26/03/2021
Republicans' dissolute notion of the border
LAREDO, TX - Ultra-right Republicans lie to the American community and misinform border communities.
Local front-line organizations, city officials, a former border patrol agent and high-ranking members of the Democratic Party placed Republicans in virtual conference.
The direct vision of border life dissipates over the alleged uncontrollable crisis on the border of the United States and Mexico, which in some way is affecting the security of the nation.
City Councilman (District IV) Albert Torres revealed crime data from the Laredo Police Department and the FBI's annual crime report showing that Laredo is safer than most cities of the same size in the United States. Overall, crime has decreased by 10%, ”Torres said. He claimed that Mayor Pete Saenz's welcoming embrace of these far-right out-of-town groups directly contradicts the overwhelming opinion of local residents. He noted that the City Council, on several occasions, has joined more than 40 cities on the border in opposition to the border wall and Trump's declaration of national emergency, including a local resolution passed unanimously on January 20, 2021.
Webb County Commissioner Cindy Liendo showed how the "open border" narrative could not be further from the truth of current politics, noting that the overwhelming majority of migrants who are detained in and between the ports of Entry are automatically deported and asylum seekers are following a legal process allowed by US and international law. She called on Washington leaders to prioritize much-needed asylum infrastructure at Laredo's ports of entry.
Dr. Victor D. Treviño, Laredo Health Authority, dispelled the belief that migrants are spreading COVID-19 in our community or beyond. He reaffirmed the fact that asylum seekers are, in fact, the most tested population in the state, and that the COVID-19 positivity rate among immigrants is less than half the positivity rate in the general population. from Texas.
Jenn Budd, a former Border Patrol agent, brought in 25 years of official CBP data that directly contradicted the narrative that we live in an "unprecedented" time at the border, illustrating how Border Patrol arrests at the border fail to They are approaching historic peaks, and in fact have steadily declined by almost half, while the number of BP agents has increased nearly fourfold. She cautioned members of the media and the public that the National Border Patrol Council is a political organization that should not be confused with CBP or any official government source.
Pastor Mike Smith, who runs the migrant shelter at the Holding Institute, offered insight into his daily encounters with migrant families temporarily in the shelter. In detailing a recent conversation with a migrant at the Holding Institute, Pastor Smith said, "In general, I was told that the reason for leaving your home country is fear." He revealed that while many of the “Save America” groups that come to Laredo have used images of migrant children in their messages, none have reached out to offer help.
Sylvia Bruni, chair of the Webb County Democratic Party, warned that the spread of fear in the border region fuels violence and hatred against Mexicans, noting that the 2019 El Paso massacre perpetrated by a white supremacist adopted the same racist rhetoric that is being used by outside groups coming to Laredo this week.