Professor Reacts to Trump’s Border Wall Executive Order
Related Story
WESLACO - A Rio Grande Valley professor said President Trump’s actions on Monday showed how ignorant he is about immigration issues.
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley political science professor Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera said she’s surprised Trump would sign an executive order without first showing citizens any concrete plans.
“It’s because of ignorance, because he hasn’t been close to the people. He hasn’t been close to the border, he hasn’t done research, he has not listened,” she said. “I would have thought that as a president he would have more understanding.”
Correa-Cabrera said he hasn’t announced any details about where it will be placed, what it will look like and how it will be funded. She said estimates could be in the millions. The professor said it also send a negative message to the business community with investments in Mexico.
“Your money does not matter. Your decisions, the time, the years you’ve taken to make your calculations don’t matter,” she said. “It’s about him and what he thinks is good for the country, no matter how citizens have investment in other parts of the world.”
Mexican native Baxter Lopez-Estrada said he agrees with Correa-Cabrera.
“It makes me angry. We spend money here, we make money. If our money doesn’t count here, then OK let’s divide. But I think it’s impossible,” he said.
Despite Monday’s executive order, Correa-Cabrera said the reality of the wall seems far-fetched.
“There are many people who have their properties, some infrastructure that can be damaged and mobilizations are going to take place, people who oppose the wall,” she said.
The political science professor said it’s unknown how Trump will avoid opposition.
“I am not sure if there’s going to be repressive measures against people who will be against the construction of the wall, because they have their properties there. I see this very difficult,” she said.
Correa-Cabrera added there’s no chance Mexico will willingly pay for a wall that they’ve had no say in building. She said it could potentially affect commerce on both sides of the border.
Cameron County Republican chair Morgan Graham said Wednesday she agrees that the border fence has helped to focus resources at certain hot-spots with more success. However, she said a border wall will not address the issue of the millions of undocumented people who are already in the U.S.