Dispatches from 956: The Siege-Statistics

Soldiers from the 97th Military Police Brigade, and 41st Engineering Company, Fort Riley, KS., work along side with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Hidalgo, TX., port of entry, applying 300 meters of concertina wire along the Mexico border in support of Operation FAITHFUL PATRIOT November 2, 2018. Soldiers will provide a range of support including planning assistance, engineering support, equipment and resources to assist the Department of Homeland Security along the southwest border.
(U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Alexandra Minor)

We are a community under siege.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley, the four Texas counties of Willacy, Cameron, Hidalgo, and Star along the Rio Grande represent a flash point for demagogues.

President Trump opened his presidential run by vilifying Mexican immigrants, code for all Latinx people, and depicting the border as a battlefield. Many political pundits dismissed his…