Ranchers Protest Latest Forward Operating Base Site

By: Press

For Immediate Release

September 28, 2010

Ranchers Protest Latest Forward Operating Base Site

Petition with 110 Signatures Says Base Is Too Far From Border

HOBBS, NM – Today the Albuquerque Journal reported that ranchers near Animas, NM have submitted a petition to the Border Patrol Agency, requesting that a new site for a Forward Operating Base (FOB) be moved closer to the border. The current planned site is nearly 20 miles from the border. A parcel of land owned by the Bureau of Land Management about seven miles north of Mexico was proposed, but rejected due to wildlife concerns.
 
From the article:
 
“A group of Hidalgo County ranchers and other residents is protesting the proposed location of a Border Patrol substation near Animas, about 20 miles from the border, saying it would offer better protection if it was farther south…[Ranchers] said they might get a personal advantage from having the substation nearby, possibly deterring traffic from their homes, but said they prefer a rejected BLM parcel seven miles north of the border.”
 
 “During last week’s debate on border security, Congressman Teague touted that he had been down to the area listening to constituents and that this new base would secure the border. However, 110 of his own constituents on the border clearly disagree with his assessment,” said Pearce campaign spokesman Jason Heffley. “Building a Border Patrol site 20 miles from the border does not make us more safe, and will not stop the rampant drug and human smuggling.”

Steve Pearce added, “The ranchers who submitted this petition have legitimate concerns, and their suggestion of constructing the FOB on a rejected parcel of BLM land is a great one. Unfortunately, our government is letting special interests get in the way of border security. It’s time to start listening to our border constituents who deal with these horrendous problems every day, instead of building checkpoints too far away to have a real impact.”