Posted on 03/12/2006 4:30:20 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
First of two parts
Earlier this month, Val Verde County Sheriff A. D’Wayne Jernigan testified about border violence and other incidents of concern to U.S. senators examining strategies to end violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Jernigan’s testimony before the U.S. Senate’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security March 1 was a deliberate counter to what he termed “the rosy picture” of border security being painted by the heads of various federal agencies, he said in an interview Saturday.
“I did express to them that this county (Val Verde County) has not suffered the level of violence that other counties along the Texas-Mexico border have. . .yet,” Jernigan said.
The sheriff, who told the senators that he has spent 29 years of his 42 years of law enforcement experience on the Texas-Mexico border, including postings at McAllen, Laredo, Del Rio and El Paso, began his testimony with a brief history of the Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition.
Jernigan testified that the coalition of 16 border sheriffs was formed to face what they perceived as a growing crisis of border security.
“This was done out of frustration in what we felt was the inadequacy of our federal government to protect our border in preventing a potential terrorist from entering our country. We felt that as citizens of this great country, our almost 2,000 miles of border was very porous, that many people whose intentions were unknown were coming into our country. If their intentions were to commit acts similar to or worse than what happened on September 11, 2001, then very little was being done to stop them,” Jernigan testified.
He added, “We (the border sheriffs) are sincere when we tell you that we are not blaming the agents of the United States Border Patrol but rather, we criticize the policies that they have been shackled with.”
Jernigan touched on the issue of “other than Mexican” or OTM undocumented immigrants entering the country and being released on the streets of border communities after an initial appearance in federal court.
Jernigan’s testimony included and distilled anecdotes about border violence and other incidents of concern from counties all along the Texas-Mexico border.
“Through intelligence information we have also learned that several murders in Laredo, Webb County, Texas, have been orchestrated by members of drug cartels operating in both countries. These drug cartel enforcers cross the Rio Grande River, commit their murders in the United States, then head back to Mexico, again, via the Rio Grande River. We have all seen in the media the reports of the murders in Nuevo Laredo; 24 so far in the first 36 days of 2006. These murders are connected to organizations in both Mexico and the United States,” Jernigan told the senators.
“The Rio Grande Valley, Cameron, Hidalgo, and Starr Counties, have continuous problems with pseudo-cops coming from Mexico to extort and kidnap citizens in these counties. . . During this same time period, a high-ranking member of the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 gang, was apprehended in the Brooks County area, also in south Texas. He had entered the country illegally,” Jernigan testified.
Jernigan also told the senators about the discovery of a hand grenade along a known trail used by drug smugglers near the Rio Grande in southern Val Verde County and the problems caused by groups of youthful burglars.
“The Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition is very concerned about the unique problems along our border,” Jernigan testified. “The United States Border Patrol is doing the best that they can with the resources they have been provided. Immediate help is needed for them and for the protection of our country. We have implemented Operation Linebacker, a second line of defense in the protection of our country. The problems along the border are federal problems.”
“Our governor, the Honorable Rick Perry, did not wait for a peace officer to get killed along the border to take action. He, just as we, is very much concerned. He has appropriated $6 million for us to start the operation. Just last month he announced an additional $3.8 million that he will grant our coalition. This much-needed assistance provided by Governor Perry has already produced measurable results, but this assistance is only a stopgap measure. More help is necessary if we are to see an acceptable level of security exist on the border. The problems along the border will continue unless our federal government does something about it soon. Must we wait until an officer gets killed or until another terrorist act occurs?”
Jernigan’s testimony also touched on what he called the “crisis” in the judicial systems in the border areas.
Jernigan told the senators that additional money, both for “providing additional district judges, magistrates and prosecuting attorneys” and for “funding additional deputy sheriffs on the border,” “will accomplish a cost effective and immediate solution to the burgeoning scourge of violence creeping north into our nation.”
Jernigan’s testimony, as well as the testimony of the other witnesses in the Senate subcommittee hearing can be read at the Web site of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, www.judiciary.senate.gov/
Border Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Interesting
Tell Congress to get on down to Walmart for the lowest price on a Great Wall! Made in China, of course.
And you believe that is going to happen anytime soon?
Greg
Brownsville
Response: With the 'leadership' of our country playing for billions-(Trillions?)-the death of a few officers is of the greatest irrelevancy.
I only believe that it should happen soon. I don't expect to see the proper actions by our government, but if we talk about it, they will feel some pressure.
Bill
I lost it quite some time ago. Sucks to be me. /;-)
But only in that regard. Life is really great here in South Texas, in retirement.
I can imagine that outside the political situation, retirement in southern Texas would be very nice. I've vacationed in the Big Bend area several times, and I like that area very much. If I were retired there, I'd be outside doing stuff most of the time. That kind of life would be fun.
Bill
"I hate to be so cynical, but I'm awfully good at it."
There are some skills that we just never hoped for, cynicism is one of them!
Well, wasn't post number 12 of mine informative. LOL!
You could also be cynical of yourself. Maybe if you're too cynical that would help.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.