Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Sticky Immigration Wicket for Both Dems Who Now Face a Rio Grande Reality Check

Melissa Del Bosque reports that voting for that border fence may not endear Clinton or Obama to Tejanos:

Both senators voted for the Secure Fence Act in 2006, which mandated 700 miles of fence along the Texas border. Landowners are currently fighting the Department of Homeland Security to save their land from being condemned for the construction of the wall. This topic is very much on people’s minds in South Texas, though it may not be on anyone’s radar north of San Antonio, unfortunately ....

After several months of meetings, County Judge JD Salinas was able to negotiate a compromise plan last week with DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. The plan prevents the DHS from literally building the fence on top of Hidalgo County residents’ homes.

Kelly Fero a longtime political consultant said the candidates were probably approaching the issue of the border wall from a New Hampshire or Iowa point of view. The common thinking of folks not living along the border — thanks to the likes of the O’Reilly Factor and Lou Dobbs — has the southern border swarming with terrorists and drug traffickers.

Sounds like the campaigns might be facing some pissed off property owners and concerned South Texas community leaders. I hope that they generate some controversy and make the Dems sweat on this one.

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