Tucson News NowCongressmen tour the Arizona border

A rally for the Dream Act and protecting immigrant rights ended a day-long tour of the border for Congressman Raul Grijalva and his colleagues Friday.  The tour stressed how policies beyond enforcement are necessary for a vibrant border economy.

"I hope anybody here that's a DREAM student, undocumented student can proudly say they're undocumented and unafraid because they have nothing to be ashamed about," said Daniel Rodriguez to a crowd at San Miguel High School.  Rodriguez is a member of the Dream Act Coalition who said that he was brought to the United States when he was seven years old. 

Those students who were brought here illegally at a young age say that the Dream Act would give them a chance to become legal citizens of this country that they call home, and contribute to the economy.

"Many students have been here all their lives and they don't want to go back," said Marisol Alvarez, a Pima Community College student and member of Scholarships A-Z who said that she came here from Nogales, Sonora when she was three.

"I am not going to walk away from a comprehensive immigration program, 'cause I think shame on us in the United States if we have an immigration system that continues to allow hundreds of people to die trying to cross the border," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois, after an ad hoc congressional hearing about border issues at Nogales City Hall.  He and his congressional tour, led by Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, would end the day in Tucson at San Miguel High.

"We don't want to get into a debate about the enforcement issue.  That's not a debate we're having.  What we're asking is look at the economic benefit of maybe following some of the suggestions that we're hearing from people on the border," Grijalva said after that same hearing

Grijalva introduced his democratic colleagues to border testimony, from those asking for more Customs and Border Protection Field Operations officers at the ports to speed up commerce, to those who want to get rid of the permanent Border Patrol checkpoint on I-19.

"And we recognize the Border Patrol has to have certain tools and use certain tools.  We've been open to the roving tactical checkpoints until the border can become more secure.  But the fixed permanent facility there it's a tough one to have to deal with day in and day out," said Gary Brasher, president of the Coalition for a Safe and Secure Border.

"We all understand what the Border Patrol's mission is and their job is between the ports of entry.  But we can't neglect the ports of entry where they are the ones working with legitimate tourists, legitimate commerce, looking for the needle in the haystack," said Terry Shannon, Jr., V.P. of Shannon Brokerage Co., about the need for more officers at the ports.

"We're not moving traffic as quickly as we could, it affects our economy, it affects our border communities in a way that ultimately impacts on their districts all over the country," Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said.  The tour also included Rep. Michael Honda, D-California.

While the ports want more officers to keep looking, students who want to stop looking over their shoulder said the Dream Act would help them better contribute to our economy.

"We want to be better educated.  Everyone wants a good career, have a better future," Alvarez said.

The members also spoke to Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada about the need to restrict the flow of firearms across the border to cut down on violence.

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