Republican Congressman: Trump’s Border Crisis Is a ‘Myth’
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
WASHINGTON — Congressman Will Hurd of Texas is an increasingly lonely voice in the “build the wall” Republican Party of Donald Trump. A 41-year-old former undercover CIA officer, Hurd represents one of the largest congressional districts in America, Texas’ 23rd, a vast expanse of land roughly the size of Georgia that stretches from San Antonio to El Paso.
Hurd’s district includes 820 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, more than any other member of the House of Representatives. But if you’re expecting Hurd, who was narrowly re-elected to a third term last year, to support President Trump’s “big, beautiful wall” and stand with the decision to partially shut down the federal government over the fight, you’ve got it all wrong. Trump’s border crisis is a “myth,” Hurd tells Rolling Stone, and a wall made of cement or steel slats is a “third-century solution to a 21st-century problem.”
“What I always say is building a wall from sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective way to do border security,” Hurd says.
He is one of the few Republicans to break ranks and vote with Democrats to approve funding to reopen the government. On Wednesday, he announced that he’d landed a coveted seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, bringing the perspective of someone who actually knows the border to Congress’ main government-funding committee.
Rolling Stone caught up with Hurd in his office on Capitol Hill to discuss the “wall,” what it’s like to represent nearly half of the entire U.S.-Mexico border and his idea for a modern-day Marshall Plan to address the root causes of the social and economic crisis in Latin America that has led to so many immigrants fleeing north and seeking refuge in the U.S. The conversation follows, lightly edited for length and clarity.
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One Republican Representative from Texas does not represent the whole Southern border. There are three other states that make up the the border states. The gentleman is more than welcome to his views, but he should stick to what he knows about Texas. He does not speak for New Mexico, Arizona, or California where situations may be different.
Well then let's talk about Arizona Doc.
Your correct AZ does have a different situation than Texas...It's called a sovereign nation, the Tohono O'odham nation.
If your not familiar with that name they were called the Papago by the Spanish but rejected that name for obvious reasons.
Their reservation lies on the AZ/Mexican border with about 60 miles of frontage. They are against any wall/fence being built across their reservation since the US Government has fucked up the border over the decades they now tend to lose more land.
Also there is a group called the ''Shadow Wolves'' that are trackers from the tribe that work alone in very hostile environment tracking and apprehending the drug gangs. They are so successful that the have trained the military and other groups on how to be an Indian tracker...
Now with that as a background (you can verify any of this with goggle) what do you suggest we do with the Tohono O'odham reservation and people?
I am indeed familiar with them. As I have stated before, I live right on the border two hours South of Tucson. I may be pro wall/fence, but I am also fully aware that there are extenuating circumstances in every case, and this is one of those situations. I fully agree with you on the sovereignty of the Tohono-O'odham nation and other Native American nations. Said nation(s) are more han capable of securing heir own borders in conjunction and/or in cooperation with CBP as they see fit. It has worked in the past and there is no reason to change it. Any barrier can be continued on past their lands.
Unfortunately Doc the administration states that it will build a wall right through their land.
Since when does the federal government respect Native American sovereignty?
Then the administration is dead wrong and if they try, this will definitely turn around and bite Trump and company in the ass as well it should. I am not a Trump supporter and never voted for him. I would have no problem seeing him brought down a peg and humbled if needed.
Doc the government has rarely respected NA sovereignty...Currently because of the US government their rez has been cut off from the southern part of their rez since the southern part is now in Mexico. BP have been making it very difficult for the O'odham people to move within their own rez.
Those are the facts and IMO the administration will do what ever is necessary to build that wall right through their rez.
Trump has never been a friend of Indians, his history with native people is filled with lies and insults. Those are also the facts.
The Ojibwe people, (my tribe) were given rights to moved between Canada and the US freely because our land was cut in half by the governments (US and Canada) it called the Jay ready which the government refuses to honor...That is not unusual and has happened to a multitude of tribes.
Sadly those are the facts.
I agree 100% my friend.
Well of course!
You aren't white.
I wonder why I just saw a political target appear on this mans picture.
O-Nevermind, I think I know.
There is a thing called speaking truth to power...
In this case however, it's a GOP representative speaking truth to stupid, and we all know what stupid will do rather than listen... whine, bitch, moan and go right on being stupid. You can fix ignorance with education, you just can't fix stupid.
and likely try to destroy this mans career so he doesn't disagree again and to teach others the same.
sad !
So we build a wall, fifteen feet high.
How long does it take to position a fifteen-foot ladder?
Surveillance is what’s important. Ask the Israelis.
Oh, wait... a real American can never look overseas...
LOL Yep , that wheel wont work here, gotta invent a new one.
You got that right !!!
lol ..and sad
A statement that logically acknowledges the need for border security.
I guess it depends where you're getting your information and what information you're looking at. To wit:
Most, least dangerous border towns, according to the FBI
It's also a humanitarian issue. Illegal migrants are drawn to to those open areas and suffer from the exposure and have to be rescued by border patrol.
Over 1,000 individuals rescued by Laredo Border Patrol agents this year so far
That doesn't happen if they are forced to ports of entry.
The information being looked at is the rating of the least violent cities in the USA. Why try to move the goal posts?
You know this how?
Right. Because FBI reports are a terrible source for learning about violent crimes. /s
How about the total lack of life-saving rescues required at ports of entry?
Still moving the goal posts I see.
You know this how?
Do you seriously want to dispute that crossing the border in the wild is more dangerous than doing it legally through a port of entry? Or will you concede how obvious that is?
Do you seriously think that I am going to take the bait of your strawman?
Not as obvious as your strawman.
All your comments to me have been devoid of substantive or relevant value. All you do is accuse me of moving goal posts and now it's this straw man nonsense. Let me know when you have something substantive you want to discuss.
Yet you replied to them.
Goal post moving:
From: El Paso is one of the safest cities in the United States of America.
To: Most, least dangerous border towns, according to the FBI
You are trying to get me to accept a false equivalency. I refuse.
Strawman:
My comment:
What you pretend my argument is:
Two utterly DIFFERENT issues. Hence strawman.
Let me know when you decide to have a Good Faith discussion.
BTFW, I posted this seed because I wanted to discuss the topic.
I presume that you thought it was substantive since you started a thread in it.
Rep. Will Hurd R TX said Trump's 'border crises' is a myth?
No offence Representative Hurd, but the Trump is a myth. Why did you vote for him?
Interesting, there is no crisis on the border, despite that crisis being touted by not just Trump; but Obama, Bush 43, Clinton, Bush 41, and Reagan. So, is Hurd correct, or are 6 different Presidents since the 1980s correct?
Trump’s Border Crisis Is a ‘Myth’
Pretty much so it would seem.
If it was a crisis of such epic proportions, then why did the GOP opt to do nothing about it over the past two years while they held control of the Government?
More cliffhanger reality television, from a place where nothing is as real as it may seem.
Pretty obvious you live nowhere near or on the U.S./Mexico border like I do. Do yourself a favor and Google "Illegal drugs and immigration in Cochise County, AZ". You might possibly gain a better perspective.
It looks to me like the majority of Cochise County, AZ has what the CBP calls 'pedestrian barriers'.
I find it interesting that so many think that someone who has braved the journey to the boarder in that area would be stopped short by a 'WALL'. It stretches credulity.
I should have thrown in a few expletives...
Where I may dwell has no bearing on either my comment nor my perspective.
If it was a crisis of such epic proportions, then why did the GOP opt to do nothing about it over the past two years while they held control of the Government?
I do not have to live on the moon to know that there is no oxygen there.
You keep harping on that. What difference does it make? None.