(This letter was originally published July 5, 2014)

Dear Mr. President:

As local elected officials, we are deeply concerned about the lack of enforcement of the U.S. border, specifically, in the Rio Grande region of Texas. It is our understanding that the Mexican Cartels are now involved in human trafficking and bringing frightened and traumatized women and children on a dangerous journey through Mexico to the U.S. border where they are promised safe haven. We have also learned from your local border patrol management, that Mexico is aiding and abetting this process by issuing thousands of work visas to Central American migrants (30,000 issued in June alone), not to satisfy the employment needs of Mexico, but rather, to provide a pathway to the United States border with Texas. As a result, unprecedented numbers of migrants are reaching the borders and are willingly giving up to border patrol agents. This surge, that is not likely to diminish, is overwhelming the Texas Border Patrol staffing and migrants are being flown to California with the goal of being transported to the Murrieta Border Patrol Station. This is seriously impacting the limited resources at the Murrieta Station and the surrounding community. This is unacceptable, inappropriate, and more importantly, potentially unlawful.

In response to this situation, a town hall meeting was held in Murrieta Wednesday evening, July 2nd. Outrage turned into concern and fear for the medical needs and immunizations of the many children and families amongst the migrants. There is substantial concern for the health, safety, and protection of local residents from communicable diseases that the County Department of Public Health regularly provides for the county's residents.

As a result of this town hall meeting, which was attended by over 1500 constituents, we are recommending the following mitigations to this federally induced humanitarian debacle:

- Immediately close and secure the border and send a message to traveling migrants and future Central American migrants that they will not be admitted into the U.S.

- In the event that some migrants do enter the U.S., engage FEMA to set up temporary repositories at the Rio Grande Border Patrol station for these migrants to be processed, and promptly send a team of federal immigration judges to this facility for expeditious hearings and organize prompt deportations as ordered.

- Deploy either more border patrol agents to the Rio Grande Border Patrol field office to appropriately respond to this surge until it comes to an end, or, augment the Border Patrol with National Guard or U.S. military personnel. We must not lose sight of terrorist's or the drug cartel's strategy to "tie up" the U.S. Border Patrol office's time in detaining and processing this surge of immigrants at the expense of national security or the cartel's ultimate goal of exporting dangerous drugs across the border unabated.

- Help these traumatized and frightened human beings by engaging the Federal Health and Human Services Department to provide for appropriate humanitarian care prior to their impending deportations. Americans have always been willing to provide humanitarian care to anyone.

- Convene a meeting with the United States Ambassador to Mexico, and the Mexican Consulate, and urge them to ask for a cease and desist order for any further issuance of work visas to Central American citizens that simply pass through Mexico and cause this surge of migrant travel to the U.S. border.

- Set up a mechanism for local governments, fiscally strained by this great recession, to be reimbursed for services provided that are a Federal immigration responsibility.

Mr. President, as this unabated migrant surge continues, these traumatized and frightened human beings are being placed in danger, exploiting them for the failed border policies of the federal government. Please safeguard the border immediately, and continue to work with Congress to address these important immigration issues. Mayor Alan Long, of the City of Murrieta, and I, request an opportunity to meet with you and discuss possible strategies to resolve this immigration issue. We would be delighted to come to Washington to meet with you. Thank you for your kind consideration.

Sincerely,

JEFF STONE

Supervisor, Third District