Border fence is a "racist thing," says Brownsville mayor

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, one of the architects of the border wall project between Mexico and Texas, drew boos from residents in Brownsville, Texas, at a public meeting on the subject this week.

"If you don’t like the fence … between the city and Mexico, I suggest that you build the fence around the northern part of the city," fired off Tancredo when opponents to the fence made their displeasure heard at the meeting.

Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada called the Congressman a bigot, and said that the border wall project was a "racist thing."

"They're afraid of us Mexicans taking over politically, I think," he said in a television interview.

As this KGBT video shows, some residents in Brownsville feel that the fence project is being forced upon them. One U.S citizen whose family owns and operates a golf course on the U.S. side of the border fears that the new wall will leave part of the course stranded on the Mexican side.

According to the KGBT video reporter, because it would be too expensive for the new wall to follow the course of the river, the wall will be built along an existing levee and will leave several thousand acres of U.S. territory south of the wall.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[Jay Stout]

"They're afraid of us Mexicans taking over politically, I think."

This, from the mayor of Brownsville. It would seem that he's a perfect example of what "they're afraid of."

Jay Stout
Author: "Slaughter at Goliad--The Mexican Massacre of 400 Texas Volunteers"

[GoDux8]

Mexico protects their southern border. We should do the same. I didn't know a fence could be racist. Learn something everyday, I guess.

[Bostonsox]

I would love to know how many more Mayors along our Border think as Brownsvilles'. I also have never heard that from any of our Northernborder Mayors, of which i spend alot more time at ?? The Americans are finally starting to wake up, although it might be to late !

[edwina]

Aren't there any East German architects that could assist the U.S. to build a wall correctly?

[manny brown]

Vic, we sure could have fun trying.

[Vic]

People will realize (hopefully sooner than later) that this whole debate over border fences is a moot. Plans are already in place (as previously stated in these comments) for a North American Union. It appears that there is nothing I or any other patriotic American can do about it.

[Paul]

Thanks for screwing us again Texas! I guess you don't drive big pickups because you tough, I guess its just compensating for something else. www.goodoleboybumperstickers.com

[April]

Check out the NAU -- North American Union. This is exactly why the US gov't isn't doing jack about building the border fence. They're already planning to build the "Trans Texas Corridor, a hwy that's 4 football fields wide that will travel from Mexico, through the Midwest to Canada. Most Americans are CLUELESS on this issue and it's happening quietly behind the scenes. Don't allow it to happen. Speak out! Google NAU and see what comes up. Also SPP...

[April]

How is it racist?!? The pro illegals make it a race issue. I don't care if you're from China, Ireland, Italy, MEXICO, if you're here illegally you need to go..now! BUILD THE FENCE NOW! Americans are fed up with this nonsense. I''m a registered Republican and I'm disgusted with the GOP -- they've been acting like liberals. If McAmnesty doesn't choose Gov. Mitt Romney as his VP I, and many like me, will be sitting this election out and you'll have four miserable years of the incompetent Pres. Obama. God help us!

[Teddy]

What everyone seems to either forget or not understand is that the United States' position on immigration is that it be safe, orderly, and legal. People who illegally enter the country are deported following very specific procedures that ensure first that they are not escaping persecution or torture in their home country. It is the same in every other country in the world - including Mexico. If you don't believe me, check it out yourself. Mexico routinely sends Cubans who make the dangerous trip across to Mexico back. America lets Cubans who make it here stay, give them $15,000, and set them up in housing - all at taxpayers expense.

The fence, and it is a fence not a wall, is designed to prevent the illegal entry of migrants, CRIMINALS, and TERRORISTS. It will prevent or make it harder for thugs and criminals from entering the U.S. illegally. Look at Sasabe, Arizona. Since the fence was installed there the citizens don't have to worry anymore about Mexican punks crossing the border, coming into town, stealing their automobiles, and high tailing it accross the border. Drug runners are finding it harder, if not impossible, to get their drugs into the country that ruin the lives of so many of our citizens. It curtails human smugglers who take money from people who want to enter the country illegally. These parasites often abuse or leave these people to die if the situation gets bad - many women, children, and the elderly have died because these hired human trafficers care nothing for them and leave them to die. Many get saved from this fate by special teams of Border Patrol agents who make rescues repeatedly - not that any of this ever gets into the papers.

If that is not enough, look at the Constitution - one of the things written in it back in 1776 was that the nation secure its borders. Argue with the founding fathers of the nation then. They were all immigrants who came to the country legally when it was made up of colonies.

Forget all of that if you want to, get the facts for yourself and forget these stupid sensationalists and their bombastic statements.

For more information about the Secure Border Initiative, visit www.cbp.gov/sbi or contact them directly at SBI_info@dhs.gov.

[BurningAtlanta]

"They're afraid of us Mexicans taking over politically, I think." EXCUSE ME? Are you a Mexican or an American? Because if you're a Mexican, Canadian, etc.. then you certainly shouldn't be a mayor in this country. Is you allegiance to this nation or another?

[John]

Locals along the border have no right to stop construction of the border fence. Notice the mayor called himself a "mexican"...not a mexican-american. you can tell where his allegiance lies.

[Donald]

I was under the impression that Mexicans like Americans were of different races.
The fence is to separate The United States from Mexico
to protect American Taxpayers interest not Mexico's interest.

[chuck]

The fence is a racist thing and sneaking into the country is an illegal thing.