[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13827]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             OLD WEST STYLE

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, at a border forum in Brownsville, 
Texas, yesterday, Special Ranger Roland Garcia for the Texas and 
Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association testified about the results of 
the porous and unsecure border and how it affects ranchers. He said the 
drug cartels are a fearsome enemy. ``They intimidate landholders and 
instill terror in them--then fear follows.''
  The landholders are fearful to report cross-border activity because 
of the silent threat of reprisal and retaliation. The landholders feel 
that the government cannot protect them, their land, or their cattle. 
Texas ranchers fear that they may be targets of kidnappings for ransom. 
They have received death threats if they report illegal activity to law 
enforcement.
  Ranger Garcia is concerned that landholders will start self-policing, 
in other words, organize and deal with the cartel intruders 
themselves--old west style. This testimony is yet more alarming 
evidence that the invasion of our borders by the cartels is a real 
national security threat to the people who live near our border.
  And that's just the way it is.

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