USCIS Acting Director Visits with City Officials
Written by admin, Aug 23, 2019, 0 Comments
Courtesy Rafael Benavides,
LAREDO, Texas—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli visited with city and federal officials in Laredo, Texas, the nation’s largest land port, on Tuesday, August 20. A number of items were discussed including tents set up by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) near the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge for the purposes of processing asylum claims. The City of Laredo has offered a currently vacant, a 21,779 square foot city-owned building known as El Portal near the international bridge to DHS to be used in lieu of the tents which are currently located near local businesses and are visible to international tourists entering the city.
Other items discussed were the President’s Migrant Protection Protocols, immigration reform and the City of Laredo’s position on the border wall. The City of Laredo has opposed a physical wall and instead has proposed to the federal government to designate federal funds for a border security plan that is environmentally-friendly to the sensitive riparian ecosystem and allow for recreation and development of the city’s riverbank.
The design calls for a bulkhead retaining wall on the river coupled with enhanced border security technology to aid federal agents in their work to secure the southern border without the need for a giant wall. About half of Laredo’s economy is dependent on foreign investment from Mexican tourists and City officials say this plan would be an enhancement to the community instead of a divisive structure. The plan is also cheaper than the federal option, about $18 million per mile as opposed to the federal government’s plan that would cost at least $23 million per mile.
“There are many issues facing us on the southern border which is why I greatly appreciate Acting Director Cuccinelli’s time and visit to our city,” said Mayor Pete Saenz. “He came to the right place to see how the United States and Mexico work to solve common issues. As the nation’s largest land port, and second largest port overall, border communities like Laredo are unique in that we have a deeply interconnected economy and way of life.
I thank the director for his visit and the opportunity to discuss issues of immigration, rule of law and border security as they pertain to the mission of DHS. Overall, I believe Congress must take up and pass comprehensive immigration reform to insure fair, orderly and humane immigration policies that do not break apart families but yet protect against immigrants becoming a public charge on our nation.”
