THE BORDER REPORT

Well here’s a city council meeting that may be worth attending tomorrow – for the public comment period if nothing else.

Three El Paso city councilmembers are trying to pass a resolution condemning the violence in Juarez. I’m not even sure what to make of this yet. In some ways, it’s absolutely worthless, almost childlike (we demand Calderon and Obama meet here to re-examine our failed war on drugs? Really?). And of course, there’s the “free the weed” clause; they’ve tried this move before.

But in others, there’s some smart moves being conducted here. Juarez is a major repatriation point for the Department of Homeland Security and for certain, a number of people with little or no resources, deported migrants, released inmates and the like, are shuttled across the bridge to Juarez, some being caught right back in the wars between El Viceroy Vicente Carrillo and Chapo Joaquin Guzman. Blind repatriation leads to much of the desmadre in border towns like Juarez even in the best of times.

Last year, the mayor of El Paso vetoed the city council’s resolution that called for a debate on drug legalization. The councilmembers vowed to fight the veto and then backed off completely – and somewhat quietly. They didn’t raise a peep until now.

I don’t think the world cares much of how El Paso votes in these matters but if the city council is able to implement some small changes, like stopping blind repatriation, for example, that could be worth the effort. We’ll see.

“Whereas, an unprecedented tragedy has been unfolding in our community, and our entire region is in immediate risk of further violence, devastation and chaos; and Whereas, over 1,600 people in our community were killed in Juárez in 2008; over 2,650 in 2009; and over 250 killed so far this year; and Whereas, nearly 150 children have been killed, and just within these past two weeks fifteen people were brutally murdered while attending family parties in private homes – most were high school-aged students and the youngest was a thirteen-year old girl; and Whereas, in the past two years the violence in Juárez has led to the closing of over 10,000 businesses, has left over 100,000 homes vacant and over 100,000 Juarenses having already fled their city — including at least 30,000 who have moved to El Paso; and Whereas, El Paso and Juárez maintain a unique and unbreakable historical, familial and economic connection that has resulted in a rich culture and vibrant economy. In 2008 alone, the economies of U.S. and Mexico were bolstered by $51.1 billion in trade which passed through our ports of entry, accounting for 18% of all trade between these two countries. Whereas, Juarenses annually spend over $1.2 billion in the El Paso economy, and over 60,000 jobs in El Paso are dependent upon economic activity in Juárez, contributing to an overall economic impact of well over $2 billion in El Paso; and Whereas, Juárez is the deadliest city in the world. The absence of public safety and the rule of law are devastating the lives of our sister citizens and endangering the future peace and prosperity of this entire region, including El Paso, TX; and Whereas, the terror taking place in Juárez is of human origin and therefore can be remedied through a human solution; and Whereas, it is incumbent upon us to work towards a solution that restores justice and ends the violence, no matter how difficult or unpleasant, as lives and the future of our community and region are at stake; and Whereas, it is understood that much of the violence is fueled by the various drug wars – those between cartels, those within cartels, and those between cartels and the governments of the U.S. and Mexico – wars that take the lives of members of drug trafficking organizations and those innocent of any involvement; and Whereas, black market drug sales in the U.S. and Mexico fund the operations of the cartels, with marijuana comprising at least 50% of their revenues; and Whereas, our country’s forty year War on Drugs has been a dismal social, economic and policy failure. It has not achieved any of its goals and narco-related violence along the U.S.-Mexico border is raging at unprecedented levels with no end in sight; and Whereas, this Council urges citizens on both sides of the border to refrain from buying and consuming illegal drugs that fund the cartel terrorism in our community; and Whereas, important changes need to take place in Juárez and Mexico, including the restoration of public safety and the creation of a true respect for law. But there are ways we can help on this side of the border, and we must act now – people are dying, the future of our community is at stake, and enough is enough. Now, therefore be it proclaimed that the beginning of a solution to regional drug violence will involve a bi-national effort centered on the following action statements: •    We call for an immediate meeting between United States President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon here, in the largest bi-national community in the world, to develop a coordinated strategy to bring an immediate end to the drug violence in our community. •    We urge comprehensive re-examination of our country’s failed War on Drugs and we support drug policy initiatives that do not result in wasting government funds and empowering criminal gangs and trafficking organizations. •    We advocate the repeal of ineffective marijuana drug laws in favor of regulating, controlling and taxing the production, sale and consumption of marijuana by adults – a drug whose sale in the black market contributes to at least 50% of cartel revenues. •    We support a national campaign to encourage people to refrain from the use of illegal drugs by connecting their use to cartel-related terror. •    We oppose unsuccessful militaristic approaches like Plan Mérida, and demand that any future aid, whether tied to Plan Mérida or otherwise, involve a rigorous accounting of allegations of human rights abuses and have strict performance metrics. •    We support U.S. aid that is tied to social, educational and economic development in Mexico and support that country’s fight to establish effective and just rule of law. •    We oppose current U.S. policy that deports Mexican nationals directly to Juárez instead of to their state and city of origin, a practice that is unjust and also serves to supply potential recruits and victims to the criminal organizations operating in Juárez. •    We support opening all potential humanitarian and asylum opportunities for individuals and families in Juárez who are threatened and live in fear for their safety. •    We demand that Mexico be made the number one foreign policy priority for the United States. By adoption of this resolution the above stated proposals are hereby included in the City of El Paso’s federal and state legislative agendas.