The Texas Department of Public Safety, citing a concern about "significant criminal activity occurring in South Texas," is defending its road checkpoints spread across the Rio Grande Valley as fearful residents take measure to avoid the random stops.
In Hidalgo County, the San Antonio Express-News reports that residents there have started FaceBook pages to inform others where the DPS set up its stops, and advising them of alternate routes to take to avoid them.
And despite the assurances of the DPS director that its officers will not inquire about the immigration status of the drivers they stop, many feel that focusing on the poor will inveairbaly mean that they will report them to the Border Patrol.
"I heard that if they stop you and you don't have a license, they will ask you if you are a citizen and tht they will call the Border Patrol to get you if you don't have any ID," said a Brownsville woman who read about the stops on a FB page.
And an immigration attorney in McAllen told the Express-News that he tested the veracity of the DPS statements that they were not focusing on the poor and found out that when he got to a checkpoint in his new 2012 Ford F-150, he was waved through. When he turned the pickup around, a DPS officer waved him through a second time."What disturbs me is the locations are very rural and where there are a lot of poor people," said Carlos Garcia. "People are not taking their kids to school or to the doctor because they're afraid they'll be stopped and deported."
DPS Director Steve McGraw told the daily that although the DPS effort will be "more extensive in scope to enforce compliance with state driver's license, insurance, vehicle safety and registration requirements, he stressed that the checkpoints will not be used to determine immigration status.
"The public should not be alarmed if they soon see an increased law enforcement presence in the area," he said.
However, just like the Brownsville woman who fears that the stops may be a backdoor maneuver to detain people with immigration status problems, many would rather trust the FB sites set up to monitor the locations of the checkpoints and alert other residents.
They are Alert of Checkpoints 956, Report of Checkpoints in 956 in Spanish, and roadblock856 and RGV DPS Random Checkpoints in English, each with tens of thousands of "likes."
So far, checkpoint locations in Alamo, Mercedes and Edinburg have been identified in these sites.
It is impossible to understand how the Texas Republican administration can possibly think that random checks such as these can in any way endear the burgeoning Hispanic community to support their stand on immigration reform.
With both Texas senators – John Cornyn and Ted "El Cucuy" Cruz – demanding more border security in return for a vague promise of supporting a pathway to citizenship for those here illegally, voters in the Valley where extended families stretch across the international border can hardly be expected to rally around the GOP platform or its candidates.
Already, state Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg has said he is concerned the the checkpoints risk violating the civil rights of South Texans.
"They say these checkpoints will only be in place for a short duration. It seems to imply that these checkpoints are going to have very little positive, long-term effect."
21 comments:
More undocumented people are coming into the RGV than ever before, hoping to get on the social services rosters and avoid the lack of these services in other nations. Coyotes are moving illegals through the ranch country daily; disregarding private property, disregarding public safety, disregarding the laws of this nation.....and when they get here they think all our laws (vehicle insurance, driver's license and citizenship) are a burden to their lives. They are illegal, they disregard the law, but they protest (and we let them) against everything....as discrimination. I hope DPS continues the roadside check-points and I hope they take off the road all who do not comply with Texas laws for driving. Those who drive illegally are a threat to those of us who try to obey the law. I applaud DPS for their determination to make our highways safe.
Let me see if I have this right...We are not supposed to enforce laws and catch criminals, but doing some might make some wetbacks uncomfortable!
That does not make a whole hell of a lot of sense.
Time for some turd wrangling. Learn English, read "El Libre" (the government will pay for your school too like everything else amigos), and get a real job. American's are tired of these parasites stinking up our country with their culture of laziness. It's about time Texas did something about this. I've heard more than one story about some dumb Mexican from across without insurance hitting someone's car and then say "sorry, I don't have insurance" and then driving off. Losers and criminals. Ask your Congressman to pass laws allowing citizens to beat the asses of these idiots and save the police the work and taxpayer money.
Thanks for calling a spade a spade. It's about time someone did. These tactics most certainly always target the poor. We are constantly hearing how we help the poor but everything we do from food stamps to healthcare to these inane Gestapo tactics only ensure these people stay poor.
Poster 11:53AM
Please tell us all, what services do undocumented people qualify for? They don't qualify for food stamps or whatever replaced AFDC. They do not qualify for social security benefits for the disabled. They do not get Medicaid. So what do they get? They do get Protective Services for Children but I suspect most would decline, given a choice.
You are right about not having diver's licenses. But tell me, wasn't Texas want of the states that does not issue driver's licenses to undocumented people? And please, steer me to the insurance company that is going to insure an unlicensed driver. There may be valid reasons to dismiss undocumented people but you don't seem to know any of them.
I love to read the comments from the assholes complaining about "illegal" Mexicans in the Valley. I just hope they live in the valley because they better get used to being around about a half million and growing "wetbacks". If you don't like illegal Mexicans for Christ's sake move. There are very few gavachos in the Valley and they will not be missed. It is impossible to stop the flow of immigrants, it is a natural process. The walls, drones, etc. will only make it more difficult but it will still not work. The same way you cannot stop drugs from getting across. I have some advice, spear a tortilla on your aerial and keep driving North until someone asks you what it is.
this is wrong why only the valley and no where else in texas, this is definitely WRONG
It is happening because the people in the valley are ignorant and uneducated . If this was happening in Austin, Dallas etc. there would be mass protests at the checkpoints. keep up the good work mojados. You do not deserve civil rights or amendments because you are illegal. When I pull up to one of these nazi check points I know what to say and will not even be questioned. Not because I am white. Its Because I know my rights as a citizen of the US.
"Ignorance is bliss" It's not only the "undocumented" that drive uninsured vehicles... Anyone remember that vehicle registered to Rene Oliveira that was involved in an accident not so long ago. According to the media/blogs the vehicle was UNINSURED!!!! He's not a "wetback" and he and other people in his "inner circle" consider themselves "ELITE & Law Abiding Citizens" was that just "an oversight" on his behalf? Please if you don’t like living in the valley… "Move" it's that simple. I DO NOT condone driving without insurance and a valid DL, but please… no need to make such "Ignorant" remarks.
Calling all these people illegal is factually wrong. As Mr. Montoya pointed out, they're poor. This doesn't mean they're illegal. They could be but they're likely US born American citizens. Some are probably 2nd or 3rd generation Americans.
Its about time that DPS pulled these checkpoints! Now they can really get the number of drivers without insurance and or who have outstanding warrants. Keep up the good work!
I have lived in Brownsville for 68 years. In that time I have watched it change from a clean slice of small town America to a filthy, corrupt and crime ridden suburb of Matamoros.
I reflect back and ask myself, why did things change. Neither Mexico or Brownsville has moved, so it is not the proximity of the two countries. Certainly both countries have gone though cultural changes and neither is what it was before, but that does not explain what happened.
The Brownsville School system has deteriorated significantly to the point it's graduates are barely employable even in minimum wage positions. Why is this?
The difference probably has to do with community leadership. Brownsville now had decades of very poor leaders who say the right words, but seek to use their position to accumulate power, influence and wealth for themselves.
The whole thing is very, very sad. I do so love this place or the memory of what is once was. ed
don't worry. the roadblocks will stop once they catch Emmanuel Goldstein and Oceania is once again safe.
DPS says it is looking for criminal elements, those that have warrants and not undocumented or illegals, get your facts correcto mundo first folks. the law is very clear, if you dont have a drivers license or car insurance you should not be driving around in the first place. you are a moving target looking for trouble.
God have mercy on your soul
I applaud for all those commenters that ate PRO AMERICAN and for all those who support MOJADOS/WET BACKS PARASITES SHAME ON YOU. ALL YOU ARE TRAITORS TO THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD . IT IS YOU PEOPLE THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DESTRUCTION TO OUR GREAT COUNTRY. IT IS YOU PEOPLE THAT NEED TO GET THE HELL OUT OF MY BELOVED COUNTRY.
3rd generation AMERICAN (of Mexican decent)
All u people calling dem mojados u r idiots to start texas es mexico and da dps da law r just scared cuz of da panama unit like lupe trevinio y rene guerra r chuekos
very true. i know of a lot of illegals that come n have kids here and are on all these benefits food stamps TANF SSI housing, but yet the people who are legally here cant receive these benefits cuz all the assistance is being taken up by them.. i was diagnosed with cancer in January and couldnt get help from medicaid or food stamps until march.. i had 2 surgeries back to back in january all which were paid with money that i worked for. my mother in law n daughters had to sell bbq plates to be able to raise funds.. i went to apply for housing n was told that applications were not being taken until ctober or november cuz they were full. i am a single mother take that into consideration.. and at that time i wasworking two full time jobs and going to school.. i was not in any government help and not receiving even child support from my ex-husband. and still pulled my children thru.. thank God that i am now better and have gone back to work.
In response to concerns about the record of various and significant criminal activities in the Valley (as mentioned by DPS Col. Steve McCraw in a recent column at The Monitor) Grits for breakfast has the following to say:
"the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals majority in 2011 granted that 'A checkpoint to verify drivers' licenses and vehicle registration is permissible, but a checkpoint whose primary purpose is to detect evidence of ordinary criminal wrongdoing is not.' "
Therefore, it doesn't make sense that anyone bring up the record of criminal activity as a motive for the initiative because, by law, it's not a valid reason. (i.e. it would be a violation of the fourth amendment protections the Constitution upholds for EVERY person in the U.S.) Basically, it would be a form of profiling, as JM suggests. In this instance, poor, brown and rural folks are being targeted by the state (for being poor, brown and rural).
Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that the state targets particular people in its law enforcement practices: e.g. "stop-and-frisk" and the BP's "roving stops." And, as with the first of those examples, it doesn't necessarily mean they will get away with it, once someone can get a federal court to put some pressure on them.
Any follow-up on this story? Apparently, folks over at the Austin American Statesman called out the DPS on their bullsh*t claims (http://bit.ly/1acMAUy) and the San Antonio Express News is saying DPS confirmed over the weekend that the "initiative" is over, citing DPS spokesman Tom Vinger saying that it was always targeting unlicensed/uninsured drivers and "enforcing traffic regulatory compliance," even though the DPS press release for the initiative (9/13/13) clearly states that the identification of "various criminal activities" prompted the checkpoints. Specifically:
"The significant criminal activity occurring in South Texas includes human smuggling and trafficking, drug smuggling, stash house operations and home invasions."
So, like, WTF?! Is someone going to hold the DPS accountable or what?
I can't believe the nerve of some people! Who are any of us to prohibit the travel and nomadic nature of the human being that has been innately and instinctively in our nature since the beginning of our existence?! I think all border laws are trash! None of us own a stake in keeping people in or out or off a piece of land! This is a sick cruel hateful society and generation of human beings and I'm ashamed to exist in it. You should all be ashamed as well! I pray that God have mercy on every one of yalls souls even though you don't deserve it regardless of the name of the soil you as individuals were "born on".
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