Border communities oppose use of military and walls to control immigration.

On Wednesday, the City Council of Douglas Arizona passed a resolution stating formal opposition to both the construction of walls, and the use of military forces in an attempt to curtail the flow of migrants over the border. The City of Douglas, located in Cochise Country, an area rapidly becoming ground zero for activists on both sides of the immigration debate, became the second border city in the last few weeks to voice opposition to the governments plans to place 6000 National Guard troops along the border and the construction of a new triple wall system intended to stop undocumented migrants from entering the country.

On May 23, the El Paso Texas City Council passed a resolution stating that the plan to send troops to "improve border security" not only violated the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 that prohibits the use of military forces to patrol the border, but also threatened "the safety and well being of the residents of our border communities." The resolution went on to voice formal opposition to the plan and a demand for comprehensive immigration reform.

The Douglas resolution goes even further in its arguments against the Presidents proposals, stating that the "ineffective Federal policies will negatively impact local economies", pointing out that "the communities of Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta Sonora, Mexico are joined together not divided, as one region by the border, its people, culture and commerce."


tags: immigration, National Guard, border wall , Douglas AZ, resolution, oppose border wall

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2006, DOUGLAS, ARIZONA - THIS IS A RESOLUTION APPROVED AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOUGLAS, ARIZONA, COCHISE COUNTY, EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE ADDITIONAL BORDER FENCING WITHIN THE CITY OF DOUGLAS AS WELL AS OPPOSITION TO MILITARY PESONNEL STATIONED ALONG THE BORDER.

"Douglas - the premier southwestern border community."

RESOLUTION 06-445
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOUGLAS, COCHISE COUNTY, ARIZONA, EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE ADDITIONAL BORDER FENCING WITHIN THE AREA IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE CITY OF DOUGLAS FROM THE EAST BOUNDARY OF THE DOUGLAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TO WHITEWATER DRAW AND OPPOSITION TO THE MILITARY PERSONNEL STATIONED ALONG THE BORDER OTHER THAN IN A SUPPORTIVE ROLE.

WHEREAS, the communities of Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta Sonora, Mexico are joined together not divided, as one region by the border, its people, culture and commerce.

WHEREAS, the City of Douglas depends heavily on international trade and commerce, and where ineffective Federal policies will negatively impact local economies. The total trade value of goods through the Douglas/Agua Prieta port of entry was 948 million dollars for 2005, second only to the Nogales, AZ trade values.

WHEREAS, the facilitation of trade to ensure the prosperity of our community has long been an underlying economic principal; our local business merchants depend heavily on cross border shoppers; conservatively estimating in excess of 40% of sales tax is generated by consumers in Mexico.

WHEREAS, the City of Douglas strongly supports the U.S. Border Patrol and believes in the virtue of governance and enforcement guided by the rule of law recognizing there are legitimate and sanctioned authorities, such as, the United States Border Patrol and others who merit the community's faith and trust to appropriately address the issues of undocumented aliens.

WHEREAS, the City of Douglas has worked with representatives and agencies in Mexico and the United States for many years to create secure trade and traffic programs.

WHEREAS, the City of Douglas has shouldered and endured the brunt and adversity of every failed past and proposed attempt to control and deal with illegal immigration in this community.

WHEREAS, the residents of this U.S./Mexico border community continue to have family, social and cultural relationships which would become severely jeopardized by continued ineffective stop gap measures.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOUGLAS that we are opposed to adding additional fencing within the area immediately adjacent to the City of Douglas from the east boundary of the Douglas Municipal Airport to Whitewater Draw to the West which could adversely affect and displace many of our longstanding residents and homes in those areas and any military personnel stationed along the Border other than in a supportive role. Furthermore, be it resolved that the complex issues of illegal immigration and a porous border cannot be fixed by an enforcement only approach. The solutions must take a multi-faceted approach to multi-layered issues created over the years by virtue of neglect; also that a more realistic, safe and humane approach that should recognize the dignity and worth of every human life should require allowing the entry into the U.S. of documented workers who are filling legitimate employment needs to remain in an approved and monitored program.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Arizona, this 7th day of June, 2006.

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In a related story, on Monday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Las Vegas a resolution was passed urging President Bush and Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, including a guest worker program.

The mayors from more than 200 U.S. cities also debated a measure opposing the building of a 300 mile fence along the border at the Rio Grande in Texas. The resolution was submitted by Laredo, Texas, Mayor Elizabeth Flores, Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz and Albuquerque, N.M., Mayor Martin Chavez on the grounds that the fence would harm relations between the U.S. and Mexico. It urged the Senate to "ask itself if the expense and symbolism of such a proposed fence can possibly be worth the misunderstandings it will create between the United States and Mexico." The resolution, which had mixed support from border state mayors was ultimately not backed by a majority of the Conference.

Border community residents also gained a valuable ally in their opposition to "the wall" on Thursday when former Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaking at a business conference in Mexico City said that extending walls along the U.S.-Mexico border would not solve the problem of illegal immigration.

"The Berlin Wall did not work perfectly and the wall that the Israelis are putting up is not going to work perfectly," Powell said. "So, a wall alone is not the answer."

Powell also added that a path to legalization must be provided for the 12 million undocumented immigrants already in the US.

As those in Washington and the media fight it out in the court of public opinion, those who must live every day with the true ramifications of failed US immigration policy continue to fight to have their voices heard above the din.