Do you have questions about the recent buoy debacle on the Rio Grande? Our reporting has you covered, plus an important new hire at The Border Chronicle, and our new project Wall Watch.
As floodwaters swept hundreds of one-ton border buoys downstream, international bridges closed, commerce slowed, and officials struggled to get answers from DHS about a project advancing despite local opposition, environmental concerns, and treaty questions.
Hundreds of massive orange buoys staged for a controversial DHS floating barrier project broke free near Eagle Pass and are now drifting toward Laredo, threatening bridges, commerce, drinking water supplies and downstream communities.
The second part of our in-depth conversation with the Arizona border sheriff
Special event alert: If you’re in Tucson or thereabouts, check out the Peaceful Skies benefit which kicks off Sunday the 19th and will run until the 22nd. Some of the proceeds from this benefit will go to The Border Chronicle. Musicians from across the Southwest including Chelsea Lee Trejo, Sage Bond and many others will perform. Navajo Nation poet laureate Laura Tohe will also participate along with other indigenous poets and filmmakers. On the 21st, the legendary Seattle post-grunge band Unwound will perform at the Hotel Congress. You can check out more information and lineups here. This benefit is to raise awareness about the US Air Force proposing an expansion of its training airspace over tribal lands and protected sky islands. These trainings include sonic booms, dropping flairs and other hazardous materials. You can learn more about the proposed expansion here. We hope to see you at the benefit!
This is the second part of The Border Chronicle’s conversation with Sheriff David Hathaway of Santa Cruz County, located on the Arizona-Mexico border. Hathaway talks about “fuzzy” border statistics, which can be used to convey anything a person wants, and his battle to take down a U.S. Customs and Border Protection “spy blimp” over the city of Nogales. He also gets into his opposition to former Arizona governor Doug Ducey’s 10-mile shipping container wall along the border, as well as his support for the protesters who stopped what he calls an “ugly eyesore” of a wall.
You can listen to the first part of our conversation here, where Hathaway talks about his years as a DEA agent and how he assisted in the murder investigation of fellow agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, only to discover that the CIA was involved in Camarena’s death.
As floodwaters swept hundreds of one-ton border buoys downstream, international bridges closed, commerce slowed, and officials struggled to get answers from DHS about a project advancing despite local opposition, environmental concerns, and treaty questions.
Hundreds of massive orange buoys staged for a controversial DHS floating barrier project broke free near Eagle Pass and are now drifting toward Laredo, threatening bridges, commerce, drinking water supplies and downstream communities.
In February, the country broke an ominous record: over 68,000 people were being held in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more than ever before.
County leaders say tax abatements attract jobs. But some residents argue the incentives enrich billion-dollar corporations while they shoulder the costs of growth, pollution, strained public resources, and environmental loss.
Independent news, culture and context from the U.S.-Mexico border.
