Melissa Zamora's Page

"If you are reading this, I encourage you to ask yourself what more you would be doing on this issue if you had no fear." - John Moore



John Moore, pictured above and contributor to the Web site Nonviolent Migration: Opening Borders Through Nonviolent Civil Disobedience, submitted the following comment. Moore is an English teacher at Raul A. Besteiro Middle School who participates in the Teach for America and Americorps programs. Moore begins law school in the fall at the University of Pennsylvania, where he will study immigration law. Moore is a veteran of the U.S. Army who was previously stationed in El Paso, Texas.


Congress has mandated DHS to build 370 miles of fencing before 12/31/2008. Congress has not stipulated which 370 miles, nor has Congress burdened the City of Brownsville with the deadline. The onus is on DHS to get it done on time, not on Brownsville.

I truly believe that if we put up the hardest fight, DHS will go somewhere else. And if they don't, DHS will be held responsible, not us. Judge Hanen said this week, "I'm not going to hold DHS in contempt, but..." and we all know what that means. DHS was a hair's breadth away from being held in contempt and they are still walking on thin ice.

From the top to the bottom, this fight takes individual courage in whatever sphere of influence we have. Judge Hanen is holding DHS responsible for it's lawlessness (quite a growth since his first rulings), which takes courage. The city commission voted to table the issue, which takes courage. It takes courage for homeowners along the levee to tell the city commission about their homes and families, like the woman from La Moria. And if I can laugh at myself a bit, sometimes it takes courage to walk past the "Beware of Dog" sign in search of a signature on the Texas Border Coalition Affidavit (I was bit by a dog last year and haven't been the same since). If you are reading this, I encourage you to ask yourself what more you would be doing on this issue if you had no fear. And that's only fair, since it takes courage for the monolingual Ohio native who was raised by racist parents to accept the fact that their new dark-skinned, Spanish-speaking neighbors aren't there to do any harm, even if they did overstay a visa or swim across the river (despite what DHS and CNN tells them).

I commend the commissioners for allowing public comments prior to voting (regardless of the issue or your position, that is a huge win for democracy), and for tabling the issue even though powerful, monied interests were pushing them hard to make this deal with DHS.

-John Moore

*UPDATED*

Former Cameron County District Attorney Yolanda de Leon was indicted Monday by a grand jury for 10 counts of tampering with government records and two counts of aggravated perjury, according to the District Attorney's Office.

An arraignment hearing was held today in Judge Limas' 404th state District Court. Limas granted a two-week postponement for the arraignment and set for that time a personal recognizance bond of $5,000 for each of two indictments, according to District Attorney Spokesman Jason Moody.

De Leon also has pending three misdemeanor charges regarding disclosure of confidential information to the public (two charges) and perjury (one charge).

De Leon's attempt at a temporary restraining order has been rejected at a hearing this morning before Judge Rose Reyna of Hidalgo County, according to Moody.

The Brownsville Herald is reporting that because Peter Zavaletta is a "cooperating witness," the District Attorney's Office asked that his named be removed from the indictment.

"In all cases, we attempt to negotiate resolution, and this case will be treated no differently," Moody said.

BATB NOTE: The City Commission majority voted Tuesday to table the border fence agenda item and make another good-faith effort to negotiate with DHS. Below is Commissioner Carlos Cisneros’ short, yet succinct, comment on the decision. I contacted the other Commissioners and Mayor for a response, too. For Commissioner Charles Atkinson’s response, click here.


“The only deal that I will make with DHS is a No Border Wall!” – Commissioner Carlos Cisneros, District 3

BATB NOTE: The City Commission majority voted Tuesday to table the border fence agenda item and make another good-faith effort to negotiate with DHS. Below is Commissioner Charles Atkinson's defense of the Commission's decision. I contacted the other Commissioners and Mayor for a response, too.

"For those of you who feel tabling this issue was a bad idea let me enlighten you.

First, we are still looking for a viable alternative solution that the citizens of Brownsville can live with. By voting no to the Border Wall would have given DHS the greenlight to start constructing because they would have convinced some judge that Brownsville is not interested in working with them in good faith.

In a court of law we would have no leg to stand on. Sending the message that we expect DHS to come to the table and work with us is in our best interest.

UTB prolonged the inevitable, because they showed that DHS does not want to work with them in good faith. The judge ordered more negotiations. If there would of been a vote of NO, it would of stopped negotiations, and a judge would blame us for being unreasonable.

If DHS starts the building of the fence, why not put the floating fence anyway showing America that they are compassionate to the people on the border. The ball is in their court. They introduced the floating fence, not us.

If they are going to force a barrier, why change their view out of spite and put a steel fence? Just a thought."

-Commissioner and Mayor Pro-tem Charles Atkinson, District 2