CAFE protests increased funding for immigration enforcement

Las Cruces residents are asking lawmakers to not provide funding for increased border security.

Human and civil rights activists, faith leaders and conservation groups gathered outside Senator Udall’s office Wednesday.

The groups rallied in Downtown Las Cruces holding signs that read “people over profit” and “protect all immigrants.” They called for Senator Tom Udall, Senator Martin Heinrich, and Congressman Steve Pearce to not pay “one cent” towards increased border security. They then marched into senator Udall’s office to ask for his support.

The request comes as members of Congress consider expanding border security “personnel or equipment” as a tradeoff for rejecting President Donald Trump’s request to expand the border wall.

According to CAFE leaders, “Border residents regularly report concerns regarding Border Patrol’s policing practices that result in racial profiling, family separation, and intimidation that prevents families from bringing children to schools or doctor appointments.”

Present Trump recently called out Democrats who have resisted his call to have funding for a border wall be included in a spending measure that would keep the government open past April 28.

In a tweet Sunday, Trump chastised Democrats for not wanting “money from the budget going to the border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs” and gang activity, in his view.

Trump added that he would continue to ask Mexico to pay for the project. Meanwhile, he said, he will press Congress for funding “so we can get started early” on the “badly needed border wall.”

Some Trump associates said that they believe Democrats may be willing to deal on border funding if those payments are put on the table this week during cross-party talks.

While democrats have spoken out against funding President Donald trump’s proposed border wall, some fear they’ll be willing to fund increased border security instead, as a way to avoid a government shut down.

Some President Trump associates said that they believe Democrats may be willing to deal on border funding if those payments are put on the table this week during cross-party talks.

ABC-7 reached out to Sen. Udall’s office. In a statement Sen. Udall said “I strongly oppose funding for any sort of mass deportation force, and I continue to speak out forcefully against President Trump’s offensive and ineffective border wall proposal.”

Congressman Steve Pearce, a republican, told ABC-7 in a statement: “I fully support securing our borders, and appreciate President Trump’s willingness to work on the issue. No height of wall nor number of agents alone will solve the security problem, though. From extreme terrain and tunneling, to the increased use of ultralight aircraft to defeat fencing – the solution must be a dynamic multifaceted one.”