Border Czar Meeting with Community Leaders Incidencia Política - Reforma Fronteriza y MIgratoria Jueves 18 de Junio de 2009 16:03 Share No hay traduccion en este momento. Thursday, June 18th, Border Action Network and the US-Mexico Border and Immigration Task Force hosted a group of high-level officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to participate in a Border Policy “Listening Session”. Recently appointed Border Czar Alan Bersin, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Chief of Staff Marco Lopez, Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, Tucson Sector Chief Robert Gilbert, nominee for U.S. Attorney in Arizona Dennis Burke and other officials, participated in what is an ongoing effort by the U.S.-Mexico Border and Immigration Task Force to bring the voices and leadership of border communities to the national debate on border enforcement and immigration policies. U.S.-Mexico Border Task Force members and other local experts presented policy recommendations focused on providing solutions and visions for accountable, economically viable and humane border policy to the DHS officials, as well as to the over 100 member audience who was in attendance to listen to the discussion, representing environmental groups, faith leaders, business associations, attorneys, humanitarian aid groups, Border Action Human Rights Committees, and others. In all, people came from Douglas, Pirtleville, Naco, Sierra Vista, Nogales, Rio Rico, Tubac, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Summit, Tucson, Phoenix and Prescott to participate in the meeting. U.S.-Mexico Border Task Force Members Mark Adams (Frontera de Cristo), Rev. Randy Mayer (Good Shepherd United Church of Christ), Chief Alberto Melis (Douglas Police Department) and Marty Moreno (former Sahaurita City Councilwoman) and Danielle Alvarado (No More Deaths), along with Victor Gonzales (Douglas Economic Development Office) and Bates Butler (former U.S. Attorney for Arizona, No More Deaths volunteer), led presentations in the following areas: Training of border federal agents, improving the DHS complaint process, improving infrastructure at ports of entry, creating meaningful community advisory boards and community consultations, separating local law enforcement from immigration enforcement and establishing clear standards and practices for short-term Border Patrol custody. While the discussion was delayed for over an hour due the DHS’s late arrival (flat tire on the Blackhawk…don’t you hate that?), the dialogue between the presenters and the DHS officials extended into the early evening. A portion of the listening session allowed for the DHS officials to respond to the recommendations presented, and while Chief David Aguilar’s responses were defensive and overall disappointing, Assistant Secretary Alan Bersin tried to respond to each of the recommendations raised by the presenters. With the new administration, and as we have already seen, there is a greater willingness for administration officials to meet with border communities—though an uphill struggle remains. In the coming months, there will likely be similar sessions held in South Texas and San Diego, CA, where Task Force members and others will continue this dialogue with the DHS in order to see their policy recommendations adopted and implemented and to continue us on the path towards border policy that is accountable, cost-effective, upholds human rights and supports community security and economic development. Share this article | More...

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