[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2654-E2655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONCERNS ABOUT BORDER PATROL ACTIONS

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2007

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, like many of our colleagues I 
have seen recent news reports about the use of pepper spray by Border 
Patrol officers who have been the targets of attacks by people on the 
other side of our southern border.
  I am sure that we all agree that the officers can and should defend 
themselves, but like others I am concerned about the extent to which 
use of pepper spray or other chemical agents could have unintended 
consequences.
  In that connection, I think we should carefully consider a recent 
editorial in the Gazette, a daily newspaper published in Colorado 
Springs, Colorado.
  As the editorial puts it:

       The Mexican Consulate has complained, and rightly so. The 
     United States is not at war with Mexico, and it makes sense 
     to maintain friendly relations with our southern neighbor.
       Border Patrol officials argued that the agents need to 
     protect themselves, and that the smugglers should be blamed 
     for hiding behind innocent people. Well, there are better 
     ways to protect against criminals than to saturate entire 
     neighborhoods with tear-gas canisters. For starters, the 
     Border Patrol could engage in cooperative efforts with the 
     Tijuana police or the Mexican federal authorities to go after 
     the rock-throwers.

  I think that is a suggestion well worth exploring.
  For the information of all our colleagues, here is the complete text 
of the editorial:

           [From the Colorado Springs Gazette, Dec. 18, 2007]

               Border Patrol Should Stop Tear-Gas Attacks

       What would Americans think if Mexican officials routinely 
     fired pepper spray and tear gas into California neighborhoods 
     as a way to root out, say, smugglers who were operating from 
     the U.S. side of the border? How would we, as Americans, feel 
     if our houses were damaged, our neighborhoods evacuated and 
     our children endangered because of the aggressive tactics of 
     the Mexican police or military?
       Most Americans would no doubt be outraged. American 
     officials would likely demand that Mexico cease and desist 
     from such

[[Page E2655]]

     behavior. The anger would be perfectly justified.
       Mexican officials are not attacking the United States, but 
     U.S. Border Patrol agents are attacking the Colonia Libertad 
     neighborhood of Tijuana. Mexicans have every right to be as 
     angry as we would be if the roles were reversed.
       In response to smugglers who are pelting Border Patrol 
     agents in order to create a diversion, the Americans are 
     stepping up their efforts. ``Agents have used pepper spray in 
     the past, but usually aimed directly at the smugglers,'' the 
     Los Angeles Times reported Friday. ``The new tactics, which 
     saturate large areas, have forced dozens of temporary 
     evacuations and sent some residents to hospitals.''
       The Mexican Consulate has complained, and rightly so. The 
     United States is not at war with Mexico, and it makes sense 
     to maintain friendly relations with our southern neighbor.
       Border Patrol officials argued that the agents need to 
     protect themselves, and that the smugglers should be blamed 
     for hiding behind innocent people. Well, there are better 
     ways to protect against criminals than to saturate entire 
     neighborhoods with tear-gas canisters. For starters, the 
     Border Patrol could engage in cooperative efforts with the 
     Tijuana police or the Mexican federal authorities to go after 
     the rock-throwers.
       We understand that the issue of illegal immigration is 
     extremely contentious, but even those advocating tougher U.S. 
     enforcement measures should agree that there need to be 
     limits to the policy. It's hard to make the argument that 
     Mexicans are trampling our sovereignty while we so eagerly 
     trample theirs.

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