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Sunday, September 5, 2010 | Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County: Since 1929
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Sheriff: No fence for Val Verde County
Published May 6, 2007
Second of Two Parts
Val Verde County Sheriff A. D’Wayne Jernigan believes federal lawmakers are ready to back off a proposed border fence slated for construction between Del Rio and Eagle Pass.
Jernigan said he and the other Texas border sheriffs who made a trip to Washington, D.C. recently to discuss border issues with lawmakers and administrators again spoke out against the border fence proposed for construction along the Rio Grande in Val Verde, Kinney and Maverick counties during an audience with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
“When we met with Secretary Chertoff, he assured us there would be no action taken on the fence along the border without conferring with local officials,” Jernigan said in an interview Friday.
“The Secretary told us that he believes that in some areas there does not need to be a fence, especially in places where there are natural borders like the ones we have here in Val Verde County. We told him that the only thing he is going to do by building a fence here is create a firestorm of controversy,” the sheriff added.
Jernigan said he and the other sheriffs also reiterated complaints by the mayors of border cities and the owners of large swaths of private land along the Rio Grande, who have strenuously objected to the placement of a border fence in the area.
Jernigan said Chertoff told the border sheriffs their best route to quash the fence plan is to keep in close contact with their elected representatives in Washington.
“He told us, ‘I’m under mandate by that law that says I have to build a fence.’ And what he said was, that we need to start lobbying and we need to start informing our legislators so they can change the law,” Jernigan said.
The sheriff said after he returned to Del Rio, he received communication from W. Ralph Basham, U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, and Anne P. Petera, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for intergovernmental programs, discussing the border fence.
“Fencing is an important component of our effort to secure U.S. borders, but we recognize the potential impact that fencing could have on your community. We are intent on honoring Secretary Chertoff’s commitment to work with you and other members of the community to address relevant fencing issues and concerns,” the letter reads in part.
“I believe they’ve heard us,” Jernigan said, “Loud and clear.”
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