Border Security Council Report - Office of the Governor - Rick Perry
Border Security Council Report - Office of the Governor - Rick Perry
Border Security Council Report - Office of the Governor - Rick Perry
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Appendix C: Public Hearing and Open Meeting Minutes<br />
28<br />
<br />
<br />
Columbia- 20 percent <strong>of</strong> commercial crossings at this location.<br />
World Trade Bridge – 100 percent commercial traffic at this location; 8000-9000 commercial<br />
vehicles per day, north and southbound.<br />
Traffic stats – cross high numbers <strong>of</strong> commercial vehicles with traffic; northbound crossings<br />
have been a concern.<br />
Problems: long wait time, plus implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> western hemisphere travel initiative.<br />
Bridge improvement projects – Modification <strong>of</strong> bridge $2 M to revitalize downtown area;<br />
Santa Ursula connector.<br />
Question from BSC: What is <strong>the</strong> perception and standards <strong>of</strong> security on <strong>the</strong> bridges? Have<br />
guards, but not security <strong>of</strong>ficers; on Mexican side, customs agents; any private security<br />
guards? Only in <strong>the</strong> evenings (8 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 24 hours); law enforcement going southbound? No,<br />
and <strong>the</strong> guards on <strong>the</strong> bridge don’t carry firearms. (According to <strong>the</strong> police chief, <strong>of</strong>ficers are<br />
assigned <strong>the</strong>re, <strong>the</strong>y just don’t announce <strong>the</strong>mselves or when <strong>the</strong>y will be <strong>the</strong>re. No funds<br />
are allocated <strong>the</strong>re for overtime).<br />
Question from BSC: Does <strong>the</strong> city own all four bridges? Yes. How much do you make? $ 8M.<br />
50 percent used for bridge operations, debt service, etc; <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r goes to <strong>the</strong> general<br />
fund.<br />
I. Gene Garza, Laredo CBP <strong>Office</strong> <strong>of</strong> Field Operations, Port <strong>of</strong> Laredo<br />
One port with 4 bridges, rail bridge and airport; 700 employees.<br />
$152B in trade from Del Rio to Brownsville, $105B is from Laredo.<br />
<strong>Security</strong> to <strong>the</strong> community is key.<br />
Over 100 buses cross daily; 000 lbs marijuana, 400 lbs cocaine.<br />
Over 000 aircraft come in.<br />
Participate in state/federal task forces, have an intelligence unit; work with Mexican<br />
counterparts.<br />
Have been subjects <strong>of</strong> a shootout regarding border violence.<br />
Several arrests at <strong>the</strong> bridge <strong>of</strong> border felons.<br />
Have helped to return kidnap victims.<br />
Question from BSC: What happened to <strong>the</strong> $5.8M seized? Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> funds go back to <strong>the</strong><br />
city.<br />
J. Alfonso Arguindegui, President, Laredo Development Foundation<br />
In 2006, <strong>the</strong> Port <strong>of</strong> Laredo ranked as <strong>the</strong> #1 land based port on <strong>the</strong> U.S.-Mexico border and<br />
generated over $157B in trade.<br />
In 2006, <strong>the</strong> Port <strong>of</strong> Laredo imports ranked:<br />
#2 in vehicles (over $5 billion)<br />
#2 in car parts (over $7 billion)<br />
#4 in TV monitors (over $1 billion)<br />
<br />
# in landline phones (over $2 billion)