USBP LAREDO SECTOR ROAD PROJECT
The National Border Patrol Council – Local 2455 has been urging the Laredo City Council to support the USBP Laredo Sector’s ongoing road project. This $39 million road project involves a 17 mile stretch of an all-weather road which would result in better lateral mobility for Border Patrol Agents. In order for this all-weather road to be constructed and maintained, members of the Laredo City Council would have to approve a license agreement between the City and CBP.
In a press release, Local 2455 made the following statement (full statement is attached)
“On behalf of the rank and file men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector, we are urging that the Laredo City Council support our community’s first responders and allow for the construction of an all-weather road along the Rio Grande. This project comes at no cost to local taxpayers and the city yet would allow all first responders in our community to rapidly and safely respond to incidents along the river – from drownings to brush fires to medical emergencies, as well as responding to any criminal activity.”
OPPOSITION FROM ENVIRONMENTALIST:
Members of the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), a Laredo based environmental group and members of the No Border Wall Coalition, had been lobbying members of the Laredo City Council to vote against the USBP Road Project. Part of the misinformation that these groups were spreading in the community involved two specific points: 1. That the US Border Patrol was attempting to seize land that belonged to the citizens of Laredo; and 2. That the US Border Patrol was attempting to build a border wall on city property. Both of these points are not true!
Tricia Cortez, the executive director of RGISC stated the following:
“This agency (USBP) hasn’t wanted to grant shared use for these lands. This isn’t a balanced option or negotiation — no matter how much short-term money or unknown promises that the Border Patrol dangles in front of the council members.”
Carlos Flores, co-founder of the No Border Wall Coalition stated the following:
“The local agents were willing to give misinformation in order to justify the seizure of Laredo’s public lands through the use of eminent domain. Border Patrol demonstrated they are not true partners with the Laredo community, therefore, Council should vote no to the road project.”
LOCAL 2455 MEDIA OUTREACH:
In order to counter the misinformation being spread by members of the RGISC and members of the No Border Wall Coalition, Local 2455 reached out to various media outlets to make sure that the community knew the facts regarding the USBP Roads Project. Below are links to various media interviews and reports:
LMT Online: City to weigh environmental concerns with Border Patrol Road Project
Telemundo Laredo: Junta de Cabildo
THE LAREDO CITY COUNCIL FINALLY APPROVES THE LICENSE AGREEMENT:
On June 21, 2023, members of the Laredo City Council finally voted to approve the license agreement that would allow the U.S. Border Patrol permission to Construct, Repair and Maintain an all-weather road along the Rio Grande which would provide lateral mobility for Border Patrol Agents.
Below are links to various media interviews and reports:
KGNS: City council agrees to river road project along Rio Grande for Border Patrol use
LMT Online: Council approves agreement with Border Patrol for road project
FOX News Laredo: The city has entered into an agreement with border patrol.
$39 MILLION = 17 MILES OF ALL-WEATHER ROAD:
The USBP Road Project includes the following:
· 17 miles of all-weather road from Father McNaboe Park (LRN AOR) to the middle of the Dairy Ranch (LRS AOR).
· The all-weather road will be 24’ wide and will include erosion control measures.
· Three bridges at crucial crossing points.
Local 2455 would like to thank Laredo Sector Chief Patrol Agent Joel Martinez and the members of the Laredo Sector Operational Requirements division for working extremely hard on making sure this $39 million project becomes a reality.