U.S (ACLU-Texas) : The real impact of BORDER PATROL on my home in SOUTH TEXAS.

 

 

 

Friend –     Sunny days, elote entero with white corn, strong familial bonds, and Border Patrol. These are some of the things that define daily life along the border in South Texas. Exposure to Border Patrol begins at a young age. I remember agents marching in local parades dressed in full defensive gear, idling in parked cars at fast-food restaurants waiting to detain neighbors, recruiting at my high school, and patrolling my local university. It's hard to understand the true impact that Border Patrol has on the Rio Grande Valley without having lived here. The ACLU of Texas just released a report about the actual impact that Border Patrol has on border residents. The findings are alarming. My colleague Maria Cordero helped survey 150+ people along the border – including U.S. citizens, green-card holders, and undocumented residents – about their interactions with Border Patrol and their feelings about the agency's heavy presence here. 61% of the people we interviewed said they avoid going to essential locations like grocery stores, hospitals, polling places, and community centers out of fear of encountering Border Patrol. 39% said that an encounter with Border Patrol has interrupted or impeded their daily routines. 83% said Border Patrol's presence affects their mental health. Read the full report Harmful federal policies have fueled such explosive growth in the number of Border Patrol agents that community members assume being stopped because they "looked suspicious" or having agents follow their child's school bus home is normal. The reality is that Border Patrol's presence does not improve the safety of our community but instead makes people feel unsafe and less likely to seek out fundamental needs. I encourage you to read this report. I think it will become clear that we must reduce the number of Border Patrol agents across the border, as well as demand transparency and accountability for law enforcement agencies whenever they violate our rights. All Texans – including those of us who live along the border – deserve to feel safe. In this together,       Victoria Guerrero Pronouns : She, they Digital Communications Coordinator, ACLU of Texas.           P.S. Check out my new blog post where I discuss growing up around Border Patrol.

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