From the Border Report #10

February 22, 2006

In Nogales, the border delegation also met with local officials. This included a member of the board of supervisors, Manny Ruiz; city councilman Ignacio Barraza, and Sheriff Tony Estrada.

Supervisor Ruiz noted that in 1994, there were about 74 border patrol agents in the area; now there are about 600 agents, and this has affected the atmosphere of the town. The deaths that have resulted from Operation Gatekeeper have created a financial problem for the police and the county. When bodies are found, the bodies are turned over to local authorities. Autopsies, burials, and all other costs are incurred by the county. About a dozen bodies per year are found in Santa Cruz county alone. Also, 30-40% of the detainees in local prison are undocumented, many of whom have been arrested on drug offenses. Something needs to be done to relieve the costs on local taxpayers. Drug trade has been dangerous for the community. Shootouts between coyote gangs endanger the local police.

In Ruiz’s view, we need more than enforcement on the border. The workers just want a better life. The contributions are amazing; he has seen workers in 120 degree weather in the fields. This community has been thriving on produce. Over 30 billion pounds of produce come through this county. We need a meaningful component to immigration reform that includes at least a guestworker program. Building walls in an isolationist manner isn’t the answer.

Nogales has a good relationship with Sonora, Mexico. Bi-annual meetings are held and the governors have good relationships. The local authorities have good relationships as well.

City councilman Ignacio Barraza also noted the medical, detention, other costs associated with undocumented migration and smuggling. Construction of physical barriers not an intelligent option. The migrants are human beings trying to improve their lot in life. We need a better dialogue between DC and Mexico. We need to help economic development in Mexico. We need to do something jointly. This community is caught in the middle. Washington needs to be educate about what life is like on this border. If you eliminated the fence, you could not tell where one community starts and the other begins; that’s how closely both sides of the border resemble each other. The guestworker proposal is a step in the right direction. We have to change our attitude. But Mexico has a responsibility as well.

Sheriff Estrada noted that the biggest challenge is that we have a small, poor county next to a wealthy neighbor with no buffer zone. Yet, Nogales is a small, poor American community with 40,000 residents, while Nogales, Sonora has 400,000 people. Before maquiladeras, Nogales, Sonora only had about 40,000 residents. The two cities have a strong cultural, familial, and traditional bond. In the past, the residents went back and forth regularly without problems. There was a time when during Cinco de Mayo the border was open with a queen for each city.

Estrada was born in Nogales, Sonora. His family immigrated when he was 18 months old. He joined the police department in 1966, and he has been sheriff for 13 years.

Drugs and illegal migration have created problems. Prior to 1995, people just crossed over the fence, spent money and returned or were on the way through Nogales. They were illegal border crossers as opposed to illegal immigrants. Back then, there was no need for coyotes. But once downtown was sealed and the fence got built, crossers shifted to the outside, died, and were victimized. Some estimate that 90% of those who try to get across today get assaulted in one way or another. $1500 is the rate for Mexicans to cross now to Phoenix. Non-Mexican are charged $5,000 by coyotes. As the border got sealed, the smuggling cottage industries grew.

The county jail was built in1974 for 52 inmates. Now, it has to hold 130 at times! Right now about 80 are being held. The county now will be building new jail.

To Estrada, the solution to the immigration challenge is to identify who’s here, and let them stay if they have employment, family or roots. Then also provide a guestworker program for others to fill in the gap. These migrants keep the economy going all over the country. If we keep persecuting them, there will be continued problems. We need legalization and a guestworker program, then try to secure the border.

The Sheriff does not favor the CLEAR act. The CLEAR act would require local law enforcement to ignore the primary responsibility of safety of residents in the community. Immigration enforcement is a federal issue. Yes, some partnering is natural. Every year local authorities make 200 calls to the border patrol, when undocumented are discovered. That’s fine, but the main responsibility of local law enforcement is safety of the community.