Calexico Border Issues Committee

locoinclx · Posted: 25 Oct 2006 08:38 AM Post subject:

EWW!!! Feel sorry for the guy...

locoinclx · Posted: 27 Oct 2006 02:30 PM Post subject:

One of the main problems that the port in Calexico is facing today is the in adequate hours and infrastructure that the Commercial port has. While many of you have seen the long lines to cross through the commercial side of the East Port of entry, many of you do may not realize that all the companies which are waiting in line are loosing money. This is all going to change within a four year period. According to Customs and Border Protection, San Luis, Arizona will be able to open a brand new commercial port which will try to lure trucks to use as an alternative to Calexico’s port.

Yesterday there was a conference of the “Southwest Mega Region”, where various agencies thought the southwest and Mexico talked about the constant need to alleviate the commercial traffic that goes through San Diego. If the conditions of the east port and the infrastructure of the roads within the Imperial Valley do not accommodate the needs of commerce, the Imperial Valley will loose a substantial amount of revenue that can be gathered from the trucks that pass through the county. The port needs to be opened 24 hours a day for all Commercial trucks. Calexico needs to take over the areas that are adjacent to the new port so that I can start producing more revenue and it also needs to equip the poor infrastructure of the road there. For Calexico and for the Imperial Valley this needs to be an urgent call to action.

elchrist · Posted: 29 Oct 2006 08:51 PM Post subject:

OK, so the Linea is now faster, but now the AFTER border wait time on the East Port of Entry is taking forever. It's a bottleneck at the zig-zag blockade right after you get let through.

We need an After Border Wait Time petition...

CX3 4life · Posted: 30 Oct 2006 06:53 PM Post subject:

I've heard CBP is really considering opening the East POE at 2am as the Border Issues Committee was requesting to alleviate the congestion caused by field workers at the downtown POE during the harvest season. Also if any of you walked across the border this weekend you probably noticed there was a long wait again for pedestrians. If staffing issues are the problem it's only going to get worse, a lot of officers are leaving to other agencies because they are unhappy with management at the local POE's.

locoinclx · Posted: 31 Oct 2006 10:16 AM Post subject:

elchrist · Posted: 05 Nov 2006 09:54 AM Post subject: Letter to Adele Fasano

November 2, 2006

Ms. Adele Fasano,
Field Director of Operations
Department of Homeland Security/
Customs and Border Protection
610 W. Ash Street,
Suite 1200, 12th Floor
San Diego, CA 92102

Dear Ms. Fasano,
We are extremely disappointed in your decision not to implement the changes at the Calexico East Port of Entry that were discussed during your meeting with the Ad Hoc Committee on Border Issues on October 25, 2006. At the end of our meeting, virtually everyone in attendance left the meeting believing that a consensus had been reached. That effective November 1, 2006; the hours of operation at Calexico East Port of Entry would be expanded to 2am-10pm, Monday through Saturday. It was agreed that opening the East Port at 2am would accomplish two goals: alleviating traffic congestion at the Downtown Port of Entry during the early morning hours and expediting processing of agricultural workers and commercial vehicles during the harvest season.

After our meeting, the Ad Hoc Committee acted in good faith by unofficially publicizing the pending changes to the East Port hours. This action was supported by your staff, who attended the Calexico Chamber of Commerce Business meeting on October 26, 2006, updating us on your agency’s progress in implementing the changes. Up until the eleventh hour, we, as well as the greater Calexico and Mexicali communities, were anticipating the changes to the East Port hours.

We were all dismayed when, the East Port failed to open at 2am, as was the consensus agreement on November1, 2006. In addition, we were future informed that the new hours were not going to go into effect until November 17, and they were to open at 4am rather than 2am. This decision further illustrates the ongoing disconnect that Customs and Border Protection has with our border community: Opening the East Port at 4am will accomplish neither of our goals, as the early morning agricultural traffic is heaviest between the hours of 2am and 3:30am.

Your decision not to implement the changes that everyone understood was the accepted consensus agreement between your department and our community representatives is most distressing. This decision is further indication of the vast disconnect that exist between your department and the communities in which you serve. Your failure to effectively balance Homeland Security issues with the facilitation of pedestrian and vehicle processing is not acceptable. We have been advised that all of these issues are under your direct decision making authority.

Our citizens implore you to listen to the needs of our community and reconsider your decision. Open the East Port of Entry at 2am effective immediately in order to ensure that farm laborers and other daily crossers are able to arrive to their destinations on time and put dollars into the American economy.

As citizens of the community, we interact with CBP officers on a daily basis, both professionally and socially, and we are concerned that issues like these will escalate and cause morale to suffer among the line employees.

Sincerely,

Carlton Hargrave
Chairman Ad Hoc Committee

Cc: Congressman Bob Filner
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Barbara Boxer
State Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny
Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia
William S. Heffelfinger III
Ruben Barrales
Toby Burke
Veronica J. Lew
Lorissa M. Bounds
Matthew Wells
Amy Pope
Tony Buckles

chuco boy · Posted: 05 Nov 2006 12:15 PM Post subject: Homeland Security - INS

Hopefully the DEMS will take control of the House and Senate. Good letter.

Asesino Koolarrow · Posted: 05 Nov 2006 02:39 PM Post subject:

what a fuckin liar Mad

chuco boy · Posted: 05 Nov 2006 06:33 PM Post subject: Serious Issue

Many dedicated Calexicans have bills to pay and businesses are impacted by long border lines.. It's no joke.