Kinney County Leadership Raising... Heck?
AND: WHY TEXAS GUARDSMEN SEEM TO BE "HELPING" TRAFFICKERS
As the weeks progress, it is hard not to marvel at the various ways Kinney County leadership is trying to kick up some dust, light fires, and send smoke signals about the state of things along the border as local landowners and taxpayers buck and kick against what is threatening to become the new normal.
Word came yesterday about a new filing at the County Courthouse, a new declaration of disaster from the County Judge and Commissioners, asking Governor Greg Abbott to “deploy 2,000 state military personnel” and air assets to the county to “repel an invasion.”
Texas Scorecard, linked above, had the scoop. They quote County Attorney Brent Smith saying some things he’s been saying in a lot of different places:
“Kinney County has had enough of Biden’s open border policies. Texans are done waiting for someone else to fix our own border,” Smith said.
“We need solutions to this crisis immediately, and it’s very clear the federal government has no intention of protecting the Texas border,” Smith also said in the Scorecard, “Kinney County is looking forward to working with Governor Abbott to implement solutions that allow Texas to secure its own border. Texas will get it done.”
This kind of hellraising is something that has perhaps been a long-forgotten characteristic of Texas and Texans since before the Revolution. Sam Houston is regarded as one of the Fathers of the Republic now— but, in the heat of the moment, there was no shortage of Texans pulling in other directions, calling for punitive raids into Mexican territory among other things, while Houston pulled his fledgling army east toward San Jacinto— avoiding Santa Anna’s army while he could. Indeed, there were those who accused him of cowardice, for not turning to fight— for waiting, even as some men deserted ahead of the coming battle. The reasoning went, the Texas Army was growing weaker by the day in the face of delayed action and perceived reluctance to actually battle. Hindsight and awareness of how the Battle of San Jacinto ended makes this all seem very silly, but for the men in the thick of the moment, the notion of such a stunning victory and the capture of Santa Anna was beyond contemplation.
Some might be tempted to cast modern personalities in historic roles for this anecdote. But Greg Abbott isn’t Sam Houston. Neither are any of the local figures in Kinney County. It’s just a story about how Texans can always be counted upon to buck and fight and argue about how best to address a crisis.
Many of Governor Abbott’s critics on the right want to see a full-court economic press— inhibiting international trade, locking down the river in ways that would be guaranteed to make international business interests and immigration activists unite with howls of displeasure. They reason that money talks, and locking down international trade will inflict such agony on Mexico’s legal businesses and drug traffickers alike that the Government will have no choice but to act against aliens traveling up from Central and South America.
For the Governor, it must be an especially difficult position to be in, trying to maintain a pro-business environment in the state, bringing corporations to Texas while the border threatens to meltdown. Indeed, just this week came news that Elon Musk is officially moving Tesla Motors’ headquarters to Austin— deserting California. Tesla would join his other major effort, SpaceX, which is making its home at the launch facilities in Boca Chica, down in the Rio Grande Valley. Meanwhile, State Troopers are flooding border county roads. And many are very glad to have them here— but they remain a law enforcement solution to what some are calling a national security problem.
One of the wilder suggestions for policing the border has included gathering up volunteers and Texas Military watercraft and deploying a string of boats as a full-blown floating wall in sections of the river. What would that be like? Well, it would definitely funnel smuggling traffic to areas where there were no obstacles or complications, but there would be concerns about cartel gunmen shooting from the southern banks— objections from the Mexican Government too, perhaps, dealing with the observation of International Boundaries and border norms— but for folks at their wits end in Kinney County and other places, those objections seem like just part of the cost of doing business— part of the cost of coming to grips with preventing the current state of things from becoming a true new normal. It’s not clear what would happen when illegal aliens might try surrendering themselves to boat personnel.
Others would be satisfied with simply closing down most, if not all, of the international bridges. They may be controlled by the Federal Government, in some cases, but all of the infrastructure leading to them is controlled locally.
The Governor has sent Texas State Guard forces to help along the border. As we’ve noted earlier this week, at least two members of the guard will be helping the County Attorney process the hundreds of misdemeanor trespassing cases that are being generated in the County.
Others are manning observation posts along the river. In some cases, there are accusations that troops are helping illegal aliens cross the border— video and pictures show what seem like uncomfortably friendly interactions with Coyotes and others bringing raft-loads across.
This is a complicated issue— the Cartels know the rules of engagement. If the U.S. threatens to stop them in the water, they simply overturn the rafts, dumping their human cargo in the water. It becomes a water-rescue crisis, threatening the lives of the aliens and the personnel trying to save them, while the Coyote slips back across to Mexico. So, for now, Agents and Troops can be seen even chit-chatting with the Coyotes— maintaining a low simmer on the situation, trying to avoid the need for expensive and dangerous rescues.
That’s also why sometimes troopers and agents will be heard calling across the river— asking “How many tonight,” or “Is this the last,” and the Coyotes can be heard calling back with answers. Sometimes there are even jokes, about sending extra on a given night, because tomorrow needs time for grilling and barbacoa.
Awkward situation, no?
It should be clear, that absent decisive leadership on the issue, the Cartels and others will continue to abuse the charitable natures of most Americans as they reap untold profits from this crisis without even having to process an ounce of narcotics. Indeed, in some cases, human trafficking is the safer, surer proposition. Narcotics income is delayed. Traffickers get paid upfront. And in cases involving prostitution, they get paid again and again and again, while their victimized slave gets sold and resold.
A 2018 United Nations report estimated that the migrant-smuggling industry was worth anywhere from $5.7 billion to $7 billion worldwide in 2016. It’s a sure bet, that number’s only increased in the time since then, and that the U.S. remains the “crown jewel” of destinations.
“Awkward” doesn’t begin to cover matters.
That’s all for now. As always, feel free to comment, like, and subscribe. And one last reminder: Tomorrow morning, activists in the Del Rio/Val Verde County area will be taking part in a “Split Rein Trail Ride,” to show support for the U.S. Border Patrol’s Mounted Patrol agents, unfairly slandered by false accusations they were whipping Haitian illegal aliens. Have a great Friday, and an even better weekend.
Sigh. Edited after publication, to replace reference to 'National Guard Troops' with 'State Guard.' Complicated business folks, and technical precision counts. There's a difference between the two.
It is S T U P I D for higher-ups to force our very human men and women into these complicated situations, trying to protect the safety and lives of the illegals FROM THEIR OWN COUNTRYMEN.
When a WALL WOULD CEASE all these problems and all the other related complications that nobody outside of Kinney County gives a shit about.
One expensive solution?
Or an endless STREAM of EXPENSIVE LIFE-RISKING, FAMILY-STRESSING stop-gap half measures against an endless network of well-paid, well-armed sociopaths.