sick and fell behind her group and the coyote that led them.

Three weeks later, Dan Millis was among the humanitarian aid volunteers that stumbled across Josseline's lifeless body in a remote canyon along the border. Since then, Millis has come to know that the costs of fatally flawed U.S. border policies extend beyond the tragic deaths of border crossers like Josseline. Walls push crossers into more remote desert terrain. Border ecosystems and the federal laws that protect them have also been cast aside by costly, ineffective, environmentally destructive, and inhumane attempts to "secure the border."

The Lower Rio Grande Valley Sierra Club is proud to co-sponsor presentations by Dan Millis in Brownsville on Monday, August 22, and in San Juan on Tuesday, August 23 respectively. Millis will tell how he was ticketed, dragged to court, and convicted of "littering" after leaving drinking water for migrants along border desert trails shortly after he found Josseline. Now working for the Sierra Club in Tucson, Dan will also discuss the environmental impacts of border walls and other enforcement measures. He will share stories of trans-national friendship and offer tips on which border walls are easiest to climb. Most importantly, Millis will speak up for the people and places victimized by border walls and enforcement-only politics and invite you to join in the fight.

Please join us Monday, August 22 at Galeria 409 in Brownsville, TX and Tuesday, August 23 at St. John the Baptist Parish Hall in San Juan, TX. Both presentations begin at 7:00pm. Refreshments will be served.

Monday, August 22 at 7:00pm Galeria 409 in Brownsville, Texas
Directions to Galeria 409, 409 E. 13th St.: From Expressway 77/83 in Brownsville, exit International and go south. Turn right onto Washington. Turn left on E 12th. Turn left on Levee St. Turn left onto E 13th. Galeria 409 is on the left in the middle of the block between Levee and Elizabeth streets. Parking is available at meters on Levee and Elizabeth, and there's a big parking lot on Levee and E 12th.

Tuesday, August 23 at 7:00pm St John the Baptist Parish Hall in San Juan, Texas
Directions to St John the Baptist, 216 W. 1st St.: From Expressway 83, exit Raul Longoria/Nebraska exit in San Juan and turn south on Nebraska. Turn right on 1st St. You will see the tower on the right. The Parish Hall is just past the tower. Parking is on the west and north side of the church complex.

Write your member of Congress - Oppose HR 1505

2011-07-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

An assault on America's public lands and environmental laws has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, bearing the ironic name "National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act" (HR 1505).

Over 30 federal protection laws would be waived in a zone that extends 100 miles into the United States from all land borders and coasts. Roughly two-thirds of the U.S. population lives in the area targeted by this waiver. Cities from San Francisco to Boston and national parks from Glacier to Everglades could be put at risk.

And if that weren't enough, HR 1505 prohibits the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, which oversee our national parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges, from taking any actions to preserve the natural integrity of the lands that they oversee if their actions or advice conflict with the desires of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

HR 1505 is using national security as a cover to attack environmental laws and protected lands. DHS has not expressed a need for these harmful provisions. In fact, DHS testifies that public land managers are not getting in the way of their operations. Last October, the Government Accountability Office found that "most [Border Patrol] agents reported that land management laws have had no effect on Border Patrol's overall measure of border security."

Visit the Sierra Club page to send an email to your member of Congress, telling them to oppose HR 1505:

https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6239

Sierra Club online action - write your Senator opposing more border walls‏

2011-02-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

The Sierra Club has an online action that is now live. Click on the link, fill in your information, and send an email to your Senators telling them to reject any proposals to build more border walls.

o Border action alert update – Sierra Club live now! action.sierraclub.org/demintwall

Nearly 670 mills of fences and walls have already been constructed along our Southwestern International border, separating families, fracturing wildlife corridors, and scarring the region’s unique natural and cultural resources.

Now a number of politicians have called for yet another set of walls along the US / Mexico border, which would continue to come at great expense to local communities, ecosystems, and the American Taxpayer.

Please write your senators and say ‘NO’ to another set of border walls.

For more info. on the strong likelihood that the new Congress will push for more border walls, read the No Border Wall blog:

http://notexasborderwall.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-congress-will-try-to-build-more.html

Border Film Festival in Tucson Dec. 11

2010-12-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

Border Film Festival
The Loft Cinema
Date: Saturday, December 11, 2010
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Address:
3233 E Speedway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85716

If you'd like to attend this event you can RSVP online.

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/Calendar?id=148602&view=Detail

Much of the American public is unaware of the devastation caused by U.S.-Mexico border policy. The most destructive component is the newly constructed border wall. More than 600 miles of walls have been built from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, fragmenting endangered species habitat, causing erosion and flooding, and tearing apart fragile ecosystems.

The wall also has a human toll. The border wall reroutes migrants into the remote deserts of Arizona where dehydration and exposure are rampant. As a result, the number of border-crossing deaths has more than doubled since 1995.

Join us at this film festival to learn more and to find out what you can do to help.

Admission is FREE!!

Sponsored by Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Coalition de Derechos Humanos, Defenders of Wildlife, No More Deaths, and Sky Island Alliance.

http://sierraclub.org/borderlands/

Wild Versus Wall: The environmental impact of our border policy

2010-11-16T19:43:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 29 · 7:00pm - 8:30pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

St. Andrew United Methodist Church
3350 White Bay Drive
Highlands Ranch, CO

a free screening of Sierra Club's documentary Wild Versus Wall in Highlands Ranch, CO!

Much of the American public is unaware of the devastation being caused by harmful U.S border and trade policies. The most symbolic and destructive infrastructure resulting from these bad policies is the newly-constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall. Over 600 miles of border wall have been built from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexi...co, fragmenting endangered species habitat, causing erosion and flooding, and tearing apart fragile ecosystems found within Wilderness Areas and Wildlife Refuges, National Monuments and National Forests, and other protected private and public lands.

This presentation begins with a screening of the Sierra Club border film, "Wild Versus Wall," which has been newly-updated for 2010. It shows the ecological effects of enforcement and infrastructure in the four states that share boundaries with Mexico. It also showcases the unique natural landscapes of our border southwest. The film demonstrates the ineffectiveness of this kind of enforcement-only approach to border security, and stresses the importance of addressing root causes such as unfair trade policies and quality of life issues.

Following the film, Dan Millis, Borderlands Campaign Organizer for Arizona’s Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club, will present a slideshow featuring more in-depth aspects of the areas that have been affected, different types of border wall, and its costs to taxpayers.

Born and raised in Arizona, Dan has worked on border issues there since 2005. He is also a volunteer with the border humanitarian aid group No More Deaths, and is the recipient of the 2010 Derechos Humanos Corazon de Justicia Award for environmental work.

To learn more about the Sierra Club Borderlands Campaign and take action, check out their website at: http://www.sierraclub.org/borderlands/

Sierra Club Borderlands Campaign: Continental Divide, a Photo Exhibit of the Border

2010-10-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

November 2-5, 2010
Cabot Lodge, 2375 North State Street
Jackson, Mississippi
Located at State Street and Riverside Drive
Free!

Much of the American public is unaware of the devastation being caused by harmful U.S border and trade policies. The most symbolic and destructive infrastructure resulting from these bad policies is the newly-constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall. Over 600 miles of border wall have been built from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, fragmenting endangered species habitat, causing erosion and flooding, and tearing apart fragile ecosystems found within Wilderness Areas and Wildlife Refuges; National Monuments and National Forests; and other protected lands, both public and private.

Recently, the International League of Conservation Photographers sent a team of world-renowned photographers to the borderlands of the United States and Mexico to document the wildlife, ecology, and effect of the border wall on this landscape. This region is a shared conservation treasure of international importance that harbors some of the most biodiverse landscapes on the continent. Many species here are found nowhere else in the US, and nowhere else in Mexico and some are found nowhere else on Earth. The photographs taken are now on exhibit, touring the United States. A sample of photos in the exhibit can be viewed here.

The Borderlands Team of the Sierra Club is bringing this exhibit to Jackson, Mississippi. The team is comprised of Sierra Club staff and volunteers from across the nation. You can learn more about the team by visiting and joining the Activist Network or by visiting www.sierraclub.org/borderlands.

Dates exhibit is open for viewing:
Tue Nov 2 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Wed Nov 3 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Thu Nov 4 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Fri Nov 5* 9am - 9pm

* Join us for a screening of the Sierra Club produced film, Wild Versus Wall, at 5:15 pm on Friday, November 5th. The film details the ecological effects of enforcement and infrastructure in all four southern Border States. The film demonstrates the ineffectiveness of this kind of enforcement-only approach to border security, and stresses the importance of addressing root causes such as unfair trade policies. A five minute trailer for the film can be viewed here. Refreshments will be provided for the screening!

The Exhibit is being held in conjunction with the Unity Conference sponsored by MIRA and SCLC.

For more information about the Sierra Club's Borderlands Campaign, visit http://sierraclub.org/borderlands/

Sierra Club screening Wild vs. Wall in San Diego August 21

2010-08-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

The Sierra Club’s Borderlands Team will be screening the film Wild vs. Wall in San Diego at the Joyce Beers Uptown Community Center on Saturday, August 21, beginning at 7:30pm. Wild vs. Wall is a 20 minute documentary about the environmental effects of the border wall.

Dan Millis, who works for the Sierra Club out of Tucson, will speak after the film and answer any questions. He has extensive knowledge of the southern Arizona borderlands and the environmental and human impacts of enforcement measures border-wide.

More than 600 miles of border walls and barriers have been constructed in all four southern border states. Using the power to waive laws granted by the Real ID Act, 36 federal laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act, have been brushed aside to speed up construction. Border walls have been built through National Monuments and Wildlife Refuges, state parklands, and Nature Conservancy and Audubon sanctuaries. Wall construction has involved the condemnation and bulldozing of thousands of acres, the fragmentation of crucial habitat for endangered species, the triggering of flooding, and large-scale erosion. Border walls have also led to the deaths of thousands of immigrants by funneling them into remote, and often deadly, terrain.

Wild vs. Wall
Joyce Beers Uptown Community Center
1220 Cleveland Avenue
Suite M-100
San Diego, CA 92103

For directions and information on parking, visit http://joycebeers.com/

For those unable to attend, Wild vs. Wall can be viewed on the Borderlands Team’s website, http://sierraclub.org/borderlands/ , where you can also tour the border using Google Earth, get more information about the border wall’s impacts, learn about the Real ID Act, and find out how you can help.

ARTE CONTRA EL MURO/ ART AGAINST THE WALL

2010-02-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

ARTE CONTRA EL MURO/ ART AGAINST THE WALL

EXHIBITION TO OPEN IN BROWNSVILLE ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Hope Park, 12th and St. Charles, noon – 5 pm
Galeria 409, 409 E. 13th St.
Contact Mark Clark (956) 455-3599
Galeria409@yahoo.com
www.galeria409.com

Artists opposed to the construction of the Department of Homeland Security's new border wall will hang an exhibition of paintings and sculptures on the wall itself at noon on Sunday, February 28th at the once scenic Hope Park in historic downtown Brownsville, Texas. The exhibition is designed to draw attention to the waste of tax dollars used to produce this 18 foot tall, six hundred mile long barrier that cost an estimated 12 to 18 million dollars a mile. 34 federal, state and local laws and regulations were waived to facilitate construction of the iron fence that many Mexicans and south Texas residents now refer to as "El Berlin".

Construction of the rusting wall was recently completed through Hope Park, located at 12th and St. Charles Street, which was the site of the Homeland Security chief's press conference announcing the kickoff of the controversial project. The site was apparently selected as a backdrop for Chertoff's remarks because of its once picturesque view of the Rio Grande and the Gateway Bridge to Matamoros.

Numerous trees were removed for the right of way for the fence and historic marble plaques marking the start of the Chisolm Trail, the beginning point for many nineteenth century cattle drives, now butt up against the iron wall.

Organizers selected the date for the one day exhibition to coincide with Brownsville's annual Charro Days celebration during which Matamoros mayor Eric Silva and Brownsville's mayor Pat Ahumada came together on the bridge to exchange "abrazos", and pledges of brotherhood between the two cities.

Following the five p.m. closing of the one day outdoor show, the art work is slated to move to Galeria 409, a block away from the park at 409 East 13th Street, for a one month long run.

The Galeria 409’s laconic director, Mark Clark states he'll "do almost anything legal to oppose the border fence. It's going to block my view of the river". His 158 year old gallery building overlooks a bend in the river that will soon disappear behind this iron curtain.

Galeria 409’s hours are from twelve to five on Saturday and Sunday and by appointment during the week by calling (956) 455-3599.

Tell Senator Schumer that Border Walls are NOT Immigration Reform!

2009-07-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

Senator Charles Schumer will be crafting Comprehensive Immigration Reform legislation over the August recess, and has announced that he will introduce it around Labor Day. While it should be good news that immigration reform may finally be addressed, it looks like Schumer plans to include more border walls in the bill. If walls are part of the bill that he introduces it will be extremely difficult to strip them out. We may even see a repeat of 2006, in which border walls were part of competing immigration reform bills in the House and Senate. Those reform efforts died, and their border wall provisions were turned into the Secure Fence Act.

In a June press release, Schumer listed 7 principles that will form the basis of Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Principles 1 & 2 are:

1. Illegal immigration is wrong, and a primary goal of comprehensive immigration reform must be to dramatically curtail future illegal immigration.

2. Operational control of our borders--through significant additional increases in infrastructure, technology, and border personnel--must be achieved within a year of enactment of legislation.

http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=314990

Senator Schumer recently voted for Senator DeMint's amendment, which calls for hundreds of miles of border wall.

It is critical that we pressure Senator Schumer to keep border walls out of his immigration reform bill. A good start would be to flood his office with phone calls, faxes, and emails. Below is a sample letter that anyone can copy and send along, but it is important to remember that phone calls and personal letters will have more impact. The important thing is to stress that border walls must NOT be part of immigration reform.

There is a form on Schumer's website that you can use to write to him here:
http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm
But again, phone calls and personalized letters will be the most effective.

Senator Charles Schumer

313 Hart Senate Building

Washington , DC 20510

202-224-6542

Dear Senator Schumer,

I was extremely disappointed by your vote for Senator DeMint’s amendment calling for more border walls, and I am worried that you plan to include border walls in Comprehensive Immigration Reform. While immigration reform is needed, border walls should not be part of it.

The walls that already scar the borderlands have not stopped desperate immigrants from entering the United States . Border Patrol spokespersons refer to them as “speed bumps,” and say that they only slow crossers by 5 minutes. The Congressional Research Service determined that border walls have “no discernible impact” on the number of undocumented immigrants who successfully cross our borders.

While they fail at their intended purpose, border walls have serious negative impacts, including:

· Pushing thousands of border crossers into the desert, where hundreds die each year. The GAO found that after walls were built near San Diego the number of annual deaths in the desert doubled, and in the past decade over 5,000 bodies have been recovered.

· Inflicting tremendous environmental damage, including the severing of wildlife migration corridors, the destruction of endangered species habitat, the sedimentation of rivers, and unprecedented harm to designated Wilderness Areas, National Monuments, Wildlife Refuges, and preserves owned by Audubon and the Nature Conservancy.

· Condemning the property of hundreds of landowners who live along the border. Farmers, ranchers, and homeowners, some of whose property has been passed down for generations, have been hauled into court and had their lands taken to make way for border walls.

· $3.1 billion has already been spent on border walls, and the DeMint amendment will cost another $2.7 billion. Our nation cannot afford to waste billions more on “speed bumps.”

Including more border walls in Comprehensive Immigration Reform would sacrifice more landowners, ecosystems, and the lives of hundreds of immigrants just to attract a few votes.

As Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said this past February, “you cannot build a fence from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas, and call that an immigration policy.”

Border walls have no place in immigration reform. Don’t sacrifice the border to pass the bill.

The Wall documentary screens in McAllen July 17 and San Antonio July 18

2009-07-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

A new documentary about the border wall will screen in McAllen, Texas at the Cine el Rey theater on July 17, and in San Antonio at the Guadalupe Theater on July 18. With the recent Senate vote to build more walls, it is important to understand the history and human impacts of the border walls that have already been built. Below is the press release for the film. Spread the word!

***

A controversial new film about the border fence is coming to South Texas. The Wall, a documentary about the construction of a fence along the US/Mexico border will play two dates in Texas, July 17th at McAllen's El Cine De Rey and July 18th at San Antonio's Guadalupe Theatre. The film, which takes place in Arizona, California, and Texas, took 3 years to complete.

Director Ricardo Martinez captures many perspectives impacted by the fence. The Wall follows several law enforcement officials, border town residents, and the Minutemen as they each faced the reality of having a 25 foot Wall being built in their backyard. Border residents like Gloria Garza of Granjeno watch as the fence is erected and new problems start to arrive.

Ricardo and his crew even managed to follow and track several undocumented immigrants in Mexico as they prepared to cross the border, and ultimately climb The Wall. Using never before seen surveillance footage and night vision cameras, a mysterious and sometimes dangerous world emerges.

On the other side of the spectrum, the film features many border town residents and local officials. Small towns like Arivaca, McAllen, Granjeno, and Brownsville all make appearances in the film. Capturing a moment in time, the film tracks the No Border Wall Coalition's grassroots efforts to organize Rio Grande Valley residents against the fence. Showing the power of community, watch as Valley residents protest and unite to change the fence plan.

The filming was not always sunny and nice. Ricardo's film crew often had to scale back equipment and camp out deep in the desert to catch traffickers, immigrants, Border Patrol, and vigilante groups on camera. Vigilante groups like the Minutemen make a particularly unsettling appearance in The Wall as Martinez captured a few of them making some 'controversial' statements about the US and Hispanics.

At one point, the film crew traveled to Altar, Mexico to interview immigrants preparing to cross the border illegally. Made up of 'huespedes' or safehouses, the town was essentially run by the Carteles in the area, which didn't reassure the film crew of their safety.

"Thinking back, that probably was against my better judgment, but I felt like it made a helluva story on camera," says Ricardo grinning. "The local priest and church basically told us as long as we stuck with him, we'd be fine. We did and in the end, it was actually kind of a nice town."

The film plays on Friday, July 17th at 8:00 PM at El Cine De Rey in McAllen and Saturday July 18th at 8:00pm at the Guadalupe Theatre in San Antonio. Tickets are $5. Q&A and reception follow. Screening Details and information can be found at thewalldocumentary.com or cineelrey.com.

For any questions regarding this press release, to review the film for your publication, or to contact the filmmaker email info@thewalldocumentary.com. To watch clips of the film visit thewalldocumentary.com, youtube.com/thewalldoc, vimeo.com/thewall, or friend our Facebook page!

Official Synopsis

In 2006, Congress passed The Secure Fence Act calling for the construction of over 700 miles of fence along the US/Mexico border. Fueled by the War on Drugs and the debate on Immigration Reform, politicians jumped at the chance to "secure our borders". They were not prepared for what followed.

Filmed over two years, The Wall, a feature documentary, chronicles the impact of constructing a border fence along the Southwest. From policy makers to citizens of border towns in Texas, Arizona, and California, the debate elevates as residents respond to having a fence built in their backyard.

Gloria Garza sat on her porch, in Granjeno, Texas. She was enjoying her stretch of land by the Rio Grande River, when a man from the Department of Homeland Security arrived with a piece of paper. He asked her to sign a letter granting permission to build a 25 foot wall on her property. She thought it was a joke.

In Nogales, Arizona, Sheriff Tony Estrada, completed his routine check of the border wall. Since the border fence had been built, violence and immigrant deaths are steadily rising. This is not a policy he could believe in, but few were listening.
Determined to stop immigrant crossing, the Minutemen had taken matters into their own hands. They patrolled the area intercepting immigrants and notifying border patrol. Armed with ammunition and an ideology, they openly advocated more fencing to help their objectives.

At the epicenter of this controversy, Wilfredo and Adan are undocumented immigrants with a lot at stake. Wilfredo is trying to get across the border and will have to pass several layers of fencing and security. Adan waits for his father who must make the same dangerous trip he himself took several years earlier. How will their lives be changed by The Wall?

Director, Ricardo Martinez brings The Wall to life; intertwining rare surveillance footage and controversial interviews. He and his crew often risked their own safety while filming.
At the forefront of the debate, the film includes commentary by The Texas Border Coalition, The Southwest Border Sheriff's Coalition, No Border Wall Coalition, the Minutemen, Border Patrol officers, congressional hearings, and more.

Friends of Friendship Park press conference in San Diego July 8

2009-07-08T06:33:00.001-07:00

What: release of open letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano

When: Wednesday, July 8, 10 a.m.

Where: U.S. District Court, 940 Front Street, San Diego, CA

Who: Friends of Friendship Park; www.friendshippark.org

Contacts: John Fanestil (619-823-6223; john@ foundation4change.org); Jill Holslin (619-804-8030; jholslin01@gmail.com); Rosemary Johnston (619-384-6852; rjohnston@interfaithshelter.org); Enrique Morones (619-977-9467; enriquemorones@cox.net); Pedro Rios (619-370-5908; prios@afsc.org); Dan Watman (619-954-9710; dan.watman@ gmail.com)

California State Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, Jr., together with local, state and federal elected officials, has joined some 70 community-based organizations and over 130 community leaders in a joint letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, calling for the restoration of routine public access to Friendship Park, the historic location overlooking the Pacific Ocean where for generations people have gathered with friends and family at the U.S.-Mexico border fence.

Elected leaders signing on to the joint letter include Lt. Governor John Garamendi, Members of Congress Susan Davis and Bob Filner, State Senators Denise Ducheny and Christine Kehoe, State Assemblymembers Mary Salas and Lori Saldaña, and San Diego City Councilmembers Marti Emerald, Donna Frye, Todd Gloria, Ben Hueso and Tony Young.

The text of the joint letter will be released at a press conference on Wednesday, July 8 at 10 a.m. in front of the U.S. District Court, 940 Front Street, San Diego, CA 92101.

Speakers will include Kevin Keenan, Executive Director of the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties; Rudy Murillo, past Acting Director of the San Diego Immigration and Naturalization Service; Pedro Rios of the American Friends Service Committee; and Daniel Watman of the community-based organization Border Encuentro. Mr. Watman faces Federal trespassing charges in the U.S. District Court at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, after standing in front of a bull dozer and temporarily stopping the construction of the new wall that currently restricts all access to the U.S. side of Friendship Park.

The text of the letter will also be posted at 12 noon on Wednesday to the Friends of Friendship Park website: www.friendshippark.org.

Civic leaders endorsing the letter include former Ambassador to Mexico Jeffrey Davidow, former U.S. Congresswoman Lynn Schenk, and former State Senators Lucy Killea and Steve Peace. Also endorsing are Irwin Jacobs, Murray Galinson, Deborah Szekely, Christine Forrester, Marcy Krinsk and dozens more.

Wayne Cornelius (Distinguished Professor of Political Science Emeritus, UC San Diego), David Shirk (Director of the Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego) and Richard Griswold del Castillo (Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, San Diego State University) are just a few of the over 30 educators who signed the letter.

Religious leaders supporting the letter come from almost every tradition and include Bishop Mary Ann Swenson of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, Dr. Jamie Gates, Director of the Center for Justice and Reconciliation at Point Loma Nazarene University and Rev. Ann Seisen Saunders of National City’s Sweetwater Zen Center.

San Diego’s legal community is represented on the letter by Administrative Law Judge Deborah Smaller, California Western Law Professor William J. Aceves, and Eric Alan Isaacson of Coughlin Stoia Gellar Rudman & Robbins LLP, among many others.

Dozens of San Diego-based organizations are signatories to the letter, including human rights organizations like the National Lawyers Guild and the San Diego Human Relations Commission, religious organizations like Office for Social Ministry, Diocese of San Diego, and environmental organizations like the Environmental Health Coalition and WiLDCOAST.

Dozens more organizations from beyond San Diego have adopted the cause of Friendship Park. Just a few of these to endorse the letter are: Border Ambassadors (Del Rio, TX), Frontera de Cristo (Douglas, AZ/Agua Prieta, Sonora), Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (San Francisco, CA), Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ (Washington, DC), Mexican Community Center of New York, CECOMEX (New York, NY), Sojourners (Washington, DC) and Western Lands Project (Seattle, WA).

“The entire border should not be reduced to a ‘no-man’s land,” said John Fanestil, Executive Director of the San Diego-based Foundation for Change and a leader in the Friends of Friendship Park coalition. “Friendship Park reminds us all that a brighter future lies ahead for the borderlands and border people.”

“We are encouraged by recent overtures from [“Border Czar”] Alan Bersin and [San Diego Border Patrol Chief] Mike Fisher,” said Enrique Morones, President of Border Angels and another leader in the Friends of Friendship Park coalition. “We are confident the Park will re-open soon.”

Friends of Friendship Park – www.friendshippark.org

Tell Congress to Support the Border Security and Responsibility Act

2009-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, Representative Grijalva (D-Arizona) introduced the Border Security and Responsibility Act of 2009 (HR 2076). This legislation would restore the rule of law to the borderlands by repealing the Real ID waiver provision and help protect our communities, private property, and national parks and wildlife refuges from damaged caused by the border wall.

This week, dozens of concerned citizens from across the nation are traveling to Washington, D.C. on their own dime to walk through the halls of Congress and build support for Rep. Grijalva’s bill.

But you don’t have to be in DC to make a difference. Please take action today. Call your member of Congress and urge him or her to support the Border Security and Responsibility Act of 2009. The congressional switchboard is 202-225-3121, or find your representative’s contact information at www.house.gov.

With enough phone calls, we can elevate this critical issue for Congress and ensure that the damage caused by the border wall is no longer ignored.

Thanks for making a difference, and please pass on this alert and post links to it.

Suggested Talking Points for Phone Calls:

· Please cosponsor the Border Security and Responsibility Act of 2009, a bill recently introduced by Rep. Grijalva.

· The border wall has caused significant damage to communities, water quality, and wildlife habitat. I think that Congress needs to act to address these problems that the wall has created.

· I am concerned by the fact that three dozen laws were waived for border wall construction. Landmark laws like the Endangered Species Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act were put in place for a reason: to protect the public’s interest. These laws shouldn’t be ignored. An unelected official should not have the power to waive these laws.

· Land managers, local officials, and local communities have been shut out of the decision making process. This bill would allow them to have a say in border security decisions by requiring full public notice and participation.

· To address the damage that border walls have caused, there need to be robust mitigation efforts. This bill would develop initiatives to help mitigate negative impacts to communities and natural resources, including the network of congressionally protected federal lands along the border.

· Please cosponsor the Border Security and Responsibility Act of 2009 and help restore and protect the communities and natural areas of the borderlands.

April 15 Friends of Friendship Park Vigil at Chula Vista Border Patrol Headquarters

2009-04-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

What: Silent vigil in front of Border Patrol headquarters, protesting the destruction of Friendship Park and the exclusion of community voices from the decision-making process which has led to the elimination of public access to the park.

When: Wednesday, April 15, 12:00 p.m.

Where: Border Patrol Headquarters: 2411 Boswell Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91914.

Who: Friends of Friendship Park is a coalition of community organizations including (partial list): American Friends Service Committee - San Diego, Border Ambassadors (Del Rio, TX), Border Angels, Border Meetup Group, CASA (Coalition of Amigos in Solidarity and Action), Center for Justice and Reconciliation, PLNU, Center for Social Advocacy, Environmental Health Coalition, Foundation for Change, Los Caminos del Rio, MACC (Mexican American Catholic College), Mid-City Community Advocacy Network, Network of Spiritual Progressives, San Diego, Pax Christi Brownsville, Peace Resource Center of San Diego, Plan of Action in a Changing Era, Rio Grande International Study Center (Laredo, TX), San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice, San Diego Coastkeeper, Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO), Sí Se Puede Immigrants’ Rights Organization, Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter, St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, Surfrider Foundation, San Diego chapter, The Employee Rights Center in San Diego,Wildcoast – Costasalvaje.

Contacts: John Fanestil / john@foundation4change.org / 619-823-6223

Enrique Morones / enriquemorones@cox.net / (619) 977-9467

Why: This week President Obama will sit down to visit with President Felipe Calderon in Mexico. At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security is shutting down Friendship Park, where people from San Diego and Tijuana have visited with friends for generations.

In solidarity with those being denied access to this historic venue, and in protest of DHS decision-making, which has excluded all community voices, Friends of Friendship Park invite you to join a Silent Vigil on the day before the presidential meeting.

FRIENDSHIP IS NOT JUST FOR PRESIDENTS!

SAVE FRIENDSHIP PARK!

Border Wall Vigil in Washington DC March 17

2009-03-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

Communion through the Border Wall at San Diego's Friendship Park March 1

2009-02-27T16:27:00.000-08:00

The Friends of Friendship Park coalition will return to the park this Sunday afternoon and once again seek to celebrate communion with friends in Tijuana.

We will meet at 2:30 p.m. at the entrance to Border Field State Park. Take Hwy 5 South, exit Dairy Mart Road, turn right and follow the winding road west to the park entrance. Wear boots for hiking and bring documents verifying residence in the United States. I hope you can join us.

Thank you all for your nonviolent response to the extreme conditions of our event last Saturday, February 21. To read an account of my experience last Saturday, see this blog post at Sojourners on-line.

There are several things you can do to support the effort, even if you are unable to participate on Sunday:

1) You can send a letter on-line to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano – be sure to mention “Friendship Park” when you personalize your letter.

2) You can donate now to support the costs of our events at the Park – be sure to indicate “Friendship Park” in the “dedication” line.

Adelante.

John Fanestil

www.foundation4change.org

Save Friendship Park from the Border Wall Feb. 21

2009-02-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday, Feb. 19

6 p.m. Community Forum
Location: San Diego City College, A-103
Contact:Pedro Rios

We call for a halt to all construction on the U.S.-Mexico border, pending public review, and for a re-design of Friendship Park to ensure continuing public access.

Saturday, Feb. 21
Save Friendship Park

11 a.m. Gathering
at entrance to Border Field State Park (directions below)

11:30 Hike to Friendship Park

12:15 Program (contact)
Bi-National Choir

Bi-National Communion

Bi-National Garden

Carpooling encouraged. Documents may
be required.

DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy 5 South, exit Dairy Mart Road, turn right (West) and follow winding road to park entrance.

Stop the Wall Event in El Paso 21 Feb

2009-02-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

Meet at Sunland Park and Anapra
Sunday February 21, 2009
12:00 – 2:00 PM

Two purposes:

One is to show solidarity with the Compañeras and Compañeros from San Diego's Friendship Park. Just like Rio Bosque was crudely appropriated by the DHS, San Diego's Friendship Park has been under attack by the construction of the Border Wall. The Friendship Park has been a historical site for gatherings among residents of both countries. Family and friends have used this "public" area to exchange kisses, tamales and news through small gaps in the tattered chain-link fence. Now the Border Patrol and the DHS will slice trough the park, limiting access. U.S Customs and Border Patrol have begun demolishing the Pak and intend to eliminate all public access.

The second purpose is to continue with the ¡YA BASTA! --- TOD@S CONTRA EL MURO campaign. The campaign is still focused to stop and bring down the wall. During the Peace and Unity Walk from Ft. Hancock to Sunland Park we committed to go back to the communities that received us and report back as to what has been done and listen to their proposals. The idea is to strengthen our border communities under a same cause.

This is what we propose to do:

Meet at Sunland Park and Anapra
Sunday February 21, 2009
12:00 – 2:00 PM

Celebrate Communion through the Border Wall at Friendship Park in San Diego Every Sunday

2009-01-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

Ever since I became a fan of Friendship Park, I’d heard stories about its official dedication as a California State Park in August, 1971, at which then-First Lady Pat Nixon presided. Some stories had her asking that the fence be cut so she could greet the Mexican children on the other side; others had her speaking openly about her wishes that someday there would be no fence at all.I’ve refrained from spreading this story too widely, because I didn’t have good corroboration of it … until now. Visit the link below to read the remarkable story and SEE PHOTOS OF PATRICIA NIXON REACHING THROUGH WHAT WAS THEN A SIMPLE, BARBED-WIRE FENCE.

I never thought I’d say it, but I find myself following in Pat Nixon’s footsteps. I’m not planning on cutting the fence, mind you, but at 3 p.m. this Sunday – and at 3 p.m. on every Sunday until further notice – I plan to serve communion through the fence to anyone who wants to receive it. You are always welcome to join me. Just remember to bring papers documenting your citizenship or residency.

Here’s the link to the Pat Nixon story: http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=555f6a6f5b0c8684b9e0451c9d85f5b1.

Directions:
Starting in San Diego, CA
From I-5 Exit West on Dairy Mart Road
Dairy Mart Road turns into Monument Road
Follow Monument Road to Park Entrance.
Valid U.S. identification may be required.Expired car registration may be subject to fine.

John Fanestil
Executive DirectorFoundation for Change
http://www.foundation4change.org/
(619) 692-0527

To watch Steev Hise’s ten-minute video about communion at Friendship Park, visit: http://vimeo.com/2933608

To join the new “Friends of Friendship Park” cause on facebook, visit: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/180793?m=5793aba1&recruiter_id=13148591.

Chertoff Retirement Parties in Brownsville, Texas and Tucson, Arizona January 10

2009-01-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

FROM BROWNSVILLE TO TUCSON, BORDER COMMUNITIES CELEBRATE THE RETIREMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY MICHAEL CHERTOFF

BROWNSVILLE, TX — On January 10th communities along the Texas border will be throwing Retirement Parties to celebrate the end of Michael Chertoff’s tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security. During his illustrious career, Secretary Chertoff has driven a wall through the borderlands, condemned the property of hundreds of Texas landowners, waived the laws that protect us, imprisoned immigrant families, and set a new low in the response to Hurricane Katrina. Border residents will gather in Brownsville, where Chertoff’s concrete and steel legacy is being erected along the Rio Grande, to remember the man who has done so much to our communities.

“This is not a protest disguised as a party - this is a party. Chertoff has only been Secretary for three years but he has managed to do a tremendous amount of damage. Texas will be glad to see him gone, and it can’t come soon enough,” said Scott Nicol of the No Border Wall Coalition.

In Brownsville Chertoff’s Retirement Party will be held at Galeria 409 starting at 6pm, within spitting distance of the coming border wall. Chertoff’s retirement is like Christmas morning and the day after you get over the flu all wrapped up together. So the party will blend a corporate retirement party and Carnival. Poets and artists will contribute their thoughts on the man who has so profoundly impacted the border; Ensamble la Mision (and possibly other bands) will play; a retirement cake and piñata will bear his likeness; Chertoff’s Wheel of Fortune; a raffle; and still-President Bush may even stop by to give Chertie a send-off.

“We’re having a party for Michael, but he’s not invited,” said Bill Guerra Addington from No Wall – Big Bend.

Galeria 409 is located at 409 E. 13th Street in Brownsville, between Levee and Elizabeth, a block from the Gateway Bridge. Call gallery owner Mark Clark at (956) 455-3599, or Scott Nicol at (956) 532-5983, for information, or email No Border Wall at noborderwall@yahoo.com.

BREAKING NEWS!

TUCSON ARIZONA WILL CELEBRATE AS WELL!

Chertoff's long awaited departure will be celebrated in Tucson, Arizona, in a region that has suffered from more than its fair share of border wall. Raise a toast to the ex-Secretary, and rest assured that he will be watching on the virtual wall's spy cameras.

Celebrate the end of Chertoff's reign of ineptitude Tucson-style with a pinata, dart board, and cold beer at:

The Hut

305 N. 4th Ave.

Tucson, AZ

The El Paso Retirement Party has been postponed.

Check back later to for details on its rescheduling.

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff's Retirement Party

2008-12-22T16:09:00.000-08:00

During his illustrious career, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has driven a wall through the borderlands, thrown out the laws that protect us, imprisoned immigrant families, and set a new low in the response to Hurricane Katrina. Join us on January 10th as we celebrate his long-awaited exit!

Retirement Cake! Music! Games! Puppets! Raffle!

Galeria 409 is located at 409 E. 13th Street, between Levee and Elizabeth, a block from the Gateway Bridge and spitting distance from the coming border wall in Brownsville, Texas. Contact noborderwall@yahoo.com for more information.

Hosted by No Border Wall and Galeria 409

March Against the Border Wall in San Diego December 7

2008-11-28T13:21:00.000-08:00

MARCH OF SILENCE

December 7th, 2008

12 noon

Starts at: Hollister St. & Tocayo Ave.

San Diego, CA 9215

Organized by the Raza Rights Coalition

With a cacophony of sounds heavy machinery opens way for the installation of the wall of death in the last corner of the open wound, the US-Mexico border. A place where ancestral lands meet the Pacific Ocean, a place where families come together, couples come to celebrate their love, regardless of the walls, regardless of disruptive destruction going on around them.

Using the dictatorial powers given to them, the Department of Homeland Security has chosen to disregard any civil rights, and has chosen to ignore the law. This has created a constitutional limbo at the border, where the government has imposed itself and destruction takes place.

Long has been the martyrdom of this border, there have been many deaths, and multiple abuses committed against our communities. We have carried with this tremendous burden always, from here, from this forgotten corner of the earth, we have held high the principles of dignity, justice, and liberty These concepts have come under attack by the laws that those in power have imposed, but that we have revindicated, and continue to struggle to defend them to make them a reality.

Friendship Park, a spectator in the horrifying reality of the border, where sea and wall meet, continues to be the place where for decades has been a meeting place for our people, to laugh, to sing, to meditate, to cry, to celebrate, to listen, to love, to play, and to believe that another world is possible. The government seeks to destroy this.

The Raza Rights Coalition, today makes the call to our people, to students, to the youth, to the intellectuals, to artitsts, to those who fight for environmental rights, to the working class, to religious people, to all those of us who live on this border, to all those who continue believing in that other world, to unite forces, to fight, to march with us to save Friendship Park and way NO! To the wall of death.

This time we will march in silence, so that our silence breaks the discord of the destruction of this place by the government, that imposes multi-million dollar walls, walls of death in our community. For those from above that impose, remember that the power of silence is not where its headed, but where its coming from. Our silence works to open the lines of communication, so that never a day goes again where someone dares say that the horror that is this border is justified, that it is a necessary evil, and that it is for our security.

No one can give us a voice, a stranger's voice does not belong in our throats. We are not those without a voice, we are those who have fought so our people do not have to live in shame, we are those who will place ears on those who have refused to listen to us, and our silence will me much louder than the horrifying one coming from the mechanized wall of death.

Let us struggle now, for change belongs to all of us, we are the change. Let us struggle now because this wall will come rumbling down.

Come to El Paso's Rio Bosque Wetlands Park Before the Border Wall Cuts It Off From The Rio Grande

2008-11-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday 15 Nov, 11 AM to 3 PM.

Visit El Paso’s Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, http://www.riobosque.org and see the city’s largest park before the Border Wall changes it forever.

Walks through the park to the site of the Border Wall will start every hour on the half hour (11:30, 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30). Many local organizations will have exhibits about the local flora and fauna.

Directions from I-10: Take the Americas Ave. (Loop 375) exit (Exit 34) and head southwest towards the Zaragoza Bridge. Enter the freeway portion of Loop 375 and take it to the exit for Alameda Ave., Socorro Rd., Pan American Dr. and Zaragoza Rd. Exit to the frontage road and continue straight ahead, crossing both Alameda Ave. and Socorro Rd. At Pan American Dr., turn left. After driving approximately 1.1 mile on Pan American, you'll cross a bridge over the Playa Drain. At 1.5 miles, you'll reach a second bridge, which crosses the Riverside Canal right before the gated entrance to the Jonathan Rogers and Roberto Bustamante water-treatment plants. Proceed about 2.5 miles to the Visitor Center. For a map visit http://www.riobosque.org

Organizations are encouraged set up a booth at this event. Contact Rick LoBello for more information, RickLLoBello@ cs.com .

NO Border Wall of Death! Protest November 7 in San Antonio, Texas

2008-11-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sponsored by the Southwest Workers Union

NO Border Wall of Death!
Protest Nov 7th Friday Noon
Federal Building in San Antonio, Texas

Contact: Ruben Solis 210 378 5699 cell

San Antonio-
November 9th will be forever connected with the ‘fall’ of the Berlin Wall dividing Germany and dividing the East from the West. Protests are being held simultaneously in San Antonio, TX, El Paso, TX, and San Diego, California.

Southwest Workers Union is organizing a protest against the Border Wall of Death on Friday the 7th of November at 12:00 noon to mark the date when the Berlin Wall came down. According to Ruben Solis, “If the Berlin Wall came down then so can the Border Wall of Death”.

Che Lopez, organizer with SWU said it like this “The Bush administration has been a dismal failure, the War, the Economy and the environment so if you link the Border Wall to these failures you will conclude that this is yet but another Bush failure”. According to documentation by the Immigration office of the American Friends Service Committee in San Diego, California, over 4,000 people with names and last names have died crossing the border since 1994 in the California region alone. Today border-wide it is calculated that immigration and border patrol policies have directly lead to approximately 7,000 deaths on the US-Mexico border.

Saturday November 15 See El Paso's Rio Bosque Wetlands Park Before the Border Wall Changes It Forever

2008-11-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

Saturday 15 Nov, 11 AM to 3 PM.

Visit El Paso’s Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, http://www.riobosque.org and see the city’s largest park before the Border Wall changes it forever. Walks through the park to the site of the Border Wall will start every hour on the half hour (11:30, 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30). Many local organizations will have exhibits about the local flora and fauna.

Directions from I-10: Take the Americas Ave. (Loop 375) exit (Exit 34) and head southwest towards the Zaragoza Bridge. Enter the freeway portion of Loop 375 and take it to the exit for Alameda Ave., Socorro Rd., Pan American Dr. and Zaragoza Rd. Exit to the frontage road and continue straight ahead, crossing both Alameda Ave. and Socorro Rd. At Pan American Dr., turn left. After driving approximately 1.1 mile on Pan American, you'll cross a bridge over the Playa Drain. At 1.5 miles, you'll reach a second bridge, which crosses the Riverside Canal right before the gated entrance to the Jonathan Rogers and Roberto Bustamante water-treatment plants. Proceed about 2.5 miles to the Visitor Center. For a map visit http://www.riobosque.org

Organizations are encouraged set up a booth at this event. Contact Rick LoBello for more information, RickLLoBello@ cs.com .

If you can help with planning or during this event please contact judy Ackerman, 915-755-7371, Cell: 703-622-0661, j.p.ackerman@ sbcglobal. net . Please share this information with all your friends.

Big River Festival in South Texas - Enjoy the Rio Grande Before the Border Wall Cuts It Off!

2008-10-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

Los Caminos del Rio is sponsoring the Big River Festival of 2008 at Anzalduas County Park south of Mission, Texas on Saturday, November 1.

Compete in an adventure race that combines kayaking, biking and other sports with mystery events!

Learn to paddle with one of Los Caminos del Rio's American Canoe Association-certified instructors.

Enjoy a nature tour of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the nation’s best ocelot habit!

Or just listen to great music while snacking on something good.

Cooking classes (teaching healthy twists to traditional Mexican cooking) will be free to the public.

A section of combined levee / border wall that is currently under construction begins behind homes in Granjeno and will end at the gates of Anzalduas County Park. Enjoy the park and the river now, before the wall is finished.

For more information and driving directions, visit the Los Caminos del Rio website: http://loscaminos.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=73

Discover El Paso's Rio Bosque – Last Chance Before the Border Wall!

2008-10-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday 15 Nov, 11 AM to 3 PM.

Visit El Paso’s Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, http://www.riobosqu e.org and see the city’s largest park before the Border Wall changes it forever. Walks through the park to the site of the Border Wall will start every hour on the half hour (11:30, 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30). Many local organizations will have exhibits about the local flora and fauna.

Directions from I-10: Take the Americas Ave. (Loop 375) exit (Exit 34) and head southwest towards the Zaragoza Bridge. Enter the freeway portion of Loop 375 and take it to the exit for Alameda Ave., Socorro Rd., Pan American Dr. and Zaragoza Rd. Exit to the frontage road and continue straight ahead, crossing both Alameda Ave. and Socorro Rd. At Pan American Dr., turn left. After driving approximately 1.1 mile on Pan American, you'll cross a bridge over the Playa Drain. At 1.5 miles, you'll reach a second bridge, which crosses the Riverside Canal right before the gated entrance to the Jonathan Rogers and Roberto Bustamante water-treatment plants. Proceed about 2.5 miles to the Visitor Center. For a map visit http://www.riobosqu e.org

Organizations are encouraged set up a booth at this event. Contact Rick LoBello for more information, RickLLoBello@ cs.com .

If you can help with planning or during this event please contact judy Ackerman, 915-755-7371, Cell: 703-622-0661, j.p.ackerman@ sbcglobal. net . Please share this information with all your friends.

CELEBRATE WORLD COMMUNION THROUGH THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER FENCE

2008-09-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 5, 2:30 p.m., Friendship Park.

Experience the true meaning of World Communion Sunday as we break bread together and share the cup through the border fence. See Friendship Park, the historic meeting place slated for elimination by border fence construction. Meditation for peace begins at 2:30, followed by 3 p.m. interfaith communion with U.S. and Mexican clergy. Directions: from I-5, exit West on Dairy Mart Road. Dairy Mart turns into Monument Road, which leads to Border Field State Park ($5 per vehicle on entrance). Valid U.S. identification required.

“COMUNIÓN ECUMÉNICA” EN LA LÍNEA INTERNACIONAL. Domingo, 5 de octubre, 2:30 PM, Playas de Tijuana, Parque de la Amistad.
El gobierno estadounidense planea eliminar el pasaje público al lado norte del famoso Parque de la Amistad. Por esta razón, nos vamos a reunir en la línea internacional el día 5 de octubre, lo cual se celebra como “Domingo de Comunión Mundial.” Nos reuniremos en silencio a las 2:30 PM, y a las 3 PM se dará una comunión ecuménica. Por medio de este acto sencillo y humilde ofreceremos un testimonio poderoso e impactante. ¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!

Auxiliado por/Sponsored by: American Friends Service Committee; Border Angels/Angeles de la Frontera; Border Meet Up Group; Center for Justice & Reconciliation, PLNU; Foundation for Change; St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral; Sí Se Puede Immigrant Rights Organization; Sweetwater Zen Center.

¡Todos y todas son bienvenidos!

Info:

John Fanestil
Executive Director
Foundation for Change
www.foundation4change.org
(619) 692-0527

El Paso Protests Against the Border Wall

2008-09-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

We have completed another week of protests against the wall at the construction site, Yarbrough and Cesar Chavez Highway (also called Border Highway).Every day, more and more border people are joining our cause. On Wednesday October 1, 2008, at 6:30 p.m., we begin our campaign "ENOUGH! EVERYBODY AGAINST THE WALL!" with a vigil ceremony at the construction site. The meeting point is the park located at Yarbrough and Cesar Chavez Highway.The vigil will be lead by representatives of many faiths. We are inviting everybody to join us. Invite your relatives, friends and co-workers. Bring your signs and candles.We also continue protesting at the construction site every day from about 7 a.m. to about 8 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

ESPAÑOL
Hemos concluido una semana mas de protestas en contra del muro en el sitio de construcción, en la carretera Cesar Chavez (también conocida como Border Highway) y Yarbrough. Cada día, mas y mas gente se une a esta causa. El viernes 26 de octubre, mas de 30 personas participaron en la protesta de la tarde. Poco a poco estamos levantando un movimiento realmente de la comunidad en oposición al muro.Este miércoles 1 de octubre a las 6:30 de la tarde, empezamos nuestra campaña "YA BASTA! TOD@S CONTRA EL MURO!" con una ceremonia de vigilia en el mismo sitio de construccion. Nos juntaremos en el parque que se encuentra en la Yarbrough y carretera Cesar Chavez. Esta vigilia estará encabezada por representantes de distintas religiones. Estamos invitando a todo mundo a que nos acompañe a esta vigilia. Les pedimos además que inviten a sus familiares, amigos y colegas de trabajo. Traigan sus pancartas de protesta y velas.También continuamos protestando todos los dias en el sitio de construccion de como poco antes de las 7 a.m. a las 8 a.m. y de las 4:30 p.m. a las 6 p.m.Sientase libre de distribuir y hacerle cambios a este mensaje.For information/Para informacion hable al (915) 873-8933

Help us stop the construction of the border wall!

Currently, we have a permanent protest at the site where construction of the wall started on September 12. We are protesting at this place daily during the mornings and evenings and are committed to intensify our protests if they intensify their construction. We are confident that the construction of the wall can be stopped if we continue pressuring.

The proposed activities are:
October 1: Vigil at the construction site.October 12: Indigenous ceremony at construction site.
October 25: International Day of Action Against the Wall of Death.
October 26: Interfaith Action Against the Wall.November 2: Day of the Death at the border.
November 9: Celebration of the 19th Anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall.
November 27: No Thanks we Don't Want the Wall Day.December 18: Action for Justice for all Migrants That Died at the border.
January 1, 2009: Probable Joint Action at the border.
January 17, 2008: Human Action to Suspend the Construction of the Wall.

These are the proposed actions that still require work (and resources) for our campaign. At this point we are not making some of these actions public but we want to inform you about it to gain your support and participation. We will keep you informed of the details and developments of this campaign.

In solidarity, we send you fraternal greetings from the US-Mexico border.
Carlos Marentes

National Campaign Against the Border Wall: Activist Kits Available

2008-09-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

No Border Wall Coalition has developed two national campaigns designed to amplify the anti-wall message during the presidential campaign season. (See below for details.) We hope that these projects can help diverse groups and individuals unite and build a strong national movement against the border wall ahead of the new Congress and new administration.

We would appreciate your help publicizing and distributing materials and facilitating these initiatives. If you are interested, we can send you a kit that includes a slideshow presentation CD, project worksheets, and a border wall factsheet. The slideshow is a 12 minute overview of the border wall issue and covers the entire southern border. Please request materials from noborderwall@yahoo.com.

Here are descriptions of the campaigns:

National Letter Writing Campaign: This campaign is targeted to those groups working outside of the border region or to border groups for which the wall has not been a central focus. It consists of a Letter-Writing Campaign Kit, which we will send upon request. The kit contains a 12-minute slide presentation which is an overview of the damages that border walls cause or will cause and features compelling photos from all along the border (thanks to many of you), a factsheet, and a letter-writing worksheet. The ideal use for the kit is for groups to set aside 45 min to 1 hour in their meeting program to view the slideshow, discuss the issue and write letters to their US senators.

Border Wall Documentation Project: This campaign is designed to bring together all of the activist groups and individuals along the border for a single mission: to document the negative impacts of the border wall and border wall construction, as well as the abuse, neglect and incompetence of DHS, CBP and Border Patrol in its implementation of the border wall project. It calls upon border residents to bear witness to the destruction caused by the border wall and the abuse perpetrated by DHS and to report the destruction and abuse to Congress. Many border residents were able to document the potential damage of the border wall in their areas during the Environmental Impact Statement process. However, now that Chertoff has waived the laws, there is no longer any official process through which damages will be documented. What we would like to do with the border wall documentation project is reinstate such a process border-wide and compile documents for use in anti-wall lobbying efforts, Congressional hearings and lawsuits. If we get a good response, we might also be able to assemble an online database which could be useful well into the future, even in future efforts to bring down existing walls. Joining together for such an important project will also help us all get to know one another and other sympathetic border groups, create solidarity, and give us an opportunity to speak with one voice.

Border Ambassadors Sponsors March from Fort Hancock to El Paso August 27 - 31

2008-08-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Join the border people’s march to stop the building of the wall, August 27-31, 2008. Wednesday 27: Cultural event to start the march at 6 p.m., Fort Hancock.

Thursday 28: March to Alamo Alto.

Friday 29: March to Fabens with a community event in Tornillo.

Saturday 30: March to Socorro with a community event in San Elizario.

Sunday 31: March from Ysleta del Sur to El Paso.

A major disaster for wildlife and parks along the U.S.--Mexico border may soon become reality if concerned citizens can not rally enough support to stop the construction of 700 mile fence. On April 1, for the fourth time in the past 2 years, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff used his authority to waive more than 30 environmental laws to expedite building 370 miles worth of new fencing along the U.S. Mexico border, including 57 miles of continuous wire mesh fencing and 21 miles of high-powered lighting from El Paso downstream along the Rio Grande. Being faced with growing and unexpectedly fierce opposition, DHS is cutting every corner in an attempt to complete 700 miles worth of fencing before the Bush Administration is out of office.

If DHS moves forward with fence construction before proper environmental analysis is completed, there will be serious impacts to wildlife and their habitats in the borderland region, including areas such as the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Big Bend National Park, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Wildlife Refuge, and the Rio Grande near El Paso. Within these areas live a number of endangered and threatened species, including jaguar, Mexican black bear, ocelot, Gila monster, and Sonoran pronghorn. The Rio Grande is an extraordinarily important area for wildlife in the Chihuahuan Desert, and an important migratory flyway for birds. The proposed fence will block wildlife access and passage, and the proposed lights could adversely affect migratory birds.

We can't allow the DHS to continue down this path. We need a comprehensive approach to border security that addresses root causes, is effective, and does not cause harm to border wildlife and ecosystems.

Unfortunately, Congress is not likely to act in this election year without significant outside pressure. This is a states' rights issue as much as an environmental one. That's why we are calling on our members who live in border states to contact their governors.

Communion served through the border fence Sundays at Friendship Park

2008-08-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ever since I became a fan of Friendship Park, I’d heard stories about its official dedication as a California State Park in August, 1971, at which then-First Lady Pat Nixon presided. Some stories had her asking that the fence be cut so she could greet the Mexican children on the other side; others had her speaking openly about her wishes that someday there would be no fence at all.

I’ve refrained from spreading this story too widely, because I didn’t have good corroboration of it … until now. Visit the link below to read the remarkable story and SEE PHOTOS OF PATRICIA NIXON REACHING THROUGH WHAT WAS THEN A SIMPLE, BARBED-WIRE FENCE.

I never thought I’d say it, but I find myself following in Pat Nixon’s footsteps. I’m not planning on cutting the fence, mind you, but at 3 p.m. this Sunday – and at 3 p.m. on every Sunday until further notice – I plan to serve communion through the fence to anyone who wants to receive it. You are always welcome to join me. Just remember to bring $5 for vehicle admission to the park and papers documenting your citizenship or residency.

Here’s the link to the Pat Nixon story: http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=555f6a6f5b0c8684b9e0451c9d85f5b1.

DirectionsFrom I-5 Exit West on Dairy Mart Road /Dairy Mart Road turns into Monument Road /
Follow Monument Road to Park Entrance /
Follow road inside park to Friendship Plaza, overlooking the beach
IMPORTANTAdmission to park is $5 per vehicle.Valid U.S. identification may be required.Expired car registration may be subject to fine.

John Fanestil
Executive Director
Foundation for Change
www.foundation4change.org
(619) 692-0527

Encuentro Nical Tlaca in El Calaboz, Texas August 16

2008-08-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Encuentro Nical Tlaca in El Calaboz, Texas August 16

A Gathering among people of this Land.

Danza, Celebration, Refreshments,
Papel Picado Workshop, and the
breaking of our already famous wall piñata.

We claim our land, it was given to us by our ancestors, it is our land, no barriers between our people, we will fight the wall of shame until the end.

At Eloisa's Land, in el Calaboz, 23352 W Us Highway 281 (look for green balloons)
from 5pm till dusk.

For more info, please contact Ryan @ (956)203-6801 or Elizabeth @ (956)459-3205

Border Ambassadors March Opposing the Border Wall from Ft. Hancock to El Paso

2008-08-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Border Ambassadors is sponsoring a Peace and Unity March against the Border Wall in the Tigua region, from Fort Hancock to El Paso.

Here is a breakdown of the August 27-31protest march against the border wall.

August 27 (Wed). Kick off cultural event in Fort Hancock.August 28 (Thu). From Fort Hancock, walk to Alamo Alto. August 29 (Fri). From Alamo Alto, walk to Tornillo, hold community event. End in Fabens. August 30 (Sat).From Fabens, walk to San Elizario, hold community event. End in SanYsleta del Sur with the Tiguas community. August 31(Sun). Morning ceremony in San Ysleta del Sur .Then to El Paso. After arriving in El Paso, a bi-naional event will be held in Anapra, Chihuahua and Sundland Park, NM.

It was not many years ago that we called an "iron curtain" something immoral and inhumane, something that only cruel and hateful people would do to their fellow man, a product of a totalitarian enemy. So, from the Pacific Coast to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, from both sides of the border we invite all citizens of good will, organizations, faiths and media to join us in this peaceful and united protest against the border wall.

We can show solidarity in many ways. Join the march, forward this information, donate to the event, post the event on blogs, and encourage the media to not allow such an historic event to be suppressed at the national level. So, please feel free to join us and liberally share this information with others. In solidarity against the border wall.

For more information contact
Jay J. Johnson-Castro, Sr.
(830)768-0768
(830)734-8636 (cell)
jay@villadelrio.com
http://www.borderambassadors.com/

Save San Diego's Friendship Park from the Border Wall

2008-07-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

Friends and allies of the No Border Wall Coalition are sponsoring the following event:

You are invited to an Ecumenical Gathering to
Save Friendship Park
Sunday, August 3, 2 p.m.

The Department of Homeland Security plans to erect a triple fence across Friendship Park, where the international boundary meets the Pacific Ocean. Friends and families from San Diego and Tijuana have gathered for generations at this historic meeting place.Construction inside the Park begins the first week in August.

To express our opposition to the proposed construction, and to lament the ongoing militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border, we will gather at Friendship Park on Sunday, August 3 at 2 p.m. Religious attire and symbols are encouraged.All faith traditions are welcome at this ecumenical gathering. All will be invited to share in friendship, prayer and communion.

Religious leaders please RSVP to:Rosemary Johnston, rjohnston@interfait hshelter. org, 619-384-6852

University of Texas at El Paso to host Community Forum on the Border Fence / Wall

2008-07-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

The University of Texas at El Paso will coordinate a campus-community forum about the border fence/wall from 10 am until noon, Tuesday, July 15 in the Union Cinema, Union Building East, First Floor.

UTEP faculty member Josiah Heyman, professor of anthropology, will moderate the forum.

Panelists include Veronica Escobar, El Paso County Commissioner; Fernando Garcia, director of the Border Network for Human Rights; and Chief Victor Manjarrez, Jr. from the El Paso Border Patrol Sector. John Sproul, program coordinator/manager of the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, Center for Environmental Resource Management, has been invited to join the panel.

"It is of vital importance to our community that we discuss the Border Bence, also called te Border Wall, in an open and civil forum," Katleen Staudt, political science professor and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at UTEP, said. "Condtruction will have huge impacts on our economy, environment, and relationship with Mexico."

Each panelist will provide brief remarks. A short question-and-answer session will cap the event.

The program is free. Parking is available in the UTEP parking garage at Sun Bowl Drive and University Avenue.

Protest the Border Wall July 12 at the University of Texas Pan American in Edinburg, Texas

2008-07-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

What: A protest opposing the border wall at the University of Texas Pan American in Edinburg, Texas followed by a march on the Hidalgo County Commissioner’s Court

When: Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 5:00 pm

Where: Beginning at the University of Texas Pan American Student Ballroom

Saturday’s activities will begin at 5pm for a rally at the University of Texas Pan America Student Ballroom in Edinburg. Speakers will address the crowd from 5:15 until 6pm. Protesters will then march to the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court (at the corner of Closer and Cano). At the courthouse members of the community will have the opportunity to speak out against the wall. Their comments will be videotaped, and DVDs of their comments will be given to the Hidalgo County Commissioners. The County Commissioners, led by Hidalgo County Judge JD Salinas, have agreed to incorporate the border wall into the county’s flood control levees.

Initiated by the No Border Wall Coalition, the protest is meant to raise local and national awareness of the vast opposition to the wall because of its potential to divide border communities, destroy homes and farms, devastate unique ecosystems, damage border economies, and undermine our flood control levees. Also of concern is the impact the wall will have on the border area’s relationship with Mexico. Many view the wall as racist, as no wall is being built on the Canadian border.

In Hidalgo County, the border wall has been linked to levee repairs. While no one in the Valley disputes the fact that our levees need repair, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to take them over and make them into a border wall is a terrible idea. There have been no studies on the safety, effectiveness, and environmental impacts of a combined levee/ border wall.

According to the No Border Wall Coalition, repairing the levees could require only three feet of earth and caliche in many places, while the levee/wall project calls for a solid 16 foot wall of concrete, the costs of which will ultimately be borne by Valley taxpayers. Initial estimates that levee-walls would cost $5 million per mile have ballooned to $12 million per mile, with Hidalgo County paying over $200 million in construction costs rather than $48 million. Rather than flood control, repairing the levees has become a means for the Department of Homeland Security to build piecemeal walls that do not match up with the section of the levees that are in need of repair.

The costs go beyond monetary for this region. DHS has initiated condemnation proceedings against hundreds of private landowners along the border. U.S. homes, farms, ranches, and businesses lie either in the path of the wall or on land that will be behind it, cut off from the rest of this country. Along the Rio Grande, a natural border in and of itself, farmers and ranchers could be prevented from accessing irrigation water. The wall is set to go through and literally divide the campus of the University of Texas in Brownsville. Firefighters and emergency crews will have difficulty reaching homes and people on the south side of the wall. Our community will be divided, not just from Mexico, but from neighbors and from free access to the river.

The levee-border wall will also do tremendous damage to the environment of the Rio Grande Valley. The first two sections of combined levee-border wall will bisect parts of the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge. They will destroy habitat that is critical to the endangered species and migratory birds that bring $125 million in ecotourism to the area each year.

Community Forum Against the Border Wall in Weslaco, Texas June 26

2008-06-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 26
7:00 pm
South Texas College, WeslacoBuilding G
Weslaco, Texas

Speakers include:

Meredith Linsky: Immigration attorney in Harlingen specializing in deportation defenseMartin Hagne: Environmental advocate, Executive Director of the Valley Nature Center

Disregarding all opposition, the Department of Homeland Security plans to begin construction of the Border Wall in Hidalgo County on July 25, 2008. Immigrant rights activists, environmentalists, labor rights fighters, and other concerned citizens who believe in human rights are planning this forum to educate, discuss and, most importantly, build opposition to the border wall, which is against the will and interests of the people of the Rio Grande Valley.

The Border Wall is immoral, racist, repressive, and threatens the natural environment for people and wildlife. It also threatens the cultural environment; the militarization of the border has social implications throughout the United States and internationally. The choice to begin rapid construction on the Wall and to waive environmental and all other legal protections, potentially weakens the structural integrity of the regional levee system during hurricane season, threatening to create a Hurricane Katrina-type catastrophe. We are holding this forum in conjunction with a series of public rallies and events to broaden opposition to the Wall. This will allow the community to become better informed about the real stakes in this struggle, to hold our elected officials and so-called “representatives” accountable, and to allow a public arena for discussion, debate, outrage and planning action. Come to the forum and share your ideas, opinions, questions, and thoughts.

For more information, call (956)246-8193 or e-mail standinsolidarity@yahoo.com.

June 1 Vigils Opposing the Border Wall in California and Texas

2008-05-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Full-scale construction of new border fencing has begun in San Diego/Tijuana, and is scheduled to begin in Hidalgo this July. In response, a coalition of community-based organizations will be convening a vigil on June 1 from 3 – 5 pm at Friendship Park in San Diego where the border fence meets the Pacific Ocean; at Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park at 7:30 pm; and at Hope Park in Brownsville, Texas at 7:30 pm. These "Friendship to Hope" gatherings at either end of the 1900-mile border will serve as the vigils' symbolic anchors. The vigil is called "From Friendship To Hope – Gathering for the Future of the U.S.-Mexico Border."

San Diego, California – Friendship Park:

All people of good will are invited to a Vigil this Sunday, June 1 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Border Field State Park . We will gather at " Friendship Park ," a celebrated meeting place for the peoples of the San Diego/Tijuana region that is threatened by DHS plans for triple-fencing the border. Directions to Border Field State Park can be found at: http://www.bordermeetup.org/pages/directions.html

Big Bend National Park, Texas – Santa Elena Canyon:

We invite people of good will in Big Bend to gather for our local "Friendship to Hope" vigil June 1 at 7 pm. The entrance fee to BBNP is $20 per car, $10 for seniors. Carpooling is recommended. We will be gathering on the shore of the Rio Grande nearest to the parking lot at Santa Elena Canyon. Please wear appropriate walking footwear, and bring a candle and your own water/snacks. Call Adrienne Evans at (432) 371-2725 for more details.

Brownsville, Texas - Hope Park:

THE COALITION OF AMIGOS IN SOLIDARITY & ACTION (CASA) will sponsor the vigil on Sunday, June 1ST, 7:30PM at HOPE PARK IN BROWNSVILLE (E. 12th Street and E. St. Charles Street).

Protest El Paso's Sham "Community Forums" on the Border Wall

2008-05-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

Border walls are currently under construction in the El Paso sector, but the Border Patrol claims that they want to hear from the public. Just because they have no intention of making any changes to their plans apparently doesn’t mean that they are not ready to listen. According to the Border Patrol agent given the thankless task of staffing their “SBI Information Hotline” ( 1-866-215-6551 ) public comments received at “Community Forums” will be compiled in after action reports and passed along to the El Paso Sector Chief. They will NOT be released to the public or the press.

Since the public comments received at the “Community Forums” will be lost in a bureaucratic black hole, we need to make our voices heard outside these events. Protest outside and let the Border Patrol, the press, and the rest of the public know that we do not want a border wall. Make it clear that sham “Community Forums” are not enough. Let them know that asking for comments about a wall that is already under construction is a bad joke. Tell the press that this is nothing more than a cynical attempt by DHS Secretary Chertoff to pretend that there is public input so that he can get construction funds from Congressional Appropriations Committees. Send the message that we are not falling for it.

While you can carry signs and banners outside, they probably will not be allowed inside. If you choose to go in and give a comment wear a No Border Wall t-shirt. You can order one from
http://www.cafepress.com/noborderwall
and all proceeds go to the fight to stop the border wall.

Here are the times and locations for the “El Paso Sector Border Patrol SBI Community Forums”:

May 24
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Chamizal National Memorial Park
800 S. San Marcial St.

May 27
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
El Paso Community College
9050 Viscount Blvd.
Administrative Services Center

May 31
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
El Paso Community College
Mission Del Campo Campus
10700 Gateway East

If you want to know what to expect inside, read the following article describing one in Arizona:
Border fence plans subject of feds' open house in Arizona
Arizona Daily Star May 14 2008

The Omnibus Spending Bill requires that DHS Secretary Chertoff convince the Appropriations Committees that he is listening to public input before they will release the funds that he needs to build the border wall. These meetings are nothing more than a cynical attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of members of Congress. Show him that we are not fooled!

Big Bend Border Wall Conference in Alpine, TX - May 17th

2008-05-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

ReViva Collective is hosting a Big Bend Border Wall Conference in Alpine, TX Saturday May 17th at the Alpine Civic Center, 801 W. Holland, from 9:00am until 6:00pm. For more information contact ReViva Collective at revivacollective@ gmail.com or 432-837-5736.

The purpose of the Big Bend Border Wall Conference is to bring together perspectives and information about the construction of the Texas-Mexico border wall, as defined by the Secure Fence Act. Conference speakers will include Dr. Mark Saka who will be speak on the the Economic and Social Origins of Increased Mexican Migration to the United States, Border Patrol Chief John Sietana and Deputy Carry Huffman who will give a presentation on the proposed plan for the border wall in the Marfa sector, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid who will be available to advise landowners, Enrique Madrid who will present a discussion on the militarization of the border, Nat Stone who will speak on how inequitable water distribution between the United States and Mexico has compromised Mexican ranching and agriculture, and consequently reduced security on both sides of the border, and Bill Addington who will speak on environmental issues and the importance of community organization. In addition, two organized strategy planning sessions will be held along with a screening offootage documenting the history of the border wall and the people resisting it. There will also be a puppet show and a wall shaped pinata!

Submit written testimony to the Congressional Field Hearing on the Border Wall

2008-05-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

On April 28 a Congressional Field Hearing was held in Brownsville, Texas. Titled Walls and Waivers: Expedited Construction of the Southern Border Wall and the Collateral Impacts on Communities and the Environment, it was intended to investigate the impacts that the border wall will have on border communities if it is constructed. Brownsville Diocese Bishop Reymundo Pena, Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster, and many other border residents testified, explaining the damage that a border wall would cause to the assembled members of Congress. The committee will continue to accept written testimony until May 16th. This is an important opportunity to inform members of Congress, and to ensure that our voices become part of the official record. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff has announced that since he waived the National Environmental Policy Act there will be no Final Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements, and it is unclear what will happen to the hundreds of public comments that they received. That makes the comments submitted to members of Congress in connection to the field hearing even more important.

Here are the guidelines for written submissions to the U.S.Congressional field hearing record. They need to be in by Friday, May 16th.

1. Head your comments with the hearing name and date: Walls and Waivers: Expedited Construction of the Southern Border Wall and the Collateral Impacts on Communities and the Environment, April 28, 2008.

2. Do not exceed 10 pages.

3. No cover page is needed, although your name, title, and the organization that you represent (if you have one), should also be stated at the beginning of your testimony.

4. Please use typed single-space letter-size (8½ x 11) white paper.

5. Send via the postal service as they are not equipped to handle mass amounts of e-mail. The mailing address is:
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

6. If you submit attachments or exhibits to your testimony please include them as separate items at the end of your testimony. If attachments are more than 10 pages (in addition to your original testimony) or on paper larger than 8½ x 11, we will not accept them for printing. Instead, you should paraphrase or quote as needed. If including charts, tables, maps, or photographs, they should be included on separate pages, not within the text of a page.

7. THINGS TO AVOID: Underlining, footnotes, capitalization of the whole document or solid blocks of text.

Write Congress to Protest Chertoff's Waiver of Laws on the Border!

2008-04-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Invoking the power granted by the Real ID Act to waive any law that he sees fit to build walls on the border, DHS Secretary Chertoff has suspended 36 federal laws. This allows him to begin border wall construction immediately, regardless of the damage that they will do to communities and the environment. Homes will be bulldozed, farms will be sliced in half, and endnagered species will be driven to extinction. The Real ID Act makes a mockery of the notion of the rule of law.

We must flood Congress with calls, letters, and emails demanding that they immediately repeal section 102 of the Real ID Act and rescind the waivers that Chertoff has issued.

Contact you Representative today and let them know that since they enacted the Real ID Act, it is up to them to repeal it and undo the damage. You can contact House members using the House of Representatives website:

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

Contact your US Senators and let them know that they too bear responsibility for undermining the rule of law, and must act immediately to repeal section 102 of the Real ID Act. You can contact your Senators using the Senate's website:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The No Border Wall Coalition will be sending the following letter to members of Congress. Feel free to quote or paraphrase from it when you call or write your elected representatives.

############################

Representative,

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has “waived in their entirety” 36 federal laws along the entire United States southern border from San Diego, California to Brownsville, Texas. This represents an unprecedented abuse of authority on Secretary Chertoff’s part, and clearly demonstrates the need for an immediate repeal of section 102 of the Real ID Act.

Obeying the law is not voluntary, it is mandatory, and Secretary Chertoff cannot legitimately claim to be sweeping aside a host of laws on the border in defense of immigration laws. In a nation of laws all laws must be respected, not just those that are convenient.

Equal protection under the law is meant to be a fundamental right shared by every American, but the Real ID Act makes the legal rights of citizens who live near the border conditional on Secretary Chertoff’s whims. Section 102 of the Real ID Act of 2005 states, “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall have the authority to waive all legal requirements such Secretary, in such Secretary’s sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section.” No one else is granted this extreme power under any circumstance. The President cannot waive our nation’s laws even in times of national crisis, and Secretary Chertoff cannot waive the laws that protect citizens who live away from the border. Only border residents may have their legal protections waived.

The only reason for Secretary Chertoff to waive these laws is because he knows that construction of the border wall will break them. In announcing the Real ID Act waivers Secretary Chertoff said, "Criminal activity at the border does not stop for endless debate or protracted litigation." The waivers are an admission that the border wall will itself violate these 36 federal laws, making construction of the wall a criminal act. If Chertoff is genuinely concerned with criminal activity he should ensure that the agency that he oversees complies with the law. Instead, by setting these 36 federal laws aside, Secretary Chertoff sets himself above the law.

Congress must not allow unchecked power to remain in the hands of an unelected administration appointee. As James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers, “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands… may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” Allowing one man to overrule laws passed by Congress and signed by the President for the express intent of circumventing judicial oversight is un-American.

The No Border Wall Coalition calls on Congress to repeal section 102 of the Real ID Act and restore the rule of law. The waivers already written must be rescinded so that citizens whose only offense is the location of their homes may again be afforded the full protection of all of our nation’s laws. In passing the Real ID Act Congress created this situation, and it is now up to Congress to remedy it.

Join the No Border Wall Walk from March 8 to March 16

2008-03-01T07:19:00.000-08:00

From March 8th to March 16th, marchers will follow the route of the proposed Border Wall from Roma, Texas to Brownsville, Texas. According to the Department of Homeland Security construction on this portion of the wall, which will be made up of 21 sections that will total 70 miles, will begin in the Spring.

Border Ambassadors will be walking 120 miles to protest the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and to advocate for immigration reform. This nonviolent demonstration will pass through the communities of the Rio Grande Valley which will be affected by a Border Wall. There will be transportation out to the beginning in Roma generously offered by Saint Joseph’s Academy in Brownsville, and food/lodging will be provided by local churches and community centers along the way.

Already students, teachers, professionals, and faith leaders have signed up for this walk. If you are interested in becoming a part of this social justice movement, for a mile or a day or the whole thing, please follow this link to the sign-up website at http://www.mysignup.com/noborderwallwalk

March 8- SATURDAY- Roma to Rio Grande City
March 9- SUNDAY- Rio Grande City to La Grulla
March 10-MONDAY- La Grulla to La Joya
March 11- TUESDAY- La Joya to La Lomita
March 12-WEDNESDAY- La Lomita to Las Milpas
March 13- THURSDAY- Las Milpas to Progreso
March 14- FRIDAY- Progreso to Los Indios
March 15- SATURDAY- Los Indios to Ranchito
March 16- SUNDAY- Ranchito to Brownsville

For more information go to http://smartborders.wordpress.com/walls-are-for-weather-not-neighbors/

March 1 Laredo Texas Protest Against the Border Wall

2008-02-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

PROTEST AGAINT THE BORDER WALL
SATURDAY
MARCH 1, 2008
LAREDO, TEXAS

8:45 AM
SAN AGUSTINE PLAZA
MARCH STARTS FROM HERE
RALLY AT THE END OF THE MARCH AT AMERICAS INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE

CONTACT: FABIOLA FLORES 512-619-9491 CELL

PROTESTA CONTRA EL MURO FRONTERIZO
SABADO
1 DE MARZO, 2008-02-28 LAREDO, TEXAS

8:45 AM
PLAZA SAN AGUSTINE
MARCHA SALE DE ALLI
MITIN AL FINAL DE LA MARCHA EN EL PUENTE INTERNACIONAL DE LAS AMERICAS

PARA INFO CONTACTE: FABIOLA FLORES 512-619-9491 CELL

ATENTAMENTE,

RUBEN SOLIS
SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION
SAN ANTONIO, TX 210 378 5699 CELL

Border Ambassadors Sponsors the March For March Four

2008-02-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

Border Ambassadors is sponsoring the March 4 March 4 to force the presidential candidates to address the issue of the border wall. Senators Clinton, Obama, and McCain all voted for the Secure Fence Act, but now they are vying for the votes of south Texas residents in the March 4th primary. The March 4 March 4 is a 7-day 63-mile walk from Brownsville, Texas to La Lomita Chapel in Mission, Texas. It will start on February 25 and end on March 2 at La Lomita. Passing through El Calaboz and Granjeno, this protest walk/march is scheduled to impact the March 4 Texas primary.

MARCH 4 MARCH 4 SCHEDULE:

Feb. 25th, 10:00 AM
Begin at the University of Texas at Brownsville
Finish at FM 1421

Feb. 26th, 10:00 AM
Begin at FM 1421 and Hwy 281 intersection
Finish at FM 1429
Return to St. Ignatius Catholic Church in El Calaboz for a screening of "The Ballad of Ezequiel Hernandez"

Feb. 27th, 10:00 AM
Begin FM 1429
Finish FM 491

Feb. 28th, 10:00 AM
Begin FM 491
Finish FM 493

Feb. 29th, 10:00 AM
Begin FM 493
Finish in the community of Las Milpas

March 1, 10:00 AM
Begin in the community of las Milpas
Finish in Granjeno

March 2, 10:00 AM
Begin in Granjeno
Finish at the La Lomita Chapel, Mission, TX

For more information go to http://www.borderambassadors.com/ or call Sarah at 830-768-1100.

Winter Texans 'Deputized' to Help Spread the Word that Texas Does Not Need a Border Wall

2008-01-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BORDERAMBASSADORS.com
TO "DEPUTIZE" WINTER TEXANS
McAllen, TX January 28, 2008 All Winter Texans in the Valley are invited to a `party party' at Pepe's Bar and Grill on the Rio Grande from two until five p.m. this Saturday, February 2, 2008. Jeff Reed of Pepe's and BorderAmbassadors.com are hosting the event to `deputize' attendees as BorderAmbassadors to return home and urge their friends, neighbors and relatives to stand with them and Valley residents against `the wall.' According to Reed, musical entertainment will begin as early at 1 p.m. The `party party' will include numerous door prize drawings and area politicos and citizens will answer attendees' questions about the lack of need for a Wall to separate Texas from Mexico.

BorderAmbassadors.com was founded by Jay Johnson-Castro of Del Rio to campaign against construction of the wall as well as to promote tourism and economic growth on the Border. Its membership stretches from Brownsville to El Paso and on to the California coast.

"By deputizing the Winter Texans, who love the ambiance of the Rio Grande Valley, we will have ambassadors all over the U.S. dispelling the un-truths that are being told by many of the talk show hosts and TV commentators," stated Johnson-Castro. We support the actions of our elected officials and landowners who refuse to bow to the heavy-handed tactics of the DHS," he continued. "However, this `party party' is primarily about the camaraderie that Texans enjoy with our great winter visitors."

For more information, call Sarah Boone at 830-768-1100 before 1/31/08.On or after 1/31/08, call Jay Johnson-Castro at 830-768-0768 or cell, 830-734-8636.

Submit Comments on New Border Walls in San Diego, El Paso, Tucson, Yuma, and Marfa

2008-01-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

Ignoring the growing opposition to the construction of walls along the border, DHS Secretary Chertoff is pushing for hundreds of miles to be built in 2008. This despite the fact that Chertoff himself said back in July,

"Fencing is not the cure-all for the problem at the border. I think the fence has come to assume a certain kind of symbolic significance which should not obscure the fact that it is a much more complicated problem than putting up a fence which someone can climb over with a ladder or tunnel under with a shovel.”

Instead of searching for substantive solutions to border issues, Chertoff is plowing ahead with the hollow symbol of the wall. To quickly lay the groundwork the Department of Homeland Security has once again hired a private contractor, e2M, to sell the wall. In the past month they have issued a steady stream of reports that are intended to give the impression that the environmental and societal impacts of the wall have been thoroughly evaluated, and that the National Environmental Policy Act is being complied with. One of the requirements of NEPA is public input and openness, so brief public comment periods have been established for each sector's report. It is vital that they hear from us, as our comments will become part of the official public record. DHS has recently taken to lying to Congress and the press about the inclusion of public input into the border wall process. A flood of comments opposing the wall will make it more difficult for them to lie about public support for the border wall.

Below is the information needed to access and comment upon each of the newly released reports.

San Diego, California
4 miles will be added to the existing wall.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available at http://www.borderfencenepa.com/san-diego-sector-eis/
To submit a public comment:
Electronically through this website: SAN DIEGO SECTOR EIS COMMENT FORM
By email to: SDcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
By mail to: San Diego Sector Tactical Infrastructure EIS, c/o e²M, 2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, Virginia 22031
By Fax to: (757) 257-7643
The public comment period ends February 11, 2008

Also near San Diego, California
30 more miles of wall will be built.
The Draft Environmental Assessment is available at
http://www.borderfencenepa.com/san-diego-sector-ea/
To submit a public comment:
By email to: SDEAcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
By mail to: San Diego Sector Tactical Infrastructure EA, c/o Gulf South Research Corporation, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70820
By Fax to: (225) 761-8077
The public comment period ends February 5, 2008

In El Paso, Texas
24.5 miles of wall will be built.
The Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment is available at
http://www.borderfencenepa.com/el-paso-sector-sea/
To submit a public comment:
By email to: DSEAcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
By mail to: El Paso Sector, Deming Station, Tactical Infrastructure SEA, c/o Gulf South Research Corporation, 8081 GSRI Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820
By Fax to: (225) 761-8077
The public comment period ends February 16, 2008

In Tucson, Arizona
7.6 miles of new wall will be built.
The Draft Environmental Assessment is available at
http://www.borderfencenepa.com/tucson-sector-ea/
To submit a public comment:
Attend and submit comments at the public open house to be held 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on January 31, 2008 at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 South Church Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85701
Electronically through the Web site at: http://www.borderfencenepa.com/
By email to: TSEAcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
By mail to: Tucson Sector Tactical Infrastructure EA, c/o Gulf South Research Corporation, 8081 GSRI Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820
By Fax to: (225) 761-8077
The public comment period ends February 16, 2008.

Near Yuma, Arizona
14 miles of wall will be built.
The Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment is available at
http://www.borderfencenepa.com/yuma-sector-sea/
To submit a public comment:
Attend and submit comments at the public open house to be held 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on January 30, 2008 at the Shilo Inn Hotel, 1550 South Castle Dome Avenue, Yuma, Arizona 85365, (928) 782-9511
Electronically through the Web site at: http://www.borderfencenepa.com/
By email to: YSEAcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
By mail to: Yuma Sector Tactical Infrastructure SEA, c/o Gulf South Research Corporation, 8081 GSRI Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820
By Fax to: (225) 761-8077
The public comment period ends February 20, 2008

Near Marfa, Texas
11 miles of wall will be built.
The Draft Environmental assessment is available at
http://www.borderfencenepa.com/marfa-sector-ea/
To submit a public comment (if you missed the January 23rd protest):
Electronically through the Web site at: MARFA SECTOR EA COMMENT FORM
By email to: MScomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
By mail to: Marfa Sector Tactical Infrastructure EA, c/o e²M, 2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, Virginia 22031
By fax to: (757) 299-8444
The public comment period ends February 6, 2008.

Protest the Border Wall in Marfa, Texas on January 23

2008-01-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

We invite all those in Big Bend who believe the river should unite us with Mexico and its citizens rather than dividing us to join in a press confernce and peaceful demonstration against the Border Wall on January 23, 2008, at 3:30 p.m. on the public sidewalk adjacent to the Paisano Hotel in Marfa, Texas.

Following the BIG BEND NO BORDER WALL COALITION press conference, Homeland Security will have an Open House in the Paisano Hotel which is hosted by their contracting environmental out-sourcing company.

To read the Draft Environmental Assessment on the Border Wall in Marfa, Texas, go to the website of the private contractor hired by the Department of Homeland Security:
http://www.borderfencenepa.com/marfa-sector-ea

Del Rio, Texas Border Wall Public Comment Period Open Until February 5

2008-01-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

The Department of Homeland Security has announced that 4 miles of new border wall (or border fence, or tactical infrastructure) will be built near Del Rio, Texas beginning in the Spring of 2008. A Draft Environmental Assessment has been released, and public comments will be accepted through February 5th, 2008.

The Draft Environmental Assessment for the Del Rio Sector is available for download at. http://www.borderfencenepa.com/del-rio-sector-ea/ . A paper copy may be requested as well.

You can submit a public comment on the Del Rio, Texas border wall in one of the following ways:

a) Attend and submit comments at the public open house to be held 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time on January 24, 2008 at the at the Ramada Inn-Del Rio, 2101 Veterans Boulevard, Del Rio, Texas 78840.
b) Electronically through the Web site at: http://www.borderfencenepa.com/
c) By email to: DRcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.comd) By mail to: Del Rio Sector Tactical Infrastructure EA, c/o e²M, 2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, Virginia 22031
e) By Fax to: (757) 299-4101

When submitting comments, please include name and address, and identify comments as intended for the Del Rio Sector Draft EA.

All submitted comments are supposed to become a part of the public record. To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act the Final Environmental Assessment should include responses to the public comments that are received.

In fiscal 2007 the Del Rio Sector, where there has never been a wall, saw a 45% drop in apprehensions of border crossers. In contrast, the San Diego sector, where there has been a wall for over a decade, saw a 7% increase. DHS has yet to explain the rationale for importing this failed and expensive project from San Diego to Del Rio, where they seem to be having great success without it.

It is especially important that the public comment on the Del Rio Draft EA because it is a fundamentally flawed document that in no way meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The most glaring deficiency is its description of the purpose for carrying out the proposed action. Rather than establishing national security or the reduction of illegal activity as the purpose, the Draft EA states,

“The purpose of the Proposed Action is to increase border security within USBP Del Rio Sector through the construction, operation, and maintenance of tactical infrastructure in the form of fences, roads, and supporting technological and tactical assets.” (1.2 - 4)

The “proposed action” is described as follows:

“CBP proposes to construct, operate, and maintain tactical infrastructure consisting of primary pedestrian fence; concrete retaining wall; and associated patrol and access roads, and lights along two discrete areas of the U.S./Mexico international border in the USBP Del Rio Sector, Texas” (1.3 – 5)

If the purpose and the proposed action are one and the same - the construction, operation, and maintenance of “tactical infrastructure” - then by definition no other alternatives will be able to achieve the stated purpose. “Additional USBP Agents in Lieu of Tactical Infrastructure” may in fact be highly effective at preventing unauthorized entries into the United States, but because it is “in Lieu of Tactical Infrastructure” it will never bring about the stated goal of “the construction, operation, and maintenance of tactical infrastructure.” The same holds true for all of the other “Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Detailed Analysis.” In each case, the phrase “in Lieu of Tactical Infrastructure” is attached, so by definition none will align with the stated purpose. This is a clear violation of the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations.

The private contractor hired by the Department of Homeland Security is apparently more interested in pleasing their employer than complying with NEPA. Instead of producing misleading document with a predetermined outcome, they should go back to the drawing board and produce an unbiased assessment of the environmental and cultural impacts that the border wall will have. A project of this magnitude requires a full Environmental Impact Statement rather than a far less rigorous Environmental Assessment. In either case, the final document should provide objective information rather than a sales pitch.

It is crucial that everyone with these and other concerns about the border wall submit them in writing. The Department of Homeland Security will interpret silence as a lack of interest.

California Border Wall Public Comment Period Open Until January 24

2008-01-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Department of Homeland Security has announced that 44.6 miles of new border wall (or border fence, or tactical infrastructure) will be built near Calexico, California beginning in the Spring of 2008. A Draft Environmental Assessment has been released, and public comments will be accepted through January 24th, 2008.

The Draft Environmental Assessment for the El Centro Sector is available for download at http://www.borderfencenepa.com/el-centro-sector-ea/ . A paper copy may be requested as well.

You can submit a public comment on the California border wall in one of the following ways:

(a) Attendance and submission of comments at the Pubic Open House to be held on January 9 2008 at the Imperial Valley Expo, 200 East Second Street, in Imperial, California.
(b) Electronically through the web site at: http://www.borderfencenepa.com/
(c) By email to: ECcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
(d) By mail to: El Centro Sector Tactical Infrastructure EA, c/o e²M, 2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, Virginia 22031
(e) By fax to: (757) 299-5585

When submitting comments, please include name and address, and identify comments as intended for the El Centro Sector Draft EA.

All submitted comments are supposed to become a part of the public record. To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act the Final Environmental Assessment should include responses to the public comments that are received.

It is especially important that the public comment on the El Centro Draft EA because it is a fundamentally flawed document that in no way meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The most glaring deficiency is its description of the purpose for carrying out the proposed action. Rather than establishing national security or the reduction of illegal activity as the purpose, the Draft EA states,

“The purpose of the Proposed Action is to increase border security within USBP El Centro Sector through the construction, operation, and maintenance of tactical infrastructure in the form of fences, roads, and supporting technological and tactical assets.” (ES-1)

The “proposed action” is described as follows:

“CBP proposes to construct, operate, and maintain tactical infrastructure consisting of four discrete sections of primary pedestrian fence, lighting, and roads; one section of lighting; and access roads along the U.S. / Mexico International Border in the USBP El Centro Sector, California.” (1.3 – 3)

If the purpose and the proposed action are one and the same - the construction, operation, and maintenance of “tactical infrastructure” - then by definition no other alternatives will be able to achieve the stated purpose. “Additional USBP Agents in Lieu of Tactical Infrastructure” (2.3.1 – 6) may in fact be highly effective at preventing unauthorized entries into the United States, but because it is “in Lieu of Tactical Infrastructure” it will never bring about the stated goal of “the construction, operation, and maintenance of tactical infrastructure.” The same holds true for all of the other “Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Detailed Analysis.” In each case, the phrase “in Lieu of Tactical Infrastructure” is attached, so by definition none will align with the stated purpose. This is a clear violation of the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations.

The private contractor hired by the Department of Homeland Security is apparently more interested in pleasing their employer than complying with NEPA. Instead of producing misleading document with a predetermined outcome, they should go back to the drawing board and produce an unbiased assessment of the environmental and cultural impacts that the border wall will have. A project of this magnitude requires a full Environmental Impact Statement rather than a far less rigorous Environmental Assessment. In either case, the final document should provide objective information rather than a sales pitch.

It is crucial that everyone with these and other concerns about the border wall submit them in writing. The Department of Homeland Security will interpret silence as a lack of interest.

Call for Public Comments About the Border Wall in Texas

2007-12-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is accepting public comments about the Rio Grande Valley “Tactical Infrastructure” Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). (Guide to the EIS is below.)

Submit your comments by December 31, 2007 in one of the following ways:
a) Electronically through the website at http://www.borderfencenepa.com/
b) By email to: RGVcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com
c) By mail to: Rio Grande Valley Tactical Infrastructure EIS, c/o e²M, 2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, Virginia 22031
d) By fax to: (757) 282-7697
**Be sure to include your name and address**

What is an Environmental Impact Statement?

Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) are required by the National Environmental Policy Act “for all major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.” An EIS must fully describe the environment of a project area, consider a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action, and conduct a thorough impacts analysis for each alternative. The Draft EIS, by law, must determine and consider the effect of 70 miles of border walls on the human environment as well as the natural environment.

Although the border wall is an enormous project that is certain to damage the communities and natural areas of the Rio Grande Valley, the Draft EIS is a hastily-written document with glaring omissions and unfounded assertions. It is based on only 7 days of on-the-ground survey work. In addition, no biological, cultural, or engineering surveys have yet been conducted on the 14 national wildlife refuge tracts slated to get walls. In short, the Draft EIS is putting the cart before the horse in promoting the border wall as the preferred alternative before even bothering to fully study the impacts of the border wall or alternatives to the wall.

Use the following information from the “Tactical Infrastructure” Draft EIS to guide your comments:

Alternatives to the wall were not seriously considered in the Draft EIS:
· By law the Draft EIS must consider alternatives to the proposed project. However, the document rejects a number of alternatives to building the border wall, including increasing the number of Border Patrol agents or using “virtual fencing,” without any indication that they were seriously considered or evaluated.
· The Draft EIS implies that the required “No Action Alternative” means doing nothing and dismisses it out of hand. However, taking “no action” in this case means the continuation of current Border Patrol operations which have been highly successful. In fiscal year 2007 these led to a decrease in apprehensions of 34% in the Rio Grande Valley, dropping apprehensions to their lowest level in 15 years.
· The Draft EIS wrongly assumes that border walls are effective. They are not. The Congressional Research Service found that the wall in San Diego “did not have a discernible impact on the influx of unauthorized aliens coming across the border.” Indeed, fiscal year 2007 apprehensions increased by 7% in San Diego, where they have triple-layer fencing.

The wall’s effect on flood risk does not appear to have been seriously studied in the Draft EIS:
· The steel mesh used for the wall is treated in the Draft EIS as permeable to water. In a flooding event, even a standard chain link fence becomes clogged with debris and blocks the flow of water. The photographs included show a mesh that is far tighter than standard chain link, which will certainly become clogged with debris during any flooding event.
· The words “hurricane” and “tropical storm” do not appear even once in the Draft EIS, despite the fact that the Rio Grande Valley is located in a hurricane zone.
· The Draft EIS found that the border wall’s impact on water flow in the Rio Grande Basin is expected to be “negligible,” but they do not cite any hydrological studies to back up this claim. Nor do they take into account the existing problems of the flood-control levee system along the river. With no studies to model whether a border wall would channel flood waters, the Department of Homeland Security is recklessly endangering lives and property in the event of a hurricane or torrential rain.

When considering the wall’s effect on wildlife habitat and endangered species, the Draft EIS does not address crucial issues:
· The Draft EIS concludes that “the conversion of 508 acres to support tactical infrastructure is a minimal cumulative impact compared to other development” (Section 5.11). This narrow focus is misleading, as placing a barrier across a tract of wildlife habitat will have a negative impact far beyond the acreage on which the wall sits.
· The border wall will bisect many national wildlife refuge tracts; many others will have their northern border walled off. The walls will prevent wildlife dispersal to and from the river and block north-south travel corridors. This fragmentation undermines the integrity of the wildlife corridor, a series of land tracts meant to allow wildlife travel along the river. Further, refuge personnel will be unable to properly manage wildlife habitat, as fighting wildfires or controlling prescribed burns will be too dangerous behind walls.
· The border wall will deny wildlife access to the river, in many places the only water source, and the Draft EIS does not address this at all. Many tracts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge will be severed from the river. Such tracts were purchased and incorporated into the National Wildlife Refuge System because their river access made them valuable habitat.
· The Draft EIS claims that 150-175 acres of habitat suitable for the federally endangered ocelot and jaguarundi will be destroyed. It does not address the fact that the wall will separate populations of these endangered cats, preventing them from finding mates. Reducing their genetic diversity will increase the likelihood of their extinction. In addition, there are approximately 20 other federally threatened and endangered species in the RGV that could be adversely impacted.
· Extensive nighttime flood lighting will be associated with the wall segments, but there is no thorough analysis of the possible impacts of this on wildlife.
· There is no analysis of the possible impacts to wildlife of the roads associated with the walls.
· The proposed “wildlife migratory portals,” tiny vertical slots only a couple of inches wide, represent a purely token effort at wildlife mitigation. Animals larger than a cockroach or a starving field mouse will be unable to pass through the wall to reach water or mates.

The Draft EIS seems intent on ignoring the Migratory Bird Treaty Act:
· The Draft EIS states that construction of the border wall is planned for the Spring of 2008 and due to continue until the end of the year. However, it also contains a recommendation that “any groundbreaking construction activities should be performed before migratory birds have returned (approx. March 1) or after all young have fledged (approx. July 31) to avoid incidental take” (Section 4.9.3.2). This recommendation should be followed and no construction should occur during this time to avoid killing nesting birds.
· The Draft EIS does not address the issue of long-term habitat loss for migratory bird species. During the spring and fall migrations, millions of birds funnel through the Rio Grande Valley. Many that arrive have flown hundreds of miles across the Gulf of Mexico. They require intact habitat to rest and refuel, and without it they may be too weak to complete their journey.

The Draft EIS makes baseless claims about the wall’s affect on the RGV economy:
· Ecotourism brings more that $125 million to the Rio Grande Valley annually from 200, 000 tourists and creates 2,500 jobs in the local economy. As national wildlife refuge lands, state parks, and private reserves are lost, degraded, or rendered inaccessible and endemic and migratory species decline or are displaced because of the border wall, there will be less incentive for nature enthusiasts to visit the area. The Draft EIS makes the absurd assertion that a wall would actually bring in more visitors because they would feel safer.
· 23 million Mexican nationals visit the Valley each year, contributing $3 billion to the local economy and supporting 41,000 jobs, $560 million in wages, and $203 million in business taxes. The Draft EIS states that the wall will have “no long-term impacts” on the local economy because visitors will be able to cross at ports of entry. It completely ignores the message that a wall sends. If a store displayed a window sign that said “Mexicans Keep Out” they would not get much business from Mexican shoppers even if their doors were wide open. The border wall will present just such a message, and will certainly impact retail sales.
· There is a recognition that taking hundreds of acres of farmland out of production will have negative impacts on landowners’, and that it will be harder to access to parts of their land. There is no discussion of the impact that this will have on the ability of farms to remain viable, or on the Valley’s economy.
· The Draft EIS states that, “Minor to moderate adverse indirect impacts would be expected from the imminent dislocation of some families due to property acquisition.” For a low-income, Texas family evicted from their home by the federal government, the impact is by no means indirect or minor.

The Draft EIS ignores Environmental Justice rules:
· Although the Rio Grande Valley’s population is over 85% minority, and its border communities are some of the poorest in the nation, the Draft EIS finds that the border wall will not have a disproportionate impact on minority or low income populations. Rather than address this they manipulate statistics: “Of the proposed 70 miles of tactical infrastructure, substantially less than half is within census bureau tracts that have a higher proportion of minority or low-income residents” (Section 5. 5.11). Instead of counting the people who will be impacted, the Draft EIS counts the miles, using the many uninhabited areas to dilute, at least on paper, the wall’s impact on minority and low-income populations.

It is crucial that everyone with these and other concerns about the border wall submit them in writing. The Department of Homeland Security will interpret silence as a lack of interest. The deadline for comments is December 31, 2007.

Senator Cornyn Wants Billions for the Border Wall - Tell Him No!

2007-11-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

With the introduction of S. 2348, the “Emergency Border Security Funding Act of 2007”, Texas Senator John Cornyn has once again shown that he values the worst politics ahead of the best interests of Texas and our nation. It calls for at least 700 linear miles of border wall and 300 miles of vehicle barriers along the US – Mexico border, and provides $3 billion dollars to get construction started. This despite the fact that the walls built so far have not impacted the number of people coming across the border.

In October, speaking to the Border Trade Alliance, Cornyn said, “I have long said that I do not support a fence, or as some said, a wall, between the United States and Mexico. That’s irrational and just doesn’t make sense, because we know that people can come over fences or walls; they can go under them; they can go through them, given sufficient opportunity.”

Once again, Senator Cornyn is talking out of both sides of his mouth. When he visits the border, where people know that a wall will do tremendous damage but no good, he says that he does not support a wall. When he is back in Washington, he sponsors legislation providing $3 billion to build the wall that he claims not to support.

Cornyn must be held accountable for his duplicity. Texas residents should contact his office and let him know what you think:

Senator John Cornyn
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.Washington, DC 20510 Main: 202-224-2934Fax: 202-228-2856
The Senator prefers to screen his emails, but there is an online “comment form” here:
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

If you are not a resident of Texas, contact your Senators and let them know that you want them to oppose Cornyn’s bill. Congress should be working to overturn the Secure Fence Act, rather than spending billions more on the border wall.

To contact your Senators, go to:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Tell US Fish and Wildlife - Destroying Refuge Lands for the Border Wall Is Not "Win-Win"

2007-11-21T09:05:00.000-08:00

The New York Times quotes Jose Viramontes of the FWS Regional Office as saying the land swap in Arizona is a 'win/win' situation. This refers to the exchange of refuge land on the border for other land so that the wall can be built on what had been protected lands. The wall is being built before the swap has been finalized, and the Fish and Wildlife Service does not even know what land they will receive in exchange. The exchange was announced after the Buenos Aires refuge manager found the wall to be incompatible with the mission of the refuge. Please e-mail the Regional Director, Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, and Jose Viramontes directly and tell them to not use the words 'win/win' when discussing the border wall. If they can't support the decisions of those on the ground, the least they can do is not say things that directly contradict the reality on the ground. In the subject line, please use the words 'not win/win situation'. We need to flood their offices and let them know they are being watched by the South Texas contingency.

Send your emails to:
benjamin_tuggle@fws.gov
Jose_viramontes@fws.gov
and CC:
dale_hall@fws.gov

Here is a link to the New York Times article:
Border Fence Work Raises Environmental Concerns http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/us/21fence.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

New No Border Wall Shirt Design Makes a Great Gift!

2007-11-19T04:50:00.000-08:00

Introducing a new No Border Wall design for tshirts and mugs available at http://www.cafepress.com/noborderwall

The design features the quote, "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," from Robert Frost's poem, "Mending Wall." This line is the real message of the poem. The oft-quoted line from this same poem "good fences make good neighbors" is actually the ignorant opinion of Frost's simple-minded neighbor in the poem. (To read the entire poem and be able to pooh-pooh the next person who quotes it to you, go to http://writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/frost-mending.html). This shirt is available in organic cotton, jersey style, ringer tee, and long sleeves.

There is also a mug available in regular and large sizes featuring the Robert Frost quote. It's an excellent way to start up conversations about the border wall and help spread the message!

The classic NO BORDER WALL logo design is also available at http://www.cafepress.com/noborderwall in a variety of styles, including children's sizes. Finally something to wear to opposition rallies and public meetings with Customs and Border Patrol! Pick up a bumpersticker or two while you're at it.

All proceeds go directly toward border wall opposition.

Call for Public Comments on Whether the Border Wall and Wildlife Refuges are Compatible

2007-11-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

Comments are being accepted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding surveying activities on Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge tracts. A survey for natural resources and a survey for cultural resources will be conducted in preparation for building a border wall on at least 14 separate refuge tracts. USFWS is preparing documents that will determine whether these activities are compatible with their mission. It is important that everyone who is concerned about the construction of the border wall submit a comment to USFWS. Please send your comments via email or US mail by November 19, 2007!

Here are a few ways to guide your comments:

· According to US Fish and Wildlife regulations (603 FW 2), “The refuge manager will not initiate or permit a new use of a national wildlife refuge or expand, renew, or extend an existing use of a national wildlife refuge unless the refuge manager has determined that the use is a compatible use.” It goes on to say, “Fragmentation of the National Wildlife Refuge System's wildlife habitats is a direct threat to the integrity of the National Wildlife Refuge System, both today and in the decades ahead. Uses that we reasonably may anticipate to reduce the quality or quantity or fragment habitats on a national wildlife refuge will not be compatible.” As the intent of these surveys is to pave the way for the construction of border walls which will seriously degrade and fragment the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, they are incompatible with the mission of the Refuge.

· We have no faith in the utility and impartiality of the survey process. The private corporation in charge of conducting the surveys, Engineering-Environmental Management, Inc. (E²M), has a vested interest in expediting the construction of the border walls to please their client, the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, E²M has already mismanaged the public comment period of the Rio Grande Valley EIS, allowing technical difficulties with both the official website and the posted fax number to interfere with the acceptance of public comments for several days of the already EIS short comment period. E²M should not be in charge of this vitally important surveying task. It should instead be carried out by local US Fish and Wildlife biologists who are familiar with the natural and cultural resources that are present in the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

· The USFWS has expressed concerns that there will not be enough refuge staff to properly oversee survey activities. We share these concerns; there should be USFWS oversight for all activities.

· The natural resource survey is further compromised by its limited duration. E²M employees will only spend 10 days surveying the natural resources in the wall’s path. That is utterly insufficient. Endangered species are by definition extremely rare, and sightings of migratory species are dependent on the time of year, so the odds of seeing one during any 10 day period are next to nothing. If they fail to see a particular endangered or migratory animal during their brief visit the final report may give the false impression that they are not present and will not be impacted by the wall.

· The cultural resource survey contains a troubling provision for backhoe trenching up to 33 ft deep in areas that have a high probability of cultural resources. This is listed as a “last option,” but it should not be allowed at all. Not only would such an activity be incompatible with the environmental mission of the refuge, it would likely destroy the very cultural resources that are being documented.

Please send comments to:

Refuge Manager
Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR
Rt. 2 Box 202A
Alamo, TX 78516

Or email Bryan_Winton@fws.gov (Subject line: Draft Compatibility Determinations: Border Fence)

Email Congress - Cut Off Funding for the Border Wall

2007-10-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to go to the Democratic Courage website to send an email to your members of Confress urging them to cut off funding for the Border Wall and to support the Borderlands Conservation and Security Act.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced that he is going to waive 18 laws including the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Clean Water Act so he can build a wall between Arizona and Mexico in the San Pedro Riparian Conservation Area, allegedly to keep out illegal immigrants. The wall won't work to stop anyone with a ladder, or anyone who just overstays their visa, but it will mean death for endangered species of the Southwest like the ocelot, jaguar, and Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope. Contact your member of Congress today and ask them to cut off funding for the border wall and cosponsor the Borderlands Security and Conservation Act. Feel free to add your own text.

To learn more about Chertoff's latest waiver of federal laws, visit the No Border Wall blog.

PEACEFUL PROTEST AGAINST THE BORDER WALL IN MCALLEN, TX

2007-10-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

Organized by Students for Peace at STC
Oct. 19, 2007
McAllen, TX Corner of 10th and Nolana 5-6p.m.
For more info contact:jjhoshing@yahoo.com
www.myspace.com/students4peaceatSTC

Demonstration Against the Border Wall in Nogales October 20th

2007-10-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Coalición de Derechos Humanos has announced a march and demonstration in Nogales, AZ on October 20th to call attention to what it calls “failed border enforcement policies.” These include the construction of border walls that have led to the deaths of thousands of immigrants in the deserts of Arizona. The event is sponsored by Coalición de Derechos Humanos, Alianza Indígena Sin Fronteras, Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc, Fundación México, National Lawyers' Guild, University of Arizona chapter, and Pan Left Productions.

Protesters will gather at Techea City Park (777 N. Grand Ave.) in Nogales, AZ at 10 a.m. From there they will march to the border. A flyer is available at the Derechos Humanos website, or they can be contacted at (520) 770-1373.

Take Action! Comment on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Rio Grande Border Wall.

2007-10-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

Comments about the construction of border walls in Texas are being accepted as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). “Environmental Impact” includes the impact on the human environment, as well as on wildlife and the quality of water and air. It is important that we raise all of our concerns during this time.

Please write, fax or e-mail your comments in by October 15, 2007.

Here are a few ways to focus your comments:

Destruction of wildlife habitat. The lower Rio Grande Valley has already been cleared of 95% of the brush. In an area considered one of the most biologically diverse in North America, any additional destruction of brush, including clearing 508 acres for construction of the wall, will have severe consequences for wildlife. How will wildlife survive with their habitat limited by a wall? How will they get to and from the river, find food, shelter, and potential mates in habitat dissected by a wall? In some cases like Starr County, the Rio Grande is the only source of water for wildlife. Any animal that encounters miles of wall will have to travel long distances for a very basic necessity, water.

Endangered & rare species. The ocelot, jaguarundi and red-billed pigeon currently face the real possibility of extinction or extirpation. These are just a few of the endangered and rare species whose U.S. populations would certainly collapse with construction of the wall. The ability of rare species like the ocelot and jaguarundi to cross into Mexico helps keep wildlife populations healthy by maintaining a level of genetic integrity. Reduction of gene flow among or within populations will reduce the likelihood of long-term survival of these species. . A formal Section 7 Consultation under the Endangered Species Act needs to be done.

Violation of International Migratory Bird Treaty. If construction of the wall takes place during the spring, as stated in the Federal Register, many migratory and nesting birds will be affected. The clearing of brush will destroy thousands of nests, many with young birds in them. This is in direct violation of the International Migratory Bird Treaty.

Impact of construction. What will be the impacts of construction? Of roads for vehicles and heavy equipment? Of lighting and transmission lines?

Economic impact. Access will be cut off for wildlife enthusiasts interested in wildlife watching, canoeing, kayaking, and hiking along the river. Eco-tourism brings more than $125 million to the RGV annually from 200,000 eco-tourists, creating 2,500 jobs in the local economy. What are the economic impacts of limiting access to refuges, state parks, and other public and private parks and natural areas?

Community impact. A wall could mean uprooting families from their homes and demolishing or cutting off access to historical buildings and community centers. How many people will lose their homes? What buildings will be destroyed? How will property owners gain access to their land? What will the presence of a wall do to property values? How will there be public access to cemeteries and historical and archaeological sites along the river? Will there be access in case of fire or other emergencies on the other side of the fence?

Impact on agriculture. Farming is still the backbone of the economy in the Rio Grande Valley. How much agricultural land will be taken out of production by the wall? How will farmers gain access to their land? To their pumps and irrigation equipment? How will they bring farm equipment onto farmland behind a wall?

Impact on flood control. All the walled areas are in a floodplain. Has the Army Corps or DHS coordinated with FEMA? How will the wall affect the flood control levees? Will the IBWC have access to the levees and input in the construction? Will future widening of the levees result in even more habitat loss on the south side (since the wall is on the north side)?

Relations with Mexico and the rest of the world. Mexico will perceive the border wall as an insult. How will this affect the bi-national relations and cooperation? How will the border wall affect US relations with other countries and its standing in the world? What kind of example is the US setting of a free and open democratic society?

Alternatives to a physical wall. According to the National Environmental Policy Act, alternatives to projects must be explored. What are the comparative costs and impacts of alternatives to a border wall such as "virtual fencing," more boots on the ground, and comprehensive immigration reform?

Problems with the EIS. The EIS is geographically too limited. The EIS should look at total and cumulative impacts into the future. What about the impacts in other areas where a wall is proposed? How will the impacts of this initial proposed fencing change if the total amount of fencing called for by the Secure Fence Act is installed? What will be the environmental impacts of future needs of the wall such as maintenance and lighting?

Inadequate public comment period. The public comment period is less than thirty days. For a project of this magnitude, the public comment period should be extended. In addition, the website that was created to facilitate public comment has been been offline more than it has been up. This makes it difficult to access maps and other information, as well as preventing the public from using the coment feature on the site.

Submit your comments to Customs & Border Patrol by one of the following methods:

~ E-mail: RGVcomments@BorderFenceNEPA.com

~ Mail:
Rio Grande Valley Tactical Infrastructure EIS
C/O e2M
2751 Prosperity Avenue, Ste. 200
Fairfax, Virginia 22031

~ Fax: (757)282-7697

~ Electronically: www.BorderFenceNEPA.com (This website was removed on
Friday, September 28 and may or may not be up again.)

** Be sure to include you name, address and identify your comments as for the RGV Sector EIS.**

The deadline for public comments is October 15, 2007!