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The House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee met on September 23 to hear invited testimony only on the following interim committee charge: “Monitor emergency operations and whether existing operations are sufficient for emergency geographic thousands of people.” A video of the hearing can be found here.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

Steven McCraw, Texas Department of Public Safety

  • El Paso authorities have great perspective on border affairs
  • Most significant in HSPS threat is unsecured Mexico border
  • Recent mass migration event overwhelms border control, Mexican cartel reap millions and profit U.S. drug and trafficking market from border exploitation
  • 6 Mexican cartels operate in TX, 2 on fringe, 18 gangs collaborate with enforcement operations
  • First 7 months of fiscal year, 735k illegal alien apprehensions, now: over 1million apprehensions
  • Week of September 18, population of immigrants grew three-fold, overwhelmed DHS
  • Less border patrol agents since 2013, need to contain influx
  • First priority: stem influx, second priority: contain the group already there
  • Numbers today for influx is under 3000
  • Influx coming into federal zone, created mobile barrier
  • Concerned about increase in drugs aspect, DPS seen 1100% increase in phytanoyl
  • S. Congress has forfeited right to criticize congress on border control
  • Recognize that criticism on investigations and cases are expected, we do our best to follow system guidelines
  • White – Have we set the right context for the expectations? What are we buying with $3 billion? From the Governor, what is your mission?
    • Overall mission is to secure the border with Mexico and Feds, heave infrastructure and technology leverage, increase overhead view, increase tactical boats, and personnel
    • Infrastructure: Cyclone fencing to clear demarcation, easier to manage OPLP, surveillance of fencing
  • White – Secure is interesting word choice, how do we measure operational security?
    • Ability to detect and interdict anything coming through border, does not eliminate passage, instead it regulates
    • Barrier is costly, need infrastructure to aid personnel
    • Deterrence does not come across due to barrier
  • White – What is the likelihood we can maintain current level of tempo?
    • Ideally, we have intel downstream, collection of information from South America, want migrants to head West toward Tijuana
  • White – Do we have personnel monitoring Mesoamerica migration? At what point do we think about impacting South?
    • Will work close with feds on collection of that information, more concerned about response and deterrence
  • White – Is there a stream of information from a platform where cartels are telling people the border is open? Maybe we could interrupt platform and deliver message on illegal entry?
    • People are making money with getting people to border, across, and further.
  • Patterson – It was understood that they were coming before they got here?
    • No sir, our federal partners were caught off-guard, there was no capture of that information, happened further south
    • They were not coming from Haiti, they came from Chile, do not believe there was a forewarning
  • Patterson – Federal government did not know about influx of migrants to Del Rio?
    • No, they would have told us
  • Patterson – How long can we hold the location in Del Rio?
    • As long as we have to, we have in reserve over 600 troopers, if need be, hope to see result by end of the week, whole area is federal property
  • Patterson – Can you speak to morale amongst troopers?
    • Morale is extremely high attributed to Lt. Governor and you, understand severity of location is to protect
  • Harless – No previous federal intel?
    • Reason to believe Feds had no intel on migration
  • Harless – Are they coming here with cellphones? Where are they getting them?
    • Yes, not provided from the State or Feds, no reason to believe in nefarious intent with cellphones
  • Harless – why are we losing so many agents?
    • Have not treated BP agents as they should in a post 9/11 environment, low in status
    • Less than what they had in 2013
  • Harless – Support structured border, permanent structure would act as a deterrent, accurate thought?
    • Absolutely is a deterrent, stops influx and improve reaction time for crises like this.
  • Tinderholt – Do you see the kindness of BP Agents as well?
    • Absolutely, best thing for migrants is to come in contact with these agents
  • Tinderholt – Which agency’s job is to secure our border?
    • Fed’s responsibility, afterwards is DHS responsibility
  • Tinderholt – Did you ever think you would ever be telling legislature that part of their mission as job would be filling in for Federal Government?
    • No, ashamed of lack of mission completion on Feds part and lack of resources to do their job
  • Tinderholt – Does that pull resources from other parts of the border and push them to certain parts of the border?
    • Yes, and it is less safe when we prioritize based on threat
  • Tinderholt – Have fatality accidents and crime happened due to lack of border security when filling in for Feds?
    • More law enforcement makes things safer, but lack of BP agents
  • Tinderholt – Where the vehicles lined up, Did the makeshift wall work? Why?
    • Yes, pointing to threat at right time is public safety, cannot say exactly why it worked
  • Hefner – Can you help us understand what has changed and what the tools are for illegal immigration deterrence?
    • Goes back to frustration of landowners in Del Rio area, using temporary fences, crossing fence is criminal trespass allowing arrest, processing center, using TDCJ and corrections
  • Goodwin – Did you invite some representatives down to the border? Would like to go and see as well?
    • We had some requests to go down so we invited some representatives down to the border, sure whenever you would like to come down
  • Goodwin – Have DPS officers had training? For someone seeking asylum, cartel member or criminals?
    • What do these asylum seekers, cartel or criminal member look like? A U.S. citizen, so it is based on behavior, when we deal with them, we are not putting women or family units in jail
    • Prioritizing on our experienced areas, controversial with single men
  • Goodwin – Where do women go?
    • Border patrol, referrals, Migrants will show up and surrender to BP for processing
  • Goodwin – What has been successful to deter drugs entering? Could we use tax dollars to amplify more effective approaches?
    • Mexican Cartel have pill presses for drug varieties, able to move contraband and people across the river, work with trans-national gangs
    • Working with so many authorities, border is still not secure
  • Goodwin – There is a demand problem for these drugs?
    • Yes, and sex trafficking demand, happening in HOU and DFW
  • Goodwin – How many of our 3 billion dollars spent trying to find people utilizing these services from these women?
    • There are dollars being used on demand side, especially for child sex demand industry
  • Goodwin – Resources divided adequately to address demand side?
    • Demand is also for drugs; not sure what to do about perversion for child sex, need to find these criminals; also need to identify victims and locate them
  • Goodwin – Have heard that federal government is failing; placing blame doesn’t solve problems, should work with federal government to find how to decrease demand for drugs and child sex, how to secure border; constant blame makes for difficult relationship
    • Not complaining about border patrol or partner federal agencies; bipartisan failure in Congress to provide funds to secure border
    • No investment in border, led to failure today; after 9/11, should have been a priority
  • Goodwin – Would like a tour of border to see what DPS is doing
  • Schaefer – Who in state government knows where bus full of Haitian immigrants from border goes?
    • Not DPS; have been told flights, processing units
  • Schaefer – Number one question from constituents is where do these people end up? Can DPS begin to answer that question for state of TX? Not possible to monitor?
    • DPS can’t; Homeland Security doesn’t tell DPS
    • No; no time to do this, they’re not required to tell DPS; more concerned with preventing more people from entering illegally
  • Schaefer – Problem with federal government not answering this question; hear from school superintendents, families; varying challenges communities are facing
    • Federal problem, tell constituents to call their congressman
    • DPS not in position to dictate this
  • Harless – Are migrants being tested for COVID?
    • Border patrol does not test them, they are processed; NGOs test them
  • Raymond – Did you deploy DPS agents to border in 2020?
    • Started in 2015, nothing new
  • Raymond – Only way to end illegal immigration is to deincentivize hiring illegal immigrants; need to pass a bill establishing incremental fines for violations of hiring illegal immigrants; U.S. citizens driving drug trade, fueling cartels; have to deincentivize migration
  • Raymond – Issue of illegal immigration a historical problem; need to enter into agreements with other countries; border security efforts not worth it until deincentivize illegal immigration; wants to create drug testing bill to make sure legislators are not doing drugs and set a symbolic example for rest of U.S.
  • White – Want to focus on continue getting better resources for DPS agents on border; need to do some sort of policy trajectory at state and federal level
  • White – Could you briefly inform committee about potential federal prison dump in Mexico?
    • Border security still important to keep violent criminals out; infrastructure matters, doctrine matters
  • Introduces new Lieutenant Colonel for Law Enforcement Relations for DPS

Chief Nim Kidd, Division of Emergency Management

  • Job to make sure state agencies are working together
  • Help with staffing, finding where to house detainees, processing detainees, assisting in construction of borders, looking at areas for potential growth
  • Coordinate other agencies to focus on protection of Texas
  • White – Working with DPS as far as shower facilities, sleeping facilities? Want you to circle up with DPS leadership to improve these
    • Yes
  • Tinderholt – In getting ready to activate thousands of National Guard, in order to ensure that training and readiness is up to par, have you and General Norris talked about decreasing things like food banks so they can transition to other things like training?
    • Short answer, yes; their team is embedded within division, constant communication to ensure team has everything they need
  • White – Do you have any resource needs at this time?
    • Money spent is money appropriated to governor’s office; haven’t asked for anything and not been given it

AJ Louderback, Sheriff’s Association of TX

  • Resources, personnel, equipment; all been impacted by border crisis
  • Sheriff of Jackson County; see issues in abundance that were not occurring before January of 2021
  • White – Do you have any commentary on where individuals are taken after capture?
    • Have been trying to find out; don’t know who is going to county; NGOs responsible for transportation; when you approach them, they don’t have to answer
  • White – Do you feel an increase in duties now? What you have to respond to vs. year ago, 5 years ago?
    • Unsustainable; last 9 months an extraordinary time for TX law enforcement; federal policies hurting border security
  • White – You mention federal policies; need change in policy somewhere to get a different answer
    • Disincentivizing has long been an option; other methods that could create a more consistent approach
    • Problem exacerbated today because previous administration’s policy was removed
  • Goodwin – How are people ending up in county coming from Mexico or other countries?
    • S. 59 part of corridor into Houston; two corridors coming through county
    • Every county along corridor has experienced effects of the surge
  • Goodwin – What do you attribute change to?
    • Impact has to be related to federal administration policies, what they see as border security
  • Goodwin – Title 42 still in place
    • Title 42 is a good thing, but still a lot of people coming in that overwhelms personnel; 200,000 people came in in July alone according to Border Patrol
  • Goodwin – Sounds like people aren’t being stopped at border; mentioned reaching out to other NGOs trying to help; do you work with these organizations?
    • Don’t work with them; association with NGOs is only through National Sheriffs Association, haven’t been able to get answers from them
  • Goodwin – Title 42 turning away people?
    • Some being turned away, but not the majority; either brought into U.S. with a notice to appear or being delivered to other parts of country
  • Goodwin – Talk about fear of increase of stress on schools, hospitals; have these seen increases of people in their areas?
    • No; invisible in country right now
  • Tinderholt – Talking about Title 42, 0 people being tested at the border meaning Title 42 is not being used at all; might be used at legal crossings, but where is it being actually utilized?
    • RGV sector was doing this early-on, one of most effective tools at time; policy has changed within DHS and stress on personnel has increased
  • Tinderholt – With new administration, is Title 42 being used?
    • Not really
  • Tinderholt – People crossing certainly not invisible; influx of immigrants creates stress on law enforcement, healthcare, social programs, school districts; will not be invisible once they arrive in U.S. cities
    • Exactly, why we want DHS info as to where immigrants are going
  • Raymond – Have you ever known of someone to hire an illegal immigrant? Have you ever been involved in drug arrests?
    • Yes, many hired by U.S. citizens
    • Yes, some U.S. citizens
  • Raymond – Issue of Deincentivizing illegal immigration; what do you think?
    • Have been dealing with surges, not to this level, for years now
  • Raymond – Tring to approach issue from bipartisan space; has become politicized recently; all of these problems have been around for a long time, being driven by U.S. Citizens; have you ever had folks you have worked with in law enforcement have drug problems?
    • Yes
  • Raymond – What would you do to fix border security problem?
    • Would announce today that policies are not working, will go back to Remain in Mexico program to restore order to border; these policies actually worked
    • 2019-2020 border was much more stable than it is today
    • One of key changes were NPP protocols; Biden administration allowing everyone to come to U.S. to apply to asylum, before, they had to apply from Mexico
  • Raymond – Let’s talk about those trying to get asylum, entering legally; incentivizing going on here

Eddie Guerra, Sheriff of Hidalgo County & Benny Martinez, Sheriff of Brooks County

  • Guerra – Biggest partner today is federal partners; 75% of federal agents processing immigrants, so very little people on border; border essentially open in some parts
  • Have responded to over 24 deaths, have rescued over 36 migrants since April; assisting federal partners in dismantling human smuggling operations that use stash houses
  • 5 million apprehensions on southwest border, 505,000 in RGV sector; catching 42% of narcotic seizures along southwest border between ports of entry
  • Finding people who are criminals, have been deported, and are trying to find their way back into U.S.; disperse throughout U.S.
  • Martinez – One of busiest corridors in southwest border area; lots of private property in county; migrants disperse from stash houses in RGV sector, have to walk through Brooks County
  • In 2020, in Brooks County, had 7,300 apprehensions, now 20,000 apprehensions; have had 233% increase of failure to stop; 369% increase in rescues; 911 calls 500% increase; 228% in recovery of bodies
  • Public health issue, many bodies test positive for COVID
  • From 2009-today, have recovered over 800 bodies
  • White – Directed to Guerra, talked about how family units are not a security threat, but they do tie up law enforcement efforts?
    • Guerra – Most of crossings happen in park area, area tasked to a constable; cross river, turn themselves in to Border Patrol; unaccompanied children turned over to department of HHS
  • White – Any resource requirements still in need of?
    • Guerra – Could use technology: drones, helicopters

Raymundo Del Bosque, Jr., Sheriff of Zapata County

  • Car chases have increased, damage to fences of local landowners; have to drive 60 miles to take injured migrants to hospitals, EMS tied up as well as deputies
  • Border patrol has two beacons in county, helps migrants know what to do in dangerous situations
  • Lack of resources for lake, for getting through brush
  • Schaefer – County borders Tamaulipas State; who is in charge? Who is governing authority?
    • NCG Cartel; little communication with Mexican government; have had to hold NCG back from crossing drugs into country
    • Crossroads in Highway 16 and U.S. HW 83, cartels cannot cross to other side of boundaries
  • Schaefer – Mexican government not the sovereign; dealing with large parts of border where across the river there is no legitimate government authority
    • Correct; lake in county used to traffic drugs; home invasion and murder of U.S. citizen by cartel member
  • White – Resource need is altered vehicles and watercrafts; how has border security issue evolved over years?
    • County needs to be well-recognized, need help; lake is natural resource that many depend on; lake no longer tourist attraction
    • Personnel stretched thin; only 30 deputies, 3 on patrol during day, 5 at night to monitor 1,058 square miles

Joe Frank Martinez, Sheriff of Val Verde County

  • All border communities facing unprecedented challenges; Operation Lonestar has made great impact on keeping community state, but arrests for human smuggling overwhelmed county jails
  • As of Sept. 7, apprehensions up 531% this year; 223,412 vs. 27,532 last year
  • 92 different countries represented by migrants through sector
  • White – Is situation on ground today worse?
    • Worst anyone has ever experienced; unprecedented
    • Unity between state and federal help
  • Morales – Seeing rapid movement of migrants, but intel that they’ve seen that more migrants are on the way; need to ask White House and Congress to take up effective immigration reform policies; should talk to Mexican mayors and governors for assistance in border security; need to think bigger or else problem will persist
  • Morales – What else does Val Verde County need?
    • Operation will be winding down pretty quickly; hopefully will be no one left under bridge; resources on ground now meet needs
  • White – Are people waiting within County for their court dates?
    • Yes, wait about 7 days; some end up in Val Verde, but some who qualify for asylum will take bus or flight to other location
  • Morales – Question is why is there a lapse in knowing that 15,000 are coming to border; with technology capabilities of U.S., shouldn’t happen
  • Morales – Understandable that Haitian refugees are coming to U.S.; need to understand this so it can be addressed at source
  • Schaefer – What was immediate prior residence of Haitian immigrants?
    • Morales – Had chance to visit with Border Patrol agents, Haitian immigrants, and NGOs; folks from Haiti have been in Latin America for past few years
  • Schaefer – Countries have served as refuge, now migrants choosing to upgrade to different country; U.S. being first place they go is not the reality
    • Morales – Yes, this goes back to passing effective U.S. immigration reform; issue will persist
    • Martinez – Majority of people there from Haiti, Cuban, Venezuela; had been in Chile, Southern Mexico where economies started to crash; new administration made it more appealing to come to U.S.

Greg Allen, Police Chief of El Paso Police Department

  • El Paso pretty quiet, everything taking place in Del Rio area not occurring in El Paso
  • Flights sent from border to El Paso, then sent to either home country, camp in New Mexico, or a community in El Paso; Border patrol has said as long as influx in El Paso remains same, manageable
  • Bowers – Able to assist in Del Rio?
    • Able to manage with issues in El Paso because not that overwhelming; need to make sure people sent to El Paso don’t end up unmonitored in community
  • Bowers – Able to provide PPE for people coming in where you are?
    • Yes, COVID protective equipment; not an issue for general safety of community

Lindsay Gray, Immigration Attorney, VECINA Nonprofit

  • Launched in response to NPP; low rates of representation; have since dealt with Title 42
  • As individuals and families have spread out after receiving asylum, have continued to provide immigration legal assistance as needed
  • New project to assist unaccompanied minors at border
  • Bowers – Can you share any numbers about reuniting children with families?
    • About 40-50% of children have biological parents in U.S., 80-90% have some sort of family member in U.S.
    • Majority of children released from custody of ORR to family member
  • Schaefer – How does asylum process work?
    • Come to port of entry, granted credible fear interview (initial screening process), if pass, given a notice to appear in court when they file asylum application
  • Schaefer – Where does U.S. law require person to enter to get asylum?
    • Have to enter at port of entry; have to have credible fear
  • Schaefer – To enter into U.S. at anywhere other than port of entry, against law?
    • Correct
    • With establishment of Title 42, turning back a lot of migrants
    • 44% of those at border turned away as part of Title 42 expulsions
  • Goodwin – How many people coming to border to assert right to asylum?
    • Majority of people at border asylum seekers fearing persecution and death; 156,000 individual encounters in August for asylum
    • No meaningful way for asylum seekers in U.S.; many people continue to try to cross within a given month
    • National disparities as who is allowed to be expelled
  • Goodwin – Is Title 42 only way to turn people away?
    • NPP not up and running, recent litigation to reinstitute NPP, hasn’t happened in practice
    • Title 42 only policy in place at time; credible fear interviews another way to turn people away
    • Title 42 will eventually end; can return to previous immigration asylum processes
  • Goodwin – How has experience been as attorney on border?
    • Every port of entry different
    • The violence and taking advantage of migrants on Mexican side of border gives rise to desperation to enter into U.S.; cartels know when they can go kidnap people when they’re turned away from U.S.
    • Tells personal stories of migrants
  • Goodwin – How has changes in law impacted situation on border this year?
    • Has heard talks of Open Border Policy, not true; this is the most closed borders have ever been
    • Title 42 created traffic jam
    • Historical seasonal increase in migration; unaccompanied minor surge, lack of capacity that needed to be built up over time
    • Need to help neighboring countries with systemic issues going on in governments and police forces causing residents to flee; but in terms of rush of migrants to border, not due to sudden change in policy; border is the most closed it has ever been
  • Goodwin – Anything that could help in legal system to speed up process at border?
    • Studies have shown that threat of enforcement not statistically significant to someone’s decision to migrate; largest factors in migration decision were whether they were a victim of a violent crime
    • Need to speed up process of credible fear interviews, if turned away in this process there is tangible record of deportation; under title 42, no evidence of prior deportations so people can keep trying
  • White – Who does credible fear interviews? Any statistical data to support idea that border is most closed it’s ever been? Hearing today just drama if it is true that border is most closed it’s ever been
    • S. Citizenship officer
    • Most closed it’s been from a legal place; sure there is data some where
  • White – Saying Biden has turned back more people than ever?
    • Yes, due to Title 42; expelled due to Title 42 different than deportation
  • Tinderholt – 15% of fear interviews pass; once they appear, 40% never do anything after, and 88-95% get lost after first court date; only 5-12% of people trackable; what do you have to say about these numbers?
    • Where do number come from?
    • Tinderholt – Federal government website
    • Grey – Seeking asylum in U.S. not illegal, no quicker way to process people than just giving them an interview; understanding is that asylum seekers represented by council, over 90% of them report to court
    • Need for universal representation of asylum seekers
    • Biometrics done on everyone who is lawfully processed
  • Tinderholt – Concerned about amount of people we aren’t aware of entering and living in U.S.
  • White – Concerned about criminals being able to come into U.S.; immigration attorneys illuminating problems on border
  • Bowers – Reiterate and share that you have never seen borders more closed?
    • From a legal and policy perspective, yes; the reason there is an increase in people crossing is because they have not been provided the normal legal means to seek asylum in U.S.
  • White – There has to be some kind of shift in policy, can’t have kidnappings, can’t have illegal crossings into private property
    • Thinking about increased security and enforcement; 75% of single adults subject to Title 42; presumably fear is of single adults, not family units

Brandon Darby, Journalist, Self

  • Nonpolitical coverage; has traveled all 9 sectors of southwest border and Mexican side of border; started coverage at beginning of increase of Del Rio border crossings
  • Disappointed in state of TX in both humanitarian and security response at Del Rio
  • People who live in horrible places leave; know when it’s coming, poses a security and humanitarian issue
  • Focus attention on one cartel faction at a time; Mexican government sends enforcement, and try to take it down; reports shared privately with law enforcement, participate in trying to secure border
  • Lack of attention paid to going after cartels; cartels helping to facilitate illegal immigration, smuggling, etc. through business models; dictate where people cross
  • TX can’t be caught unprepared for massive migration
  • Tinderholt – Needed to do humane thing at Del Rio; said it may not be illegal for asylum crossers, but it is, have to go through sanctioned points of entry; how would you address this?
    • Belief not based on opinion; allowing people to come irregularly encourages more and fuels cartels; not advocate for illegal migration
    • Doesn’t know specific laws
  • Tinderholt – What can be done to curb illegal immigration and slow the flow of migrants?
    • Gives background on border of TX; differing cartel territories
    • Cartel influence dictates which sectors will be most impacted, will put more vulnerable sectors at great risk
    • Some cartel leaders live in Texas; capable of looking at devices and tracking them to see where they cross border, where they go in TX; major time and resource burden, but important to better use intel to dismantle transnational criminal organizations
    • Took several weeks to get porta-potties, food, water as humanitarian aid to Del Rio migrants
  • White – Hear a lot about the caravans, can you elaborate on them?
    • A natural thing; people don’t want to cross Mexico alone
    • Sexual assaults on women are to be expected; cartels utilize migrants in order to overwhelm U.S. and TX forces in order to sneak in drugs; caravans attempt at safety

Sister Norma Pimentel, Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley

  • In 2014 Catholic Church took charge to handle migrant families released into community
  • Humanitarian response to entry of asylum-seekers; have received 1,000’s of migrants a day
  • Test every migrant for COVID, quarantine those who are positive; 7% tested positive
  • 400-550 migrants every day recently due to movement to other sites
  • Have always been peaks and valleys in numbers
  • Important to provide proper space and care to those who have COVID; provides peace of mind to community
  • Funded by generous individuals, not by federal government; wants funding from FEMA for humanitarian response
  • Migrants want to go to where their families are; leaving TX for larger U.S. cities; looking for a safe life
  • Patterson – Are you directly affiliated with Catholic Church?
    • Yes, charity arm of church
  • Patterson – Operating on both sides of border?
    • Operate on U.S. side, Pimentel crosses to assist in efforts there
  • Patterson – What efforts on MX side? Assisting with transportation across the border? Information about how to cross border?
    • Families need to be fed, have safe places to stay
    • Not at all; just assisting with humanitarian care
    • No involvement with helping them to cross into the U.S.
  • Patterson – Only help families?
    • Yes, choose not to help single males; other shelters can provide assistance for male, single adults
    • Providing food, clothing, shelter, diapers
  • White – What resources do you need? These people are being brought to you; what are actionable needs?
    • Get so many donations; local community needs support of state government to help with humanitarian efforts
    • Invites committee to see humanitarian rescue center; get different perspective of what responsibility we have to human life

Martha Santos, TX and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

  • Crisis on southern border; residents of south TX on frontlines, turned into superhighway for illegal immigrants
  • Time consuming and costly fence repairs, cattle get loose that poses threat to drivers
  • Had 300 people in one night cross through their property
  • Use of property taken away by failure to secure border
  • Need to secure border
  • Can’t run any cattle due to fences continuing to be cut
  • White – Notice a big difference between now and past?
    • Yes; growing up, would see one or two people infrequently; now see huge groups, aggressive
    • Have had friends have their homes broken into
  • White – When you had cattle, did they drink out of river?
    • No
  • White – How would a border wall structure impact the way you run your cattle?
    • Not going to run cattle; family agreed to construction of wall, would allow land to be leased for businesses
    • Wall would benefit border patrol
  • White – For producers on river, do they take advantage of HB1 Ag? How is it working?
    • Yes
    • Working so far; those with work visas, they can’t come and go; illegal immigrants can come and go

Scott Frasier, Texas Farm Bureau

  • South TX members of Farm Bureau impacted by border issues
  • See human smugglers driving through land, fears for safety for families, fences cut, water sources damaged or destroyed, cars abandoned
  • Working with state and congressional leaders to provide solutions; trying to create a reimbursement act for ranchers who face immigration-related damages
  • Request for border to be secured now
  • White – Have you ever testified before? Which of those committees?
    • Yes; land and natural resources, agricultural committees
  • White – As an ag producer, you’ve never had to testify before Homeland Security committee?
    • No
  • White – Something abnormal going on; have any ag producers been forced to change business model, output, etc.?
    • Yes, some keeping ledgers of how many migrants have crossed, what property has been damaged; abnormal increases
    • Changing routines: not letting people be out alone, having to repair fences as opposed to normal work
  • White – What are you hearing from county boards about AG HB 1 visa?
    • Could use an easier guest-worker program
    • Labor a big issue, need to make whole system easier to use
  • White – No one should be afraid of being on their own property; will come visit to see more

Closing Comments

  • White – Will have joint charge with Defense and Veterans Affairs to discuss border security further