Border Militarization (US-Mexico border)

San Antonio Resolution AGAINST the growing Militarization of US-Mexico Border

Southwest Workers Union
PO Box 830706
San Antonio, Texas 78283
210.299.2666
www.swunion.org

Contact: Che Lopez 210 378 5132 cell chelopez@swunion.org

To make another world possible another US-Mexico border has to  happen…

The US-Mexico border started getting militarized in 1917 with the beginning of World War I.  

Military troops were stationed along the US-Mexico border to ‘protect’ the US against the Germans infiltrating from Mexico.  

Additional militarization happened with the establishment of the Border Patrol (Armed federal police) on the border in 1924.  All of the Commanders for the Border Patrol have been ex-soldiers (Generals) with the exception of one.  The approach (policy) by the United States government to the US-Mexico border from the very beginning was a military policy’.

During the depression, millions of Mexican migrants were rounded up in ‘military operations’ calling for forceful repatriations.  Many US born children were deported with their parents.  The Red scare was blamed for this deportation.

In the 1950’s again under a military style operation called Operation Wet Back, millions were forcefully deported from the United States.  The Cold War was blamed for this repatriation.

In the 1980’s and up until today, the militarization of the US-Mexico border has grown tremendously and has had an intense impact of the local communities and population.  Army and Green Berets have been secretly ‘placed’ in bunkers and trenches along the US-Mexico border.  One young Mexican male of 18 years old Eziquiel Hernandez Jr. in Redford, Texas was killed by a military sniper.  Another two males were wounded in Brownsville by the military before the program was stopped temporarily.

The militarization of the US-Mexico border has a new policy of physical separation of both countries via military operations.  This new separation policy includes 2,000 miles of physical STEEL WALL (called a fence) to separate countries, electronic sensors, night vision, satellite surveillance, Drone aircrafts, airplanes, helicopters, horse patrols, jeep patrols, and all terrain vehicles patrols, and 20,000 or more Border Patrol personnel.  It also includes the service and use of thousands of National Guard, Army and other military personnel.

Thousands of migrants have become VICTIMS of these military style border policies and practices.  Thousands have died crossing the border by drowning in Rivers, dying of thirst in deserts like in Arizona, and have frozen to death in mountainous regions.  Yet other migrants have been killed by ranchers, and have been victims of hate crimes in may cities. Not counted are the hundreds and thousands of migrants die on the job due to negligence.

The militarization policies of the US and Mexican Government resulted in the assassination of over 500 young women in CD Juarez, Chihuahua alone.  Border violence has increased with increased militarization.

Therefore, we resolve,

• To fight all forms of militarization of the US-Mexico border

• End all border military operations such as; Operation Gatekeeper, Safeguard, Hold the Line, and Rio Grande.

• Denounce all acts and injustices of the Border Military policy of the US government

• File cases at the Hemispheric Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OEA)

• Fight for a peaceful ‘open border’ policy

• Pressure the Mexican government to file cases against the United States

• Work to elect administrations that support open borders

• DAY OF ACTION: To designate October 12th as Day of Action against US-Mexico border militarization nationally and internationally