Moratorium and March Called by Tejas Border Activists

Repeated violations of property rights and environmental laws has united a growing group of Tejanos in opposition to the Great Wall of America™. They are mobilizing to make sure that the voices of residents along la frontera are heard in the continued hysteria of the immigration debate.

The groups are also calling for an immediate suspension and repeal of section 102 of the Real ID Act of 2005, which gives DHS Secretary Chertoff the power to waive all laws in order to build the border wall. Such power concentrated in the hands of an unelected official makes a mockery of democratic processes. Texas border resident Scott Nicol said of Chertoff’s waivers, “The only reason to waive the laws is because you intend to break them.”

In the hurricane-prone Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, as well as in Presidio, Texas, the border wall is planned to be constructed on or near the flood control levees. Yet, there have been no studies published that describe what impact the proposed wall would have on flooding or on the integrity of the levee system.

DHS has continued to operate under the false assumption that the harsh conditions of the desert are a deterrent for people seeking entry into the U.S. As DHS build walls in populated areas, desperation drives more people into remote desert areas where they are more likely to die from dehydration and exposure. The General Accounting Office found that as walls have gone up, the number of people who have died attempting to enter the U.S. doubled between 1995 and 2005. This is an ongoing humanitarian crisis that requires an immediate solution.

It is irresponsible to erect a permanent wall without full knowledge of what those consequences will be. DHS’s blind rush to draw lines on a map, heedless of the consequences on the ground, makes a moratorium on border wall construction imperative. Congress must take the time to evaluate the serious costs and impacts of the border wall and to determine whether it is in fact the best way to address the complex issues of immigration and national security.

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Via the No Border Wall - Take Action blog, the following locations will play host to a human rights march in the coming days:

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

More information here