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Texas Legislature 4/26/89 [OA 8747] [3]
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Texas Legislature 4/26/89 [OA 8747] [3]
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Mark Davis Subject Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
foia Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Davis, Mark, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1989-1991
OA/ID Number:
13874
Folder ID Number:
13874-012
Folder Title:
Texas Legislature, 4/26/89 [3]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
19
2
6
7
Plaid-clad House honors Clements
By Mike Ward
the oldest governor in state history
Not wanting to miss out on th
American-Statesman Capitol Staff
- wore a 14-year-old blue and tan
fun, but having worn a plair
plaid jacket. Aides said he changed
cream-colored sport jacket to work
With all the sartorial taste of
from a gray suit for the occasion.
Wilson used brown packing tape to
cheap seat covers, plaid-bedecked
The event, organized by House
checker his coat. On its back, he
House members wished Gov. Bill
GOP Caucus Chairman Tom Crad-
marked out a tic-tac-toe game.
Clements a happy 72nd birthday
dick, R-Midland, brought out a
"Is that Ron Wilson or an un
Thursday in gaudy splendor.
wild array of plaid variations.
Clements, often ribbed about his
claimed UPS package?" asked Rep
Rep. Richard Smith, R-Bryan,
Mark Stiles, D-Beaumont.
fondness for plaid sport coats, was
joked that his bright red plaid coat
"This is real bad. It's why Austin
greeted with cheers as he walked
was made from the seat covers of a
doesn't have a zoo," said Rep. Har-
into the House chamber escorted
1948 Ford he drove as a teen-ager.
old Dutton, D-Houston, who wore
by 34 lawmakers decked out in bold
Actually, he said, he wore the coat
a dark suit. "People can come over
plaids.
while being sworn in as a city coun-
here."
"I can understand - looking at
cilman in the 1970s.
At one point, Wolens asked
some of these sport coats - why
"This coat puts the 'ug' in ugly,"
Speaker Gib Lewis, also wearing 8
you all are wearing dark blue all the
said Rep. Steve Wolens, D Dallas,
plaid coat, how many "polyesters
time," Clements said after the
parading his plaid variation.
had to be killed' to make the coats.
Staff photo by Lynne Dobson
House passed a birthday resolution
could play tic-tac-toe on it."
birthday wishes and a sartorial salute from
in his honor.
"Don't look at me," joked Lewis,
ickels, left, Steve Wolens and Ron Wilson.
Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston,
a big-game and hunting enthusiast
Clements - who said he is now
did just that.
"I haven't killed one lately."
5
Superconducting Super Collider
When built, the SSC will
+
+
enable us to study elemental particles with names like quarks,
mesons (May-sahns) and neutrinos. I can understand how some
people just can't see a practical side for America to invest
billions of dollars in such an arcane field of study.
Well, as Tom Luce, chairman of the Texas National Research
Laboratory Commission said, with a little imagination, you can:
"conclude that future research in the field of high energy 4 could
+
&
some day help us conquer cancer." Or discover a way to boost the
amount of information on a microchip. Or answer questions that
eluded Einstein, giving us a glimpse of the forces that bind the
universe together. The SSC is a key to understanding nature, and
to developing the technologies and industries of the 21st
Century. Let me assure you, I will back the construction of the
SSC because it is good for America
And let me also salute you, the members of the Texas House
and Senate, and the voters of this state, for having the vision
to take an early lead on this project
Still, no matter how diversified and high-tech Texas
becomes, a strong domestic energy industry is important to the
future of this state and all of America. I find it disturbing
that nearly 50 percent of America's oil is imported. 4 As Bill
+
Photo Copy Preservation
Monday, April 17, 1989
Will it play in Lubbock?
By Susan Page
Los Angeles Times Service
LUBBOCK - From where Bob
Lubbock, Bush
Blake sits, it looks like his old
friend George Bush is doing just
has declared, is
fine as president.
"I think you've got a person
his Peoria, the
who's honest and truthful and will
chosen barome-
be one of the hardest-working pre-
sidents we've ever had," the 69.
ter of public
year-old oil man declared over a
lunch at the private Lubbock Club.
opinion to
"He knows he'll make a mistake,
which he In-
but he also knows he's doing the
very best that he can."
tends to turn.
From where Louise Cummins
sits, it's not so clear.
"He really hasn't done anything
vorably with that of his popular
touch-football team that used to
yet," said Cummins, 53, who runs A
predecessor, Ronald Reagan, for
play the Lubbock Leftovers,
government-funded day-care pro-
whom there was remarkably little
Blake's team. "He's not just a
gram for 400 children from low-in-
nostalgia.
stranger here. Mayor B.C. "Peck"
come families. "I really think he
But there also were some warn-
McMinn said of the president: a
needs to get going."
ing signs - rumblings now, rather
handwritten note from Bush on
Lubbock, Bush has declared, is
than full-fiedged complaints - for
White House stationery is framed
his Peoria, the chosen barometer of
the new president. "I thought as a
in his office.
public opinion to which he intends
Washington insider he'd be able to
hit the ground running a little
Lubbock residents are predis.
to turn. Buffeted by news accounts
posed to favor Bush and inclined to
last month that his fledgling ad-
more," one man said Thursday on
give him the benefit of the doubt on
ministration already was stalled,
KRLB's morning call-in show,
Bush telephoned Blake, A friend
which also featured a segment Hat-
issues like his evolving position on
ing lost-and-found pets.
some gun controls and his pro-
since both were raising families in
posed bailout of ailing saving-and-
west. Texas, to ask what people
Bankruptcy attorney Max Tar-
loans. But from the Lubbock Club
there thought.
box, 40, said in an interview, "I
to the South Plains Food Bank, in
don't think he's developed his own
"He said, 'All the people in Lub-
a warehouse on the rundown east
persons yet; I don't think we know
bock think things are going just
side, from the annual Lubbock Arts
who he is."
great,' " Bush relayed to reporters
Festival in the civic center this
This is conservative territory,
two days later, adding that he had
weekend to the radio call-in show,
the town named after a Confeder-
decided to adopt a new personal
they reflect some of the same
ate colonel and its residents retain-
creed. "Never get too uptight about
friendly ambivalence political ana-
ing some lingering suspicion of
stuff that hadn't reached Lubbock
lysta say they see elsewhere.
yet," he said.
liberal Easterners and government
On one hand, Bush still seems to
planners. The status in the park
So: how are things in Lubbock?
be riding a honeymoon high. A na-
next to the new city hall commem-
Folks in this West Texas city of
tionwide Washington Post-ABC
orates a self-sufficient-looking
about 190,000 - hometown of
News Poll early this month gave
pioneer family. "The capital of
Texas Tech University, Reese Air
God's country," according to for-
him E stunning 71 percent approval
Force Base and the late rock 'n' roll
rating: a Time magazine survey
mer Texas Gov. Preston Smith, 77,
found a more modest but still
legend Buddy Holly - said during
a Democrat who admits even he
healthy 54 percent approval. Re-
a visit last week that they like
voted for Bush.
Bush. They like his down-to-sarth
publican pollster Lance Tarrance,
If not exactly a native son, the
wife, Barbara. They noted approv-
based in Houston, said Bush's ap-
president is considered at least a
ingly his talk of improving-public
proval rating in Texas is now
sort of first cousin, having lived in
education and fighting drug abuse.
comfortably in the mid-60s,"
nearby Midland in the 1950s.
They praised his energy and open-
within a point or two of Reagan's
Then, he played offensive end for
highest ranking.
ness, sometimes comparing it fa-
the Midland Misfits, a pickup
But Tarrance noted, "The can-
one that can."
said.
ed coltage she renta. "He's the only
the concrete floor of the dilapidat-
things," she said while standing on
"I'm hoping that he can change
increase in the minimum wage.
change his mind and not veto an
worker, said she wanted Bush to
she receives as a home health-care
the minimum hourly wage of $3.35
and two infant grandchildren on
gling to support her five children.
And Martha Crawford, 35, strug-
a serious problem in Lubbock.
war against illegal drugs, which are
Bush "to put some teeth" into the
ment" but then said he wanted,
that "we have too much govern-
Plains National Bank, complained
program.
And Alan Hill, chairman of the
own education and treatment
The city this week is to unveil its
been diagnosed with the disease.
diedin in Lubbock and 14 others have
search; 25 victime already have.
ought to spend more on AIDS re-
country.
But McMinn does think Bush
you're likely to get a dime back," he
"Send a dollar to Washington and-
tary of education. McMinn agreed.
Texas Tech until he became secre-
Lubbock resident and president of
ton," cautioned Laure Cavasos, .
vention on the part of Washing-
very, very opposed to a lot of inter-
take them anywhere. "They're
want the federal government to
Many in Lubbock say they don't
rection he intended to take the
said they had no clear idea what di-
nearly half of those in the ABC poll
tion was off to a slow start, and
Time poll said Bush's administra-
thirds of those surveyed in the
ful approach. More than two-
conflict with Bush's cautious, care-
ary. He thinks it eventually could
do-ism of Texas is pretty legend-
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
April 24, 1989
INFORMATION
To:
DAVE DEMAREST
From:
MARK DAVIS
Re:
Texas Speech
Attached are copies of the original Texas draft and one with the
President's changes.
Several areas of this speech still need some smoothing out. The
Hightower joke on Page One is heading in the right direction, but with-
out a punchline, it comes across as brittle and defensive.
How about: "Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower to the contrary,
I am a Texan. Have been since he was in swaddling clothes
come
to think of it, have you known Jim to wear anything else?"
On Page 4, I understand that the President is not comfortable with
too much rodeo. But this segment needs a slightly stronger build-up
-MORE-
-2-
to give punch to the sound-bite: "Texas is back in the saddle again."
(backin)
If we could put the segement about "When a rider is thrown," it would go
a long way in putting some punch back into this paragraph.
On Page 6, the President added in two paragraphs on energy. This
I can smooth out, and consolidate with the paragraph above, with the
sound-bite on decontrolling natural gas. Question: When talking about
environmentally better sources of energy, should we mention coal? I know
that Western coal is cleaner, but do we want to open up this political
Pandora's box with the West Virginia delegation? And if we don't explain
exactly what kind of coal we are talking about, won't it sound odd to include
coal at all?
#
#
#
WITH GB CHANGES
Davis/Wallace
April 21, 8 p.m.
Title: Texas
Draft: Three
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE
CAPITOL, AUSTIN
APRIL 26, WED., 4:40 p.m.
((It's a good thing this isn't Bill Clements' birthday
From where I'm standing, another Plaid Day in the Texas
Legislature could blind a fella.) )
In all sincerity, happy belated birthday Bill
Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby, it's great to see you again.
Speaker Gib Lewis, distinguished legislators, fellow Texans,
thank you
I'm delighted to be back in Austin, with so many
friends
I will want to discuss a few issues facing Texas and all of
America. Agriculture Commissioner Hightower to the contrary, I
am a Texan. So let us say a few words about what it means to be
a Texan.
Like the former kingdom of Hawaii, Texas is a nation that
had to reconcile itself to being a state. But, like Hawaii, we
will never reconcile ourselves to being ordinary. From the Pecos
to the Pedernales, from the rapids of the Rio Grande to the broad
2
expanse of the muddy Red River, there is no place on earth like
Texas
Nor is there another capitol in America quite like this one,
built of a rose-tinged granite that blushes in a low sun. And,
this being Texas, we had to build a capitol that is exactly one
foot taller than the one in Washington. Texas certainly stands
tall in the heart of this President
Perhaps for this reason, Larry McMurtry is one of my
favorite writers. In Lonesome Dove, he describes the mythic
Texas, and conjures that sense of place we all know so well. I
am inspired by a man of letters who can convincingly adopt the
voice of cowboys and outlaws -- men whose only schooling was in
dodging bullets, whose only lessons were in how to run or rustle
cattle.
But, unlike Davy Crockett, I first set out for Texas not on
horseback from Tennessee, but from Connecticut in a red
Studebaker in June, 1948. More than forty years later, that trip
is still a vivid memory --the lonesome road, a neon Pearl Beer
sign appearing in the desert twilight like an apparition.
Stopping at a cafe, I didn't know if a chicken fried steak was a
chicken fried like a steak, or a steak that tasted like chicken
3
Still, Barbara and I settled in Texas, as did so many before
us. We raised five children, built a business. And in that span
of forty years, I watched this state grow into even greater
glory. The Texas of the epic movie Giant seemed almost ordinary
in the fifties, with bluejeaned millionaires as thick as jack
rabbits in the Permian Basin. It has been noted that the wealth
of merchants preceded the Renaissance of Michelangelo. In my
lifetime I have seen the oil wealth of West Texas finance the
building of great cities, and the expansion of first-class land
grant colleges -- the origins of a Texas Renaissance, if you
will. The energy business helped make Texas what it is today --
the Third Coast of the United States
This Texas Renaissance lasted for years, even decades. But
you also know another more recent chapter of the Texas story --
oil cheaper than fancy mineral water, skylines of empty
buildings, expensive homes to be had for monthly payments, and
thousands of laid-off workers.
Now, I'm no cowboy. I pitch horseshoes, but I don't ride
broncos. But I understand that cowboys have a term for the most
dangerous and cunning bronco of all: they call it a "sunfisher."
These broncos will rebel against a rider by adopting a motion not
unlike the sunfish of the Gulf -- a full-force leap into the air,
back arched high, flank twisting the rider to the left, head and
upper torso twisting the rider to the right, in an attempt to
4
tear him apart. Let me suggest that in the last few years, the
whole state of Texas feels like it has been on just such a ride
.
Strong men and women are challenged by adversity. I believe
Texans have proven that
There may be a few more bumps and
bruises ahead. But make no mistake, Texas is back in the saddle
again.
State unemployment has dipped to its lowest level in four
years, signaling the diversification of the Texas economy. In
1970, the energy sector accounted for nearly 25 percent of state
output. Last year, it accounted for only 11.4 percent. And yet
Texas has more than regained the 208,000 jobs it lost from 1986
to 1987, with employment in plastics, aviation, electronics,
space and computer programming leading the way. More people are
at work in Texas today than every before. The Dallas-Fort Worth
"Metroplex" leads in defense and aviation technology; Houston in
space and biomedical research; Austin, in microelectronics.
Another sign that Texas is becoming a world center of
technology is the selection of Ellis County as the site of the
Superconducting Super Collider
When built, the SSC will
enable us to study elemental particles with names like quarks,
mesons (May-sahns) and neutrinos. ( (Sounds to me like the
breakfast cereal the Bush grandkids have been eating.) )
5
Well, as Tom Luce, chairman of the Texas National Research
Laboratory Commission said, with a little imagination, you can:
"conclude that future research in the field of high energy could
some day help us conquer cancer." or discover a way to boost the
amount of information on a microchip. or answer questions that
eluded Einstein, giving us a glimpse of the forces that bind the
universe together. The SSC is a key to understanding nature, and
to developing the technologies and industries of the 21st
Century. Let me assure you, I will back the construction of the
SSC because it is good for America
And let me also salute you, the members of the Texas House
and Senate, and the voters of this state, for having the vision
to take an early lead on this project
still, no matter how diversified and high-tech Texas
becomes, a strong domestic energy industry is important to the
future of this state and all of America. I find it disturbing
that nearly 50 percent of America's oil is imported. This is not
good for our national security.
Some are questioning the future of America's energy
production in the aftermath of the wreck of the Exxon Valdez off
Alaska. I am as concerned as you -- and all Americans -- are by
the environmental tragedy in Prince William Sound. We are using
6
federal resources intelligently in the clean-up effort. We are
working with industry to develop an improved plan in event of a
future spill. But shutting down our domestic energy production
is no answer, and would merely increase our dependence on foreign
oil. We must, and we will, maintain a strong, domestic energy
industry.
To reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we must return to
high levels of exploratory drilling. I propose to stimulate
domestic drilling with tax credits and other incentives. We need
more research to learn how to recover more secondary and tertiary
oil. And I want to do something else. Texas has a 65-year
supply of one of the cleanest forms of energy known to man --
natural gas. I call on Congress, at long last, to fully
decontrol natural gas
I believe that this will happen
soon.
We need a national energy policy that relies not only on
oil, but on many other sources. I believe we can and must use
more safe nuclear power. I believe that coal has a bright
future. You know my confidence in natural gas.
As we all become increasingly concerned about the need for
clean air, we must look more to natural gas and to nuclear power.
We must produce more of our corn crop to produce ethanol, more of
our natural gas to produce methanol
Greater use of these
7
two will rapidly improve the air quality of our most heavily
polluted cities.
I know there are still a few dark clouds remaining on our
economic horizon. I know that you are concerned about the
continuing crisis in many savings and loan institutions. I have
asked for measures to restore these institutions to financial
health. And I have asked for $37 million in 1989 funds for the
Justice Department, so that those who willfully abuse the trust
of small savers can expect to be pursued, and put in prison
The U.S. Senate has acted expeditiously on the S & L bill, with
strong support from Democrats and Republicans alike. I call on
the House of Representatives to pass a responsible S & L bill as
soon as possible.
Texas, like all of America, faces many challenges. But I
believe that by working together, as Republicans and Democrats,
as federal and as state officials, we can lick any problems down
the path. Federalism works because of your leadership and your
initiative. The old dictum of the best government being that
which is closest to the people applies here, in Austin. ( (You
know, Ann Richards was right about that silver foot. I kept
putting it in my mouth all along. But the bottom line is, when
they ask "Where's George?"
say he's in Austin, and damned
proud to be back
))
8
True, some problems of the recent past linger. Some areas
of the state are recovering more slowly than others. But the way
is clear to a future as bright and promising as the blue Texas
sky -- a new reliance on a diversified economy, and the
technologies of the next century. This is the secret of the
Texas turnaround, and its unfolding is a tribute to the
leadership of Bill Clements, Senators Gramm and Bentsen, and the
men and women of the Texas Legislature
Texas is starting
to feel like its old self again. There is again a feeling among
Texans that anything is possible -- who knows, the Rangers or the
Astros might even win the World Series
As we face our future in the White House, Barbara and I take
with us memories of people and places from a state that has been
home for most of our lives.
We remember driving the kids across Texas, and slowing down
so we could take in the fields of bluebonnets and Indian
paintbrush.
We remember the people of Houston, many of them mature and
skeptical, but who nonetheless listened to a green young man and
sent him to Congress.
And I remember Lyndon Johnson at his ranch back in 1969, an
elder Democrat giving neighborly advice to a young Republican,
9
while his very special Lady Bird held out her hand in
hospitality.
Barbara and I treasure these 41 years as Texans -- the
sights and sounds of half a lifetime, the trust of many friends,
and the love of a family. All this and more, we remember
whenever we think of home
Let me thank you for inviting us back to Austin. God bless
you. And God bless the United States of America.
#
#
#
WITHOUT GBCHANGES
Davis/Wallace
April 21, 8 p.m.
Title: Texas
Draft: Three
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE
CAPITOL, AUSTIN
APRIL 26, WED., 4:40 p.m.
((It's a good thing this isn't Bill Clements' birthday
From where I'm standing, another Plaid Day in the Texas
Legislature could blind a fella. ))
In all sincerity, happy belated birthday Bill
...
Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby, it's great to see you again.
Speaker Gib Lewis, distinguished legislators, fellow Texans,
thank you
I'm delighted to be back in Austin, with so many
friends
I will want to discuss a few issues facing Texas and all of
America. But before I do, let me say a few words about what it
means to me to be a Texan.
Like the former kingdom of Hawaii, Texas is a nation that
had to reconcile itself to being a state. But, like Hawaii, we
will never reconcile ourselves to being ordinary. From the Pecos
to the Pedernales, from the rapids of the Rio Grande to the broad
expanse of the muddy Red River, there is no place on earth like
Texas
2
Nor is there another capitol in America quite like this one,
built of a rose-tinged granite that blushes in a low sun. And,
this being Texas, we had to build a capitol that is exactly one
foot taller than the one in Washington. Texas certainly stands
tall in the heart of this President
Perhaps for this reason, Larry McMurtry is one of my
favorite writers. In Lonesome Dove, he describes the mythic
Texas, and conjures that sense of place we all know so well. I
am inspired by a man of letters who can convincingly adopt the
voice of cowboys and outlaws -- men whose only schooling was in
dodging bullets, whose only lessons were in how to rustle cattle.
But, unlike Davy Crockett, I first set out for Texas not on
horseback from Tennessee, but from Yale in a red Studebaker.
More than forty years later, that trip is still a vivid memory --
the lonesome road, a neon Pearl Beer sign appearing in the desert
twilight like an apparition. Stopping at a cafe, I didn't know
if a chicken fried steak was a chicken fried like a steak, or a
steak that tasted like chicken
Still, Barbara and I settled in Texas, as did so many before
us. We raised five children, built a business. And in that span
of forty years, I watched this state grow into greatness. The
Texas of the epic movie Giant seemed almost ordinary in the
3
fifties, with bluejeaned millionaires as common as cactus in
Odessa and Midland. It has been noted that the wealth of
merchants preceded the Renaissance of Michelangelo. In my
lifetime I have seen the oil wealth of West Texas finance the
building of great cities, and the expansion of first-class land
grant colleges -- the origins of a Texas Renaissance, if you
will. The energy business helped make Texas what it is today --
the Third Coast of the United States
This Texas Renaissance lasted for years, even decades. But
you also know another more recent chapter of the Texas story --
oil cheaper than fancy mineral water, skylines of empty
buildings, expensive homes to be had for monthly payments, and
thousands of laid-off workers.
Now, I'm no cowboy. I pitch horseshoes, but I don't ride
broncos. But I understand that cowboys have a term for the most
dangerous and cunning bronco of all: they call it a "sunfisher."
These broncos will rebel against a rider by adopting a motion not
unlike the sunfish of the Gulf -- a full-force leap into the air,
back arched high, flank twisting the rider to the left, head and
upper torso twisting the rider to the right, in an attempt to
tear him apart. Let me suggest that in the 1980s, the whole
state of Texas feels like it has been on just such a ride
4
An old saying goes that there never was a horse that hasn't
been rode, and never was a man who hasn't been throwed. I guess
Texans have proven that. It is also said that strong men and
women are challenged by adversity. I believe Texans have proven
that, too
When a rider is thrown, he can do one of two things. He can
slink away and never again attempt another act of horsemanship.
Or, he can dust himself off, put one boot in the left stirrup,
throw the other boot over, and get firmly back into the saddle.
I won't kid you. There may be a few more bumps and bruises
ahead. But make no mistake, Texas is back in the saddle again.
State unemployment has dipped to its lowest level in four
years, signaling the diversification of the Texas economy. In
1970, the energy sector accounted for nearly 25 percent of state
output. Last year, it accounted for only 11.4 percent. And yet
Texas has more than regained the 208,000 jobs it lost from 1986
to 1987, with employment in plastics, aviation, electronics,
space and computer programming leading the way. The Dallas-Fort
Worth "Metroplex" leads in defense and aviation technology;
Houston in space and biomedical research; Austin, in
microelectronics.
Another sign that Texas is becoming a world center of
technology is the selection of Ellis County as the site of the
5
Superconducting Super Collider
When built, the SSC will
enable us to study elemental particles with names like quarks,
mesons (May-sahns) and neutrinos. ( (Sounds to me like the
breakfast cereal the Bush grandkids have been eating. ))
Well, as Tom Luce, chairman of the Texas National Research
Laboratory Commission said, with a little imagination, you can:
"conclude that future research in the field of high energy could
some day help us conquer cancer." Or discover a way to boost the
amount of information on a microchip. Or answer questions that
eluded Einstein, giving us a glimpse of the forces that bind the
universe together. The SSC is a key to understanding nature, and
to developing the technologies and industries of the 21st
Century. Let me assure you, I will back the construction of the
SSC because it is good for America
And let me also salute you, the members of the Texas House
and Senate, and the voters of this state, for having the vision
to take an early lead on this project
Still, no matter how diversified and high-tech Texas
becomes, a strong domestic energy industry is important to the
future of this state and all of America. I find it disturbing
that nearly 50 percent of America's oil is imported. As Bill
Clements says, this "cannot be safely shunted aside as merely a
Texas or a producing state problem."
6
Some are questioning the future of America's energy
production in the aftermath of the wreck of the Exxon Valdez off
Alaska. I am as concerned as you -- and all Americans -- are by
the environmental tragedy in Prince William Sound. I want to use
federal resources intelligently in the clean-up effort, and to
work with industry to try to prevent another such occurrence.
But shutting down our domestic energy production is no answer,
and would merely increase our dependence on foreign oil. We
must, and we will, maintain a strong, domestic energy industry.
To reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we must return to
high levels of exploratory drilling. I propose to restore the
central role of small producers in U.S. energy exploration with
tax credits and other incentives. And I want to do something
else. Texas has a 65-year supply of one of the cleanest forms of
energy known to man -- natural gas. I call on Congress, at long
last, to fully decontrol natural gas
I know there are still a few dark clouds remaining on your
economic horizon. I know that you are concerned about the
continuing crisis in many savings and loan institutions. I have
asked for measures to restore these institutions to financial
health. And I have asked for $37 million in 1989 funds for the
Justice Department, so that those who willfully abuse the trust
of small savers can expect to be pursued, and put in prison
7
The U.S. Senate has acted expeditiously on the S & L bill. I
call on the House of Representatives to pass a responsible S & L
bill as soon as possible.
Texas, like all of America, faces many challenges. But I
believe that by working together, as Republicans and Democrats,
as federal and as state officials, we can lick any problems down
the path. Jefferson's dictum of the best government being that
which is closest to the people applies here, in Austin.
Federalism works because of your leadership and your initiative.
True, some problems of the recent past linger. Some areas
of the state are recovering more slowly than others. But the way
is clear to a future as bright and promising as the blue Texas
sky -- a new reliance on a diversified economy, and the
technologies of the next century. This is the secret of the
Texas turnaround, and its unfolding is a tribute to the
leadership of Bill Clements, Senators Gramm and Bentsen, and the
men and women of the Texas Legislature
Texas is starting
to feel like its old self again. There is again a feeling among
Texans that anything is possible -- who knows, the Rangers or the
Astros might even win the World Series
As we face our future in the White House, Barbara and I take
with us memories of people and places from a state that has been
home for most of our lives.
8
We remember driving the kids across Texas, and slowing down
so we could take in the fields of bluebonnets and Indian
paintbrush.
We remember the people of Houston, many of them mature and
skeptical, but who nonetheless listened to a green young man and
sent him to Congress.
And I remember Lyndon Johnson at his ranch, an elder
Democrat giving advice to a young Republican, his white hair --
longer in retirement -- blowing in the gentle Hill Country breeze
like the mane of an old lion.
Bar and I treasure all of this -- the sights and sounds of
half a lifetime, the trust of many friends, and the love of a
family. All this and more, we remember whenever 'we think of
home. That is why we thank God that we are Texans
Let me thank you for inviting us back to Austin. God bless
you. And God bless the United States of America.
#
#
#
THE STATE OFFER OF STETES
The State of Texas,
Office of State-Federal Relations
For your information
Please call if you have any questions.
AIDS in
Texas
600 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Suite 255
Washington, D.C. 20024
202/488-3927
Post Office Box 13005
Sam Houston State Office Building
Austin, Texas 78711
512/463-1803
B-4 Saturday, December 3, 1988
Panel wants some convicts tested for AIDS
By Bennett Roth
and the needs of the uninfected," said the Rev.
TIMES HERALD AUSTIN STAFF
Chris Steele, chairman of the panel.
The AIDS testing provision also recommends
AUSTIN - The Legislative Task Force on AIDS
criminal and civil sanctions for people convicted on
Friday endorsed mandatory AIDS testing for peo-
sexual assault or drug charges who test positive for
ple convicted of sexual assault and drug possession.
the virus and continue to transmit the disease.
After 14 months of study, the panel approved the
Mandatory testing is one of almost 100 proposals
last of more than 100 proposals, which will be pre-
the Task Force will forward to the Legislature for
sented to the Legislature as it attempts to provide a
action in the coming session.
state plan to battle the deadly disease.
On Friday, at an all-day meeting, the 18-member
The panel's recommendation on AIDS testing is
panel completed most of its work on the proposals
primarily targeted at protecting victims of rape and
that deal with everything from mandatory AIDS
those who have sexual contact with intravenous
education in public schools to providing condoms
drug users.
in prisons.
State law now grants judges discretion to order
However, the panel did not address what is ex-
testing for those indicted on charges of sexual as-
pected to be a major question in the Legislature:
sault.
funding.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is a
"Our first priority was to consider what needs to
deadly virus which attacks the body's ability to
be done. then we'll worry about paying for it," said
fight diseases. It is contracted primarily through
Rev. Steele,
sexual intercourse, sharing of needles and blood
The panel, created by the Legislature, is made up
transfusions.
of lawmakers, health professionals, clergy and oth-
While members of the panel have generally fa-
er community representatives. Many of the recom-
vored voluntary testing for the HIV virus, which
mendations had been approved earlier in the fall.
causes AIDS, they said that in certain cases civil
But on Friday the panel approved several key pro-
liberties of those carrying the disease must be
posals including allowing pharmaceutical compa-
waived.
nies in the state to test AIDS drugs that have not
"Under the circumstances of being sexually as-
been approved by the federal government and cre-
saulted it is legitimate for us to alleviate the con-
ating a high risk insurance pool for victims of the
cerns of the victim," said state Rep. Mike McKin-
disease.
ney. D-Centerville, a member of the AIDS panel.
The panel also endorsed the manufacture of ex-
"You ought to be able to tell them they have not
perimental AIDS drugs in Texas despite concerns
been exposed to AIDS."
by some that victims would be hurt more than
"We need to strike a balance between civil rights
helped by untested remedies.
28
Saturday, December 3, 1988
The Ballas Morning News
21 A
TEXAS & SOUTHWEST
AIDS notification plan advances
Counties, groups back guidelines for informing partners
By Sherry Jacobson
carriers who have been exposed to
support for the program as
Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News
the virus.
drafted," MacLean said. "People
AUSTIN - Representatives of
Dr. Robert A. MacLean, deputy
seem to understand that we're talk-
county health departments and
commissioner of the Texas Depart-
ing about a voluntary process that
AIDS service groups gave informal
ment of Health, said the guidelines
will be very strictly confidential."
approval Friday to proposed state
would become effective in January
The notification process was
guidelines for notifying the sex and
with a few modifications.
mandated by the federal govern-
drug-abuse partners of AIDS virus
"There appears to be broad-based
ment for all agencies that receive
federal funds to do testing and
counseling for people infected with
the human immunodeficiency vi-
rus, or HIV, which causes AIDS.
Each-state must set up a proce-
dure for notifying the sexual or
drug abuse partners of infected in-
dividuals who decline to inform
them themselves. The partners'
names and addresses must be sub-
mitted voluntarily.
Under the Texas plan, trained
counselors will be charged with in-
forming the partners in person and
offering them counseling and HIV
testing.
"Our primary emphasis will be
to get virus carriers to tell their
partners themselves," MacLean
"Our primary emphasis
will be to get virus
carriers to tell their
partners themselves. But
we have to be realistic
that some people will
not want to do it."
- Robert A. MacLean,
Health Department
commissioner
said. "But we have to be realistic
that some people will not want to do
it."
The identity of the virus carrier
will remain confidential, he
stressed, and the names of the part-
ners will be destroyed once at-
tempts have been made to notify
them.
William Waybourn, president of
the Dallas Gay Alliance, expressed
some concern about the notifica-
tion of partners who live outside
Texas.
"My biggest fear is that the per-
son being notified can be in a risky
situation in some states, such as Col-
orado. where you must tell the state
if you are HIV positive," said Way-
bourn, who attended the meeting.
"We were assured today that vi-
rus carriers will be warned if they
are putting their partners at risk in
out-of-state notifications,' he said.
Health officials were uncertain
about how often they will be asked
to implement the new procedures.
A similar program in Ohio found
that only five out of 102 virus carri- be
2
ers requested that their partners
notified by a third party.
32A
Houston Chronicle
Saturday, Dec. 3, 1988
State unveils voluntary AIDS warning program rules
By RUTH SORELLE
AIDS testing and counseling. Most of
tract tracing is a new initiative from
agree to reveal his sexual contact,
name of the person who tested posi-
of a system that already exists fo
Houston Chronicle Medical Writer
the state's major metropolitan areas
the federal Centers for Disease Con-
and MacLean said it would still be
tive.
other sexually transmitted diseases
were represented, including Hous-
trol and represents a shift in public
preferable if that person notified his
MacLean emphasized that the sex-
MacLean said. In fact, the diseas
ton.
health policy.
or her sexual contacts. However, the
AUSTIN - Early next year, Texas
ual contact tracing in AIDS must be
intervention specialists or fiel
"We have always encouraged peo-
In the past, experts had com-
testing personnel must offer to con-
voluntary because people cannot be
health officials will begin a volun-
workers who already work out 0
ple (who test positive for antibodies
plained that tracing sexual contacts
tact sexual partners for that individ-
forced to reveal the names of part-
tary program to warn sexual part-
sexually transmitted disease clinic
to the AIDS virus) to inform their
of people infected with the AIDS
ual.
ners. It is a service to the AIDS-
ners WAIDS virus-infected people
are now being trained to notify AID:
sexual partners. This just takes it a
virus would be expensive and value-
The contacts will be made in per-
infected person. he said.
that they may have contracted the
sex partners, he said.
step further," said Dr. Robert Mac-
less because no cure could be of-
son, MacLean said.
virus
Confidentiality is key to making
Lean, deputy commissioner for the
fered. However, the rationale now is
"It won't be by letter; it won't be
the program work, MacLean said.
During the workshop, which Mac
Guidelines for the notification pro-
Texas Health Department.
that individuals can be identified,
over the telephone," he said.
One difficulty that must be re-
Lean said was unique in Texas
cess have already been drafted and
MacLean said all clinics that carry
tested and counseled about the dis-
The sexual partner will not be told
solved is how to notify individuals
health care workers watched a vid
Friday were presented here to about
out AIDS testing and counseling un-
ease, whether they test positive or
the name of the AIDS-positive per-
who live in states where confidenti-
60 people from local health depart-
eotape of a simulated counseling
der contract with the state must
not.
son, he said. In fact. he said, the
ality is not-protected, he said.
session with a person who tested
ments, AIDS community groups and
have a partner notification system in
The person who tests positive for
health care worker who notifies the
The partner notification system
other organizations that carry out
positive. During that session, the
place by early next year. Such con-
antibodies to the AIDS virus must
sexual partner will not know the
for AIDS will simply be an extension
issue of contact tracing is broached
A-26 The Houston Post/Saturday, December 3, 1988
LOCAL & STATE
AIDS task force proposes ways to combat
epidemic in state, but not how to pay for it
By D.J. Wilson
'We don't have another two years to wait.'
lengthy discussion was the difficul-
OF THE HOUSTON POST STAFF
ty some people with AIDS-related
DR. ROBERT AWE
conditions have being approved for
AUSTIN - The state Legislative
Saying he hopes legislators will act on "sbout half" of the recommendations
disability benefits.
Task Force on AIDS held its final
Awe said people who are ex-
meeting Friday, ending a 14-
providing needles for intravenous
month process that produced more
shorten the time for approval,"
tremely ill but do not meet the clin-
drug users and enacting education
Rios said.
ical requirements of having AIDS
than 100 recommendations about
programs in public schools.
Rios said it was important that
often do not qualify for benefits.
what the state should do about the
The group supports the estab-
effective therapies be made avail-
"I have patients coming with
epidemic.
lishment of an insurance pool to
ARC (AIDS Related Complex) in
The task force assigned no cost
able as soon as possible.
provide coverage to people usually
"This epidemic his exemplified
wheelchairs with the sweats and
estimates to the recommendations.
Our first priority was to find out
considered uninsurable, including
that if we don't respond, people
"diarrhea and they' been denied
those with AIDS.
will take things in their own hands,
disability," Awe said.
what needs to be done, "then we
The task force also stressed the
worry about paying for it," said the
with the so-called kitchen pharma-
Other patients who might only
importance of informing patients
Rev. Chris Steele, a Episcopal
cology," Rios said, referring to
have a few lesions but qualify as
when they are tested for the AIDS
some of the underground treat-
AIDS patients are classified as
priest at Houston's St. Luke's
virus and emphasized the impor-
ments tried by people with AIDS.
disabled, Awe said.
Hospital and chairwoman of the
task force.
tance of expanding clinical drug
The task force also supported
Glen Maxey, of the Texas Gay
trials.
Steele said she thought the Leg-
the implementation of community
and Lesbian Lobby, told the task
One of the proposals would be to
research initiatives which would in-
islature needs to improve health
force that the problem often is the
allow the testing and use of drugs
volve the Texas Medical Associa-
care financing, make sure a "con-
result of physicians not using spe-
for progressive fatal diseases, in-
tion} local medical societies and
tinuum of services are available
cific language in reports needed to
and better articulate" the state's re-
cluding AIDS, within the state. This
AIDS service organizations. These
qualify patients for benefits.
concept is similar to an approach in
sponsibility in a public health crisis.
initiatives would be designed to
California, where drugs not yet ap-
increase treatment options by
Rep. Mike McKinney, a Center-
Dr. Robert Awe, director of the
proved by the federal Food and
expanding access to experimental
ville legislator who also is a physi-
AIDS Clinic at Jefferson Davis Hos-
Drug Admiministration are used in
drugtrials.
cian, said, "We have a system
pital, said he hoped the legislators
clinical trials.
Jeff Decker, chairman of the
based on saving money and not on
would act on "about half" of what
Dr. Adan Rios, a Houston physi-
Austin People With AIDS Coalition,
providing care to those who need
is presented to them.
cian and task force member, sup-
said We saw Innovative and effec-
it. How we put that into a recom-
I
"We don't have another two
ported the proposal to allow the
tive care as a top priority.
mendation, I don't know."
years to wait," Awe said.
drug research as long as the drug
"We try to focus on what we
Maxey said an effort had been
was manufactured and tested in
The task force had previously
considered important: treatment,
started by his group to educate pa-
Texas.
early intervention and access to
approved making condoms avail-
tients and physicians on how to
"California follows the same reg-
care," Decker said.
able at cost for prison inmates,
properly complete the disability
ulations as the FDA, but they can
Another issue that triggered a
applications.
las and state Sen. Cyndi Krier of San Antonio.
Vill keynote
Ms. Montoya-Coggins, a Harvard law graduate and partner
(in the banking and real estate area) in the law firm of Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, was host for three years of the
become liability?
public affairs show Nuestro Dia on Channel 8. If nominated,
she would fill Democrats' desire to have a Hispanic on their
statewide ticket. Ms. Hutchison, also a lawyer and small busi-
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
So, Old DEC Silver Foot and Silver Tongue
5 1988
nesswoman who has served in the Legislature, confirms she
have buried the hatchet. Even if for
is looking at the potential opening.
While that job is getting the most attention from potential
only the time being, it speaks of the
class of President-elect George Bush
female candidates, its attraction transcends gender. Steve Gu-
and State Treasurer Ann Richards that
tow, a Dallas lawyer who headed the Dallas County campaign
they have set aside animosities of the
for Michael Dukakis, is expected to run. Dallas County Demo-
cratic chairman Sandy Kress is looking at this among other
campaign - Ms. Richards with a con-
gratulatory telegram to the president-
political options, as is state Rep. Stan Schlueter of Killeen. On
CAROLYN
elect and he with a peace offering to
the Republican side, other potential treasurer candidates in-
clude Dallas County Treasurer Bill Melton.
BARTA
her of a tiny silver foot.
But don't believe for a moment that
this is the end of the political episode that began with Ms.
Carolyn Barta is editor of Viewpoints.
Richards' "Poor George" keynote address at the Democratic
National Convention. What was widely acclaimed at the time
for making the little-known state treasurer an instant celeb-
rity could become a liability.
AIDS task force
Judging by recent letters to the editor, there are plenty of
Republicans who have no intention of burying the hatchet.
Some may even be part of an organized letter-writing cam-
paign, designed to thwart Ms. Richards' gubernatorial aspira-
makes sweeping
tions.
Republicans, led by Gov. Bill Clements, are now laying
blame on Ms. Richards for the negative tone of Mr. Bush's
presidential campaign. Gloating after the election, Gov.
recommendations
Clements said: "She did a wonderful job of getting Mr. Bush
HOUSTON
DEC
3
1988
properly exercised to where he really took after the Demo-
members said they feared it
crats. We have her to thank."
By RUTH SORELLE
Why not also thank Sen. Ted Kennedy for his "Where was
Houston Chronicle Medical Writer
could open the door to ineffective
treatments.
George" speech? Because Sen. Kennedy won't be running for
Health care issues also came to
office in Texas in 1992. One election is hardly cold before the
AUSTIN -- The Legislative
the fore as the task force advo-
next is under way.
Task Force on AIDS approved
cated establishment of an HIV
There certainly was plenty of Bush-bashing in Atlanta.
final recommendations Friday
Health Services program to pro-
But it's been well documented by now that the Bush cam-
that call for making experimen-
vide care to indigent AIDS pa-
paign had decided on a game plan concentrating on such
tal treatments more readily
tients on a sliding scale basis.
issues as the Pledge of Allegiance, gun control, death penalty
available to AIDS patients, in-
The task force also advocated
and prison furloughs long before Ms. Richard stepped to the
creasing public and private pay-
changes in the Medicaid program
ments for AIDS-related care and
podium in Atlanta. Survey focus groups had told Bush mana-
that would increase the federal
requiring testing of people with
gers what pushed voters' hot buttons.
matching dollars that go into the
sexual assault or drug convic-
Notwithstanding the recent passing of the peace pipe, Ms.
program, expand income eligibil-
tions.
Richards has now become a highly partisan target in 1990,
ity for the program and increase
The wide-ranging report, cov-
should she get the gubernatorial nomination. To win a No-
the kinds of services paid for
ering issues from discrimination
under the program.
vember race, she would have to tone down the rhetoric to
to educating schoolchildren to
In addition, the group backed
attract independents (many of whom supported Mr. Bush)
AIDS in prisons, will be submit-
methods of increasing private in-
and drop the Minnie Pearl routine - which she frequently
ted to the Legislature in early
surance for AIDS patients, in-
does anyway when talking to chamber of commerce-type
January.
cluding establishment of a high-
The Rev. Chris Steele, who
risk insurance pool to cover peo-
groups. Attorney General Jim Mattox, who was virtually ignored
chaired the committee during its
ple who could not buy health
in Atlanta, must be enjoying the negative fallout from Ms.
13-month existence, said she is
insurance on a regular basis. The
Richards' role at the convention. Mr. Mattox would like noth-
"cautiously optimistic" about the
panel also wants the Legislature
ing better than for her to opt out of the race, as have Lt. Gov.
reception the group's report will
to prevent group health insurers
receive in the Legislature. She
Bill Hobby and San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros - and
from changing contracts so that
applauded the consensus on the
you can rest assured that he will be doing his best to squeeze
people with AIDS or other costly
panel, saying the experiences
conditions are no longer covered.
her out.
members shared led them to feel
Task force members clashed
Mayor Cisneros may yet re-emerge as a gubernatorial can-
strongly about the same kinds of
over the issues of testing and
didate, however. if he is convinced that his now-public rela-
issues.
consent.
tionship with a San Antonio woman hasn't tarnished his po-
The task force dissolves when
litical career. Former Gov. Mark White is considering trying
the Legislature goes into session
While they approved a recom-
to make a comeback, and others, such as Land Commissioner
in January, but task force mem-
mendation to require testing for
Garry Mauro, could round out the Democratic field.
bers said its momentum should
people convicted of sexual as-
As for the Republican gubernatorial possibilities - Kent
be carried forth by an unnamed
sault or drug abuse-related
entity that will be charged with
crimes, they disagreed over when
Hance is sitting pretty after his convincing Railroad Commis-
overseeing AIDS coordination
to test patients. They finally ad-
sion win. But George W. Bush, the president-elect's older son,
has the Bush name and ability to raise big money, should he
and planning in the state:
vocated requiring consent and
While the task force dealt sub-
counseling for all HIV tests in
decide to run. Mr. Bush the younger has bought a home in
stantively with matters of policy,
Texas, except where state law
North Dallas and will be moving his family here after the
allows testing without consent.
it did not try to put a price tag on
transition. Ironically, it was Mr. Hance who beat the younger
the long list of recommendations.
Other recommendations in-
Bush to represent West Texas in Congress back in 1978.
In an effort to resolve concerns
clude:
Amarillo businessman and corporate raider T. Boone Pick-
over slow federal approval of
Requiring school districts to
ens sounds like a potential GOP gubernatorial candidate, as
AIDS drugs, the panel recom-
provide comprehensive health
does Secretary of State Jack Rains. Former Rep. Tom Loeffler,
mended allowing testing, manu-
and AIDS education to all stu-
who along with Mr. Hance lost the 1986 primary to Bill
facture and sale of AIDS drugs in
dents.
Clements, is a possibility if he doesn't get an appointment in
the state: which prompted discus-
Asking that condoms be sold
sion because physicians were
at or near cost in prison commis-
the Bush administration.
concerned that it might open the
saries.
The most interesting match, however, would pit the sil-
ver-haired Silver Tongue against son of Silver Foot - cer-
door to unproven and unorthodox
Requiring state agencies, by
treatments.
the end of fiscal year 1990. to
tainly making the 1988 presidential race a factor in the Texas
Although the recommendation
adopt an AIDS education pro-
1990 gubernatorial race.
was designed to circumvent
gram and work place guidelines
ODDS AND ENDS: The ability of Ms. Richards to win the
strict U.S. Food and Drug Admin-
that eliminate discrimination
state treasurer's post may have encouraged other women to
istration rules that have been
against. and protect the privacy
try to succeed her. Among those considering running for the
seen as hampering distribution of
of, people infected with the AIDS
treasurer's post are Democrats Regina Montoya Coggins of
new AIDS therapies, task force
virus.
Dallas and Texas Employment Commission member Mary
Scott Nabors, and Republicans Kay Bailey Hutchison of Dal-
34
AIDS task force proposes ways to
combat epidemic in state, but not how
HOUSTON POST
volve the Texas Medical Associa-
wheelchairs with the sweats and
to pay for it
tion, local medical societies and
"diarrhea and they've been denied
AIDS service organizations. These
disability," Awe said.
initiatives would be designed to
Other patients who might only
By D.J. Wilson
DEC
3
1988
increase treatment options by
have a few lesions but qualify as
OF THE HOUSTON POST STAFF
expanding access to experimental
AIDS patients are classified as
drug trials.
disabled, Awe said.
AUSTIN - The state Legislative
Jeff Decker, chairman of the
Task Force on AIDS held its final
Austin People With AIDS Coalition,
Glen Maxey, of the Texas Gay
meeting Friday, ending a 14-
said he saw innovative and effec-
and Lesbian Lobby, told the task
month process that produced more
tive care as a top priority.
force that the problem often is the
than 100 recommendations about
"We try to focus on what we
result of physicians not using spe-
what the state should do about the
considered important: treatment,
cific language in reports needed to
epidemic.
early intervention and access to
qualify patients for benefits.
The task force assigned no cost
care," Decker said.
Rep. Mike McKinney, a Center-
estimates to the recommendations.
Another issue that triggered a
ville legislator who also is a physi-
Our first priority was to find out
lengthy discussion was the difficul-
cian, said, "We have a system
what needs to be done, "then we
ty some people with AIDS-related
based on saving money and not on
worry about paying for it," said the
conditions have being approved for
providing care to those who need
Rev. Chris Steele, a Episcopal
disability benefits.
it. How we put that into a recom-
priest at Houston's St. Luke's
Hospital and chairwoman of the
Awe said people who are ex-
mendation, I don't know."
task force.
tremely ill but do not meet the clin-
Maxey said an effort had been
Steele said she thought the Leg-
ical requirements of having AIDS
started by his group to educate pa-
islature needs to improve health
often do not qualify for benefits.
tients and physicians on how to
care financing, make sure a "con-
"I have patients coming with
properly complete the disability
tinuum of services are available
ARC (AIDS Related Complex) in
applications.
and better articulate" the state's re-
sponsibility in a public health crisis.
Dr. Robert Awe, director of the
AIDS Clinic at Jefferson Davis Hos-
pital, said he hoped the legislators
would act on "about half" of what
Sunset panel delays
is presented to them.
"We don't have another two
years to wait," Awe said.
loan program action
The task force had previously
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
DEC
4
1988
approved making condoms avail-
able at cost for prison inmates,
By NANCY STANCILL
McFarland said that the program
Houston Chronicle
could be reactivated if Texas banks
providing needles for intravenous
and savings and loan associations
drug users and enacting education
decided to withdraw from the guar-
programs in public schools.
AUSTIN - Following a lengthy
anteed student loan program. He
The group supports the estab-
discussion Friday, the Texas Sunset
emphasized that the Hinson-Hazle-
lishment of an insurance pool to
Advisory Commission postponed ac-
wood program accounts for less than
provide coverage to people usually
tion on a controversial proposal to
5 percent of the guaranteed student
considered uninsurable, including
recommend shutting down the
loans made in Texas and that stu-
those with AIDS.
state's student loan program.
dents currently do not have difficul-
The commission voted unani-
The task force also stressed the
ties getting such loans from financial
mously to give its staff additional
institutions.
importance of informing patients
time to suggest ways in which higher
when they are tested for the AIDS
Commission members have said
education could benefit through the
that if they recommend sale of the
virus and emphasized the impor-
sale of the multimillion dollar port-
loan portfolio - which would legis-
trials. tance of expanding clinical drug
folio of the Hinson-Hazlewood Col-
lative approval - they would wish to
lege Student Loan Program.
stipulate that the proceeds be placed
One of the proposals would be to
The commission scheduled an-
in a trust fund and the interest used
allow the testing and use of drugs
other meeting Jan. 11-12 to continue
to support grants or other financial
for progressive fatal diseases, in-
its discussion of the loan program.
aid programs to students.
cluding AIDS, within the state. This
The sunset commission staff rec-
concept is similar to an approach in
ommendation that the 23-year-old
However, Higher Education Com-
California, where drugs not yet ap-
student loan program be discontin-
missioner Kenneth Ashworth em-
proved by the federal Food and
ued and its portfolio be sold for an
phasized that there is no assurance
Drug Admiministration are used in
estimated $102 million has stirred
that the proceeds actually would be
clinical trials.
opposition in state higher education
used in that way by the Legislature
circles and several commission
and might instead go for other state
Dr. Adan Rios, a Houston physi-
members mentioned widespread
needs such as prisons or highways.
cian and task force member, sup-
ported the proposal to allow the
publicity the proposal has received.
"This is a state program created
Sen. Bob McFarland, R-Arlington,
by the people," he said. "It is a good
drug research as long as the drug
vice chairman of the commission,
backstop program and should be
was manufactured and tested in
charged that the issue has been
defended and protected."
Texas.
misunderstood and blamed "the ob-
The program has made loans to
"California follows the same reg-
vious gullibility of the press."
161,000 Texas students since its in-
ulations as the FDA, but they can
Questioned by reporters after the
ception and Ashworth said that since
meeting, McFarland contended that
1976, 50 percent of the loans have
shorten the time for approval,"
Rios said.
the recommendation would not abol-
gone to minority students. However,
Rios said it was important that
ish the Hinson-Hazlewood program,
he acknowledged that statistics for
but would merely place it "in a
the most recent year showed 30
effective therapies be made avail-
dormant state."
percent minority participation.
able as soon as possible.
He conceded, however, that under
Some key legislators have vowed
"This epidemic his exemplified
the sunset commission staff pro-
to fight for the continued existence
that if we don't respond, people
posal, the program would cease
of the program. including Sen. Carl
will take things in their own hands,
making loans to students and the 65-
Parker, D-Port Arthur, who dropped
with the so-called kitchen pharma-
member staff that administers it at
by the sunset commission meeting to
cology," Rios said, referring to
the Texas Higher Education Coordi-
speak briefly with several members.
some of the underground treat-
nating Board would no longer be
"If it ain't broke, I don't see any
ments tried by people with AIDS.
needed. But he contended that this
reason to fix it," he said outside the
The task force also supported
would not be closing the program.
Senate Chamber. He said the staff
the implementation of community
recommendation "seems to be just
research initiatives which would in-
for the sake of neatness."
21
Austin American-Sistosman
Sunday, March 5, 1989
Barrientos works for basic AIDS funding
LB
Bill serves as fallback
two years, requiring at least $18
million.
for broader measure
The $8 million is only "a talking
figure." Barrientos said. "Accord-
By Dick Stanley
ing to my information, we could
Amarican-Statesman Stall
use the money" to attract federal
matching funds.
State Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos,
Michael Mathews, vice-presi-
the only Texas legislator so far
dent of the Austin Persons With
sponsoring a bill for direct services
AIDS Coalition, said the group
to people with AIDS-related ill-
would back whatever strategy Bar-
neases, says it could become the
rientos chose.
only such degislation to win approv-
al this year.
"Having taken on this task for
"My understanding in an omni-
us, we owe him the respect," said
Mathews, who receives AZT under
bus bill is coming, and in case it's
stalled, I introduced this one," said
the federal program. "We need to
Barrientos, an Austin Democrat.
focus on getting B cornersione in
"Usually an omnibus is ideal. But if
place. Then we really have to start
a few members decide they're
talking about the numbers."
stalls." against some facet, the whole thing
File photo by David Kennedy
An omnibus bill is being pre-
Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos says lawmakers' attitudes about AIDS
pared by members of the Legiala-
have matured, making significant legislation more likely.
tive Task Force on AIDS. It in
expected to seek millions of dollars
in funding for medical help, coun-
Barrientos agreed with Steele
state Department of Health take
seling and other aspects of a state-
and other political observers who
over a federal program that pro-
wide program to combat the
have said that lawmakers' attitudes
vides the expensive AIDS-aur-
epidemic of acquired immune defi-
about the AIDS issue have ma-
pressing drug AZT free to more
ejency syndrome.
tured, and that this will help lead to
than 1,200 impoverished Texans.
The task force recently conclud-
solutions this session. But he said
The bill would also allow the state
ad that AIDS will pore a major
there was still the possibility that
some members oppose any legisla-
to pay for other new drugs when
health threat to all Texans and fi-
they are discovered.
nancial trauma for local and state
tion because of the controversial
aspects of the issue.
The federal program is expected
health and welfare programs unless
state support is increased.
"The knowledge generally has
to end in April, but state health of-
The Rev. Chris Steele, chairwo-
increased greatly," Barrientos said.
ficials have said they can stretch
"I think the public is now more
the money until September.
man of the group, said the omnibus
aware that this deadly disease is
Some Austin AIDS activists
bill has been slow in arriving but
should be filed this week. Sen. Chet
not just with certain lifestyles -
have questioned Barrientos' plan
Brooks, D-Pasadena, will sponsor
that is drugs and needles and gays
to seek $8 million to fund the new
it in the Senate, she said, but the
- but it can hit just about any-
drug program. They any that is
House sponsor has yel to be
body, and therefore we're all in the
about $1 million short of the cur-
same bont."
rent annual cost of the federal pro-
determined.
His Senate Bill 636 would let the
gram, and that any state
appropriation would have to cover
AIDS bills filed in state House, Senate
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
ber Sen. Craig Washington, D-
By Dick Stanley MAR
service training on AIDS-related
8
1989
Houston. Washington and Sen.
illnesses and issues to all public
American-Statesman Staff
Chet Brooks, D-Pasadens, are the
school employees and volunteers.
co-sponsors of the Senate version
The Texas Education Agency
Long-awnited legislation giving the
of the omnibus AIDS bill.
would be directed to prepare mate-
state Department of Health broad powers
The omnibus legislation ad-
rials for accurate and comprehen-
to fight the AIDS epidemic in Texas fin-,
dresses most of the major recom-
sive education about the disease in
ally was unveiled late Tuesday.
mendations of the task force for
the state's public schools.
But only the Senate version of the om-
dealing with the epidemic in Texas
The Texas Department of Cor-
nibus legislation drawn by members of
which, with more than 6,000 per-
rections would be empowered to
the Legislative Task Force on AIDS
sons already diagnosed with full
test inmates for the virus which
would give protection from discrimina-
AIDS, currently ranks fifth
causes AIDS, adopt rules on segre-
tion to Texans with illnesses related to
nationally.
gation of such inmates from the
acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
The task force has projected a
The House bill is silent on the issue,
total of 45,000 cases by 1992 with
rest of the prison population and
which leaders of the task force have said
thousands more Texans infected
be prohibited from using the infor-
was their top priority.
with the virus which experts say al-
mation as grounds for denial of
The two bills, filed late Monday and
ways leads to the deadly disease.
parole.
All licensed substance abuse
Tuesday, would give the Health Depart-
In addition to its mandate to
treatment facilities would be re-
ment authority to coordinate the state's
coordinate the fight against the
quired to provide education on the
response to the epidemic, including as-
epidemic in Texas, the legislation
disease to employees and clients
sisting community organizations and set-
would have the Health Department
The Texas Commission on Alcohol
ting statewide guidelines for testing and
become a clearinghouse on public
and Drug Abuse would have to de-
counseling.
and private funding sources for
velop model education materials.
The legislation also calls for the Health
AIDS-related programs. It would
also be directed to establish volun-
The legislation also would pro-
Department to set workplace guidelines
hibit the current practice of real es-
for state agencies and private employers
tary, anonymous testing programs
designed to keep persons with AIDS-re-
for the AIDS-virus in each public
tate agents in Texas of disclosing
health region of the state.
lated illnesses employed as long as their
whether a current or former occu-
health permits.
The Senate version of the legis-
pant of a property has an AIDS re-
lation also would prohibit the use
lated illness.
One of the three co-sponsors of the
of AIDS-virus testing as a pre-con-
The House bill also allows ad-
House bill. Rep. Nancy McDonald, D-EI
dition for insurance or
minsitrators and teachers in the
Paso. said that, if passed, the legislative
employment
state's public schools to review
package probably would cost the state at
medical records of students with
least $45 million. "It's good, positive (leg-
Colleges and universities would
be encouraged to pursue basic and
AIDS-related illnesses. The Senate
islation)," she said. "I think we'll be able
applied research on the disease.
bill does not address the issue.
to pass it and at least set some good poli-
Both bills include provisions for
The State Board of Education
cies in the state on how we will try to fight
would be required to provide in-
maintaining the confidentiality of
this whole epidemic and all the
such records.
problems."
But McDonald, a former member of
the task force, said the $45 million esti-
mate did not include state assumption of
a federal program that now provides the
drug AZT to more than 1.200 impover-
ished Texans with AIDS.
Felony provision offers end
Both the House and Senate versions of
the omnibus bill call for the state to as-
sume fiscal responsibility for the federal
to pay-for-play scandals
AZT program. which is expected to end in
April and which currently spends about
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN MAR
8
1989
f the state intends to effectively
$5,000 fine, as the Stephenville Dem-
$9 million in Texas alone.
I
get at the root of Texas' college
ocrat's bill now provides, because
Emily Untermeyer, former direc-
athletic recruiting scandals, Sen.
prosecutors will go after a felony con-
tor of the task force, said she ex-
Bob Glasgow's bill making it a third-
viction, tooth and nail. In less severe
pected both bills to be referred to
degree felony to bribe an athlete is
cases, a conviction still would be a
committees in each house for hear-
ings within three weeks.
the way to do it.
felony, but the prison term could be
Under normal procedure, she
On Monday, the Senate agreed and
probated and the fine reduced com-
said, the Legislative Budget Office
passed the bill without a weakening
mensurately, which should take care
would poll affected state agencies
amendment that had been offered by
of Brooks' concern about inappropri-
for their estimates of projected
Sen. Chet Brooks, D-Pasadena. He
ately tough penalties.
costs and present a total figure at
said requiring a stiff penalty to cover
Glasgow said in Monday's debate
the hearings.
all sizes of infractions was going too
that Texas "was at the forefront of
As for the lack of anti-discrimi-
far, and proposed to make it a Class
the athletic recruiting scandals.
nation legislation in the House bill,
A misdemeanor to offer an athlete a
We've got to put a stop to it
and
McDonald said she and the other
bribe worth $750 or less.
announce to the world that we're go-
co-sponsors decided that including
But the real reason for making the
ing to put a stop to it."
it could prev ent the House version
from passing. "It is one area we
offense a third-degree felony in all
In recent years, the National Col-
want not to find a great obstacle,"
circumstances is not to seek to im-
legiate Athletic Association has put
she said. "It was just the agreement
pose the maximum penalty in every
most Southwest Conference schools
of the authors that we wouldn't
case, it is to see to it that district at.
on probation for recruiting viola-
tackle the subject."
torneys will prosecute. One legisla-
tions. In addition to cracking down
The other co-sponsors of the
tive aide told the Austin American-
on alumni and college recruiters, the
House bill, Rep. Billy Clemons. D-
Statesman that district attorneys will
legislation also would affect out-of-
Pollack, and Rep. Mike McKinney,
prosecute athlete bribery if it is a fel-
state coaches and school boosters
D-Centerville, could not be reached
ony offense, but probably won't both-
who come to Texas and, while here,
for comment.
er if a particular case qualifies only as
offer students financial incentives
McDonald said she expected a
a misdemeanor.
(bribes) to come to their schools.
separate House bill to be filed soon
And, clearly, what the law should
That's something that NCAA rules
giving persons with AIDS-related
illnesses the same protections
do is discourage alumni or others
don't discourage, but Glasgow's legis-
available to handicapped or dis-
from engaging in the purchase of col-
lation will.
abled Texans.
lege athletes. The way to do that is to
When the bill comes up in the
Proposed legislation on the issue
make it known to those tempted to
House, it should be passed without
also has been filed separately in the
bribe athletes that they could go to
adulteration and quickly signed into
Senate by former task force mem-
jail for up to 10 years, plus pay a
law by the governor.
22
Anti-bias RERALD clause in AIDS bill splits Legislature
BALLAS
TIMES
MAR 10 1989
By Bennett Roth
Lawmakers
Racing panel
million to about $40 million next
TIMES HERALD AUSTIN BURE
submit judicial-
appointees get
year.
AUSTIN - Although state
restructuring
Senate nod.
McKinney, who is a physician,
lawmakers agree that a compre-
plan. Page B-3.
Page B-5.
said many rural lawmakers fear
that voting for such a provision
hensive AIDS bill is needed in
gram to pre-
of the bill in
would be used against them in
Texas, a battle is brewing be-
vent and treat
that chamber,
their re-election campaigns.
tween the House and Senate over
the disease.
countered: "It's
"I will not ask my colleagues
whether including an anti-dis-
"It's a con-
not a gay rights
to do something that will get
crimination clause in the package
scious tactical
issue. It's hu-
them beat at home." he said.
would be tantamount to support-
decision on
man rights."
McKinney said the House ver-
ing gay rights.
how to pass the
, Ambitious
sion also omitted "a bunch of in-
The legislation. introduced ear-
bill,"
Rep.
blueprints for
flammatory language" that was
lier this week in both chambers,
Mike McKin-
the Texas war
included in the Legislature's
hit its first snag when House
ney, D-Centerville, said of the
against AIDS, both bills include
AIDS Task Force report, upon
members excluded a provision
House version of the legislation.
authorization and funding for a
which much of the legislation
that would prohibit discrimina-
"People are not ready for you to
broad range of education, testing
was based. "We didn't talk about
tion against AIDS patients, while
stand up and say homosexual ac-
and medical programs. The legis-
needles and condoms."
Senate sponsors say such a mea-
tivity is OK."
lation would significantly in-
sure must be the cornerstone of
Sen. Craig Washington,
crease spending for AIDS pro-
Medical experts have urged
any meaningful statewide pro-
D-Houston, one of the sponsors
grams - from the current $3.7
Please see BILL, A-5
encounter overwhelming dis-
A number of the advocates for
crimination." said Sen. Chet
the AIDS legislation say they
Brooks. D-Pasadena, chairman of
may have to sacrifice the dis-
the Senate Health and Human
crimination measure to salvage
Services Committee and one of
what still would be the most am-
the bill's sponsors.
bitious AIDS program ever un-
that people use condoms to help
Washington said the anti-dis-
dertaken in Texas.
prevent the spread of AIDS,
crimination measure is the "cor-
"The political realities in the
which is transmitted most often
nerstone" of the package and his
House require this unusual provi-
through sexual contact or the
colleagues in the House should
sion," said the Rev. Chris Steele,
sharing of needles used for intra-
not worry about losing political
who was chairwoman of the
venous drugs.
races over the issue.
AIDS task force. "Too many leg-
Senate sponsors, however, ar-
"I think members should put.
islators associate the phrase anti-
gue the anti-discrimination provi-
aside their petty notions of what
discrimination with gay rights
sion is an essential part of an ed-
the populace thinks," Washington
due to the anti-homosexual atti-
said.
ucation and treatment program.
tudès on the part of many.'
They say AIDS victims or those
Washington also criticized the
But Rep. Billy Clemons, D-
at risk of contracting the disease
sanitized House version of the
Pollok, a conservative House
will not undergo testing or partic-
bill, saying that members under-
member and sponsor of the bill,
ipate in educational programs if
estimated the ability of their con-
said that the abatement of public
they fear losing their jobs or be-
stituents to deal with sensitive
fear of AIDS patients cannot be
material.
ing denied housing.
legislated.
"This is 1989. not 1839," Wash-
"AIDS is such an alarming
"You cannot mandate anti-hys-
ington said. 'Condoms' [is] not a
buzzword, you cannot help but
teria. You cannot make people
dirty word."
not be afraid, Clemons said.
Tast
AIDS chief qualifies support of bill
T.A3
MAR 10 1989
HOUSTON POST
By John Gravois
House, Senate bills called 'good starting point
POST AUSTIN BUREAU
AUSTIN - The
encouraged to notify all their sexual part-
ington, D-Houston, agreed with Steele
head of the state's task
ners.
saying if those issues are to be debated if
force on AIDS said
should be through separate legislation.
WASHINGTON:
she's generally pleased
But police already have the authority to
Backs Steele
with proposed AIDS
arrest people for spreading AIDS and many
"This is a public health bill, that's all it is!
legislation even though two-thirds of her
areas in the state already engage in partner
and everything that detracts from that does
panel's recommendations are not included.
notification programs, Steele said.
a disservice in my opinion," Washington
The Rev. Chris Steele called House and
said. "They just muddy up the water.
Senate omnibous bills filed this week "a
Therefore, neither of the issues should
good starting point" but said she is trou-
have been included in the House bill,
bled that the House version contains provi-
Steele contended. Those points are not ad-
Brooks said including items like the cri
sions not endorsed or in some cases even
dressed in the Senate version.
minalization of spreading the virus when
considered by the task force.
it's already technically authorized "only
Because some lawmakers believe state
In addition, Steele took issue with a pro-
makes the legislation more controversial
law is unclear in many matters regarding
vision in the House bill that would allow
than it already is."
AIDS, the House bill specifically spells out a
public school teachers and administrators
number of things to eliminate confusion.
to know whether any of their students have
And controversy is exactly what Steele
The bill would make clear that it's a
the virus. That information now is kept
Washington and Brooks said they fear
crime for anyone to intentionally transmit
confidential.
could undermine the Senate bill, which
the AIDS virus. It also would set up a vol-
they hope emerges as the lead legislation
unteer partner notification program, in
The co-sponsors of the Senate bill, Sens.
All three said they are concerned debate
which people who contract the virus are
Chet Brooks, D-Pasadena, and Craig Wash-
will evolve into a fight over gay rights
Anti-discrimination rule
vital to state AIDS fight
DHS sex education welcome
AMERICAN STATESMAN
MAR 1 6 1989
he Texas Department of Hu-
life-altering experiences of earlier
AMERICAN STATESMAN
MAR 1 6 1989
T
man Services is planning to
teen-age pregnancy or the scourge of
House bill designed to coordin-
but Parker ought to take into consi-
launch a worthy program to ad-
AIDS will make the cost of the pro-
A
ate the state's fight against ac-
deration what humor a person with
minister sex education to abused and
gram worthwhile.
quired immune deficiency
AIDS reading his ludicrous remark
neglected teen-agers who come into
The agency intends to do selective
syndrome does not include a provi-
might have found, and if his remark
the department's care. The agency
testing of youngsters who may live in
sion to give persons with AIDS-relat-
might reinforce the thinking of oth-
also is exploring providing sex
situations which increase the likeli-
ed illnesses the same legal protection
ers who might actually believe the
education, specifically in regards to
hood that they might be exposed to
against discrimination available to
best way to handle AIDS is to quar-
acquired immune deficiency syn-
AIDS or in circumstances in which
the handicapped or disabled. A com-
antine or eliminate its victims.
drome, to its adolescent wards.
sex education might prove critical in
panion Senate bill does, and the Leg-
These are positive steps.
islature should make the Senate bill
Language such as Clemons' and
the life of a young woman or man.
DHS officials should be commend-
Parker's are basic stumbling blocks
If the program does anything but
the cornerstone of any AIDS legisla-
ed for the programs and, if criticism
to fighting the disease, for both ap-
teach youngsters to practice safe sex,
tion passed this session.
pear to be rooted in an inability to as-
comes their way, should stand fast,
then it will have accomplished a great
Opposition to anti-discrimination
sociate an end to discrimination with
because any child that is spared the
feat.
language in the House bill comes
from Rep. Billy Clemons, D-Pollok.
fighting the disease. If people with
AIDS-related illnesses are discrimin-
Clemons argues he does not want to
pass a "gay rights bill," precisely the
ated against, they may not seek help
kind of intemperate language that
and may further spread the disease.
Pass mandatory helmet law
AMERICAN
They also may lose their jobs, in-
1983
can sink the much-needed legisla-
tion. Clemons, who served on the
creasing the likelihood that they
Legislative Task Force on AIDS on
might end up as wards of the state.
T
he Legislature should reinstate
reinstate the mandatory helmet law
the mandatory helmet law for
that was repealed in 1977. The vote
which both bills are based, fails to
If discrimination against these in-
motorcyclists. The argument
understand AIDS is slowly spreading
dividuals is not outlawed, especially
that requiring motorcycle riders to
came after testimony that injured
motorcyclists without helmets or in-
in regard to insurance coverage, state
wear helmets is a limitation on per-
to the general population.
sonal freedom is valid. But that
surance cost taxpayers more than
Sen. Carl Parker, D-Port Arthur,
government may begin seeing AIDS-
doesn't make it sacrosanct. The
$32 million in medical costs last year.
contributed to the kind of climate
related costs increase.
"It's a simple issue of should the
This is especially true of the people
stronger argument is that even if mo-
that makes Clemon's attitude possi-
torcyclists are willing to risk injury or
general public pay for head injures
ble Tuesday when he joked about the
who can benefit from the life-pro-
death, the public is picking up the tab
and deaths of people who don't want
best way to handle those individuals
longing druz AZT. Both House and
Senate bills call for the state to pay
in medical care and rehabilitation,
to wear helmets,' said bill sponsor
exposed to the virus. "Kill 'em," was
and that tab is getting heavy.
Sen. Ted Lyon, D-Rockwall. "And I
Parker's response as to how to han-
for the AZT expenses of about 1,200
don't think they should." Neither
dle individuals who might test posi-
impoverished Texans who need the
should the rest of the lawmakers.
tive if a bill under Senate
drug but cannot afford it. AZT is ef-
The Senate Health and Human
The measure should be passed and
consideration that would test state
fective in only 30 percent of AIDS
Services Committee has voted 6-1 to
signed into law by the governor.
prisoners, prostitutes and those con-
cases, and, with so little that can be
victed of drug abuse were passed.
done against the disease, what is pos-
Parker quickly asked that he not
sible should be done. Sponsors of
be quoted. He said his remark was
that provision should be
meant to be humorous. In a personal
congratulated.
privilege speech in the Senate
But they should go the next step
Wednesday, Parker explained his re-
and outlaw discrimination against
mark was meant in jest. That may be,
people with AIDS.
THE STATE ATE OFTER OFFECE OF SELLS
The State of Texas
Office of State-Federal Relations
For your information
Please call if you have any questions.
Central American
refugee problem
600 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Suite 255
Washington, D.C. 20024
202/488-3927
Post Office Box 13005
Sam Houston State Office Building
Austin, Texas 78711
512/463-1803
NEWS
LB
Lloyd Bentsen
RELEASE
United States Senator
February 7, 1989
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BENTSEN SEEKS RELIEF FOR SOUTH TEXAS, OTHER AREAS AFFECTED BY REFUGEE POLICY
SAYS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICE ALREADY HAS FUNDS AVAILABLE
Washington, D.C. - Senator Lloyd Bentsen introduced legislation Tuesday to
provide relief to South Texas and other areas that have been adversely affected
by a new federal refugee policy.
The Bentsen bill is identical to legislation introduced in the House by
Representative Solomon Ortiz of Corpus Christi.
It would authorize the Community Relations Service, an agency of the
Justice Department, to provide aid to areas which attract large numbers of
Central American refugees. The agency has $20 million on hand but is currently
allowed to disburse the money only if Cuban or Haitian immigrants, or
unaccompanied minor immigrants, are involved.
"Over the last year there has been a huge, 130 percent increase in the
number of people seeking political asylum in this country. The number jumped
from 26,107 in fiscal 1987 to 60,736 last year, with 82 percent of the
applicants coming from three countries: El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala,"
Bentsen said in Senate remarks accompanying his bill.
"Since most Central Americans enter the United States through South Texas,
that economically depressed area of my state has been particularly hard-hit."
"The problems facing South Texas were compounded in Mid-December when the
Immigration and Naturalization Service announced a change in policy that
effectively confined those seeking to come to this country as refugees from
Central America to the Brownsville/Harlingen area in South Texas."
"We quickly had a crisis situation on our hands down there, with shelters
filled to capacity and immigrants sleeping in the woods, in tent cities and in
abandoned motels."
"The INS had turned the entire Brownsville/Harlingen area into a massive
detention camp."
The crisis was eased in January when a federal judge temporarily barred the
INS from enforcing its new refugee policy, but the judge has indicated he will
likely remove the bar later this month.
Bentsen estimates the cost to local governments, charities and churches in
South Texas at $6 million a year if the refugee policy is reimposed.
"South Texas is not the only part of this country that has been greatly
affected by the recent increase in immigration from Central America. Miami and
Los Angeles have also been hit hard and those cities, too, are in need of
federal assistance," Bentsen said.
"My legislation will provide for federal assistance to South Texas and
other affected areas and will do so on an expeditious basis,' Senator Bentsen
said.
-30-
of
Law/Judiciary
Florida, Texas Seek Aid for New Influx of Aliens
Members of the Florida and
erupted early in January when thou-
filtered south, it further stimulated an
Texas congressional delegations are
sands of Central Americans began
already growing flow of aliens. In mid-
pressing the federal government for
pouring across the border at Browns-
December, INS Commissioner Alan C.
emergency aid to help their states deal
ville, in southeast Texas.
Nelson told the Texas office to halt
with a new influx of Central Ameri-
A combination of factors contrib-
the procedure. Very quickly, Browns-
cans - half of them Nicaraguans.
uted to the crush, including the con-
ville was bursting at the seams with
Because most of the Nicaraguans
tinuing deterioration of the Nicara-
Central Americans who had no place
have made their way to Miami, where
guan economy, an upswing in violence
to stay and no means of support. The
more than 100,000 of their country-
in El Salvador and policy changes by
flow of aliens dropped dramatically to
men have settled over the past decade,
the Immigration and Naturalization
450 a week after news of the tougher
the Floridians also want the govern-
Service (INS).
INS policy spread, Jervis said.
ment to give them temporary legal
The foreigners made their way to
However, after a lawsuit was filed
status that would let them work and
a regional INS office in Harlingen,
on behalf of the aliens detained near
move about the country. Miami offi-
which is near Brownsville, and filed
the border, a federal district judge is-
cials say their area cannot absorb an-
applications for asylum. Asylum can
sued a temporary restraining order
other huge influx of foreigners like the
be granted by the government to for-
Jan. 9 barring the government from
Mariel "boatlift" from Cuba in the
eigners who demonstrate a "well-
keeping the aliens in the Harlingen-
early 1980s.
founded fear of persecution" in their
Brownsville area. The Nicaraguan ar-
But this suggestion has raised del-
homeland. Once an applicant makes a
rivals quickly boarded buses for Mi-
icate political questions about the
minimal showing, he is entitled to re-
ami, while the remaining aliens
plight of Salvadorans and other Cen-
main in the United States until his
scattered to other parts of the country.
tral Americans who make up the other
application has been reviewed. If he
Between Jan. 10 and Jan. 17, an-
half of new arrivals. Their advocates
other 2,651 Central Americans entered
say all Central Americans should be
the country, Jervis said.
treated alike.
"The only way you are
The court order expires Jan. 31,
While Texas and Florida mem-
going to have a successful
when the judge will hold a hearing on
bers are asking for short-term finan-
policy is to shore up the
whether to extend his ruling.
cial help, many of them say that Presi-
economies of Central Amer-
dent Bush and Congress also need to
The Burden on Miami
address longer-term foreign policy is-
ica. They are coming, and
The flood of Nicaraguans into Mi-
sues in the region. Their concern is
we can't stop them."
ami created immediate health and so-
that Central Americans will continue
-Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr., R-Fla.
cial services problems in a city that
to flood into the United States as long
has barely recovered from the 1980
as their own countries are in economic
Cuban-Haitian boatlift.
and political disarray.
meets the standards, he is allowed to
Publicity about the new arrivals
An immigration-enforcement law
stay. If not, he can be deported.
exacerbated ill feeling toward Hispan-
enacted in 1986 to stem the tide of
Rep. Lawrence J. Smith, D-Fla.,
ics in Miami's black community,
illegal aliens cannot prevent desperate
doubts that many of the recent arriv-
which erupted into rioting and looting
people from crossing the border, these
als will be granted asylum under the
the week of Jan. 16 after a Hispanic
members say. (1986 Almanac p. 61)
current rules. "These are economic
police officer shot and killed a young
"The only way you're going to have
refugees," he says. "Most of these peo-
black man who was fleeing arrest for a
a successful policy is to shore up the
ple have no well-founded fear of per-
traffic violation.
economies of Central America," says
secution. They have a well-founded
Starting the week of Jan. 9, Flor-
Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr., R-Fla. "They are
fear of living in poverty for the rest of
ida officials, including Republican
coming, and we can't stop them."
their lives in their own country."
Gov. Bob Martinez, Sens. Bob Gra-
Adds Texas Democrat Solomon
ham, D, and Connie Mack, R, and sev-
P. Ortiz, whose Brownsville district
A Shifting INS Policy
eral members of the House delegation,
has been hit hard by the latest influx,
To cope with the thousands of in-
began asking for federal help.
"When people are hungry, they say,
dividuals - 1,700 each week - who
Their appeals went to the presi-
'You can pass all the laws you want,
had applied for asylum at the end of
dent and to Attorney General Dick
but when my children are starving to
the year, INS officials in Texas de-
Thornburgh, who has authority to
death
when I cannot find a job, we
cided to allow the aliens to move out
grant temporary legal status to certain
aregoing to try to come to the United
of the Brownsville area after they filed
foreigners, and who is authorized un-
States, which is the beacon of light.'
their claims - a departure from nor-
der a program set up in the 1986 law
This new immigration problem
mal procedures, according to INS
to spend money to reimburse states
spokesman Vern Jervis.
for "immigration emergencies." While
-By Nadine Cohodas
But as word of the Texas policy
the fund was established in the law,
Copynght 1989 Congressional Quarterly Inc.
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in part except by editorial clients.
Jan. 21, 1989-PAGE 131
Law/Judiciary - - 2
ticular, were using the bill to embarrass
Court Upholds Sentencing Guidelines
the administration, which supported
Duarte's regime and certified that it
was making progress on human rights.
The Supreme Court removed a complex issue from Congress when the
Sponsors were angered last sum-
justices ruled Jan. 18 that a new federal sentencing commission and the
mer when then-Attorney General Ed-
guidelines it wrote were constitutional.
win Meese III announced a more re-
Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the 8-1 majority opinion in Mistretta
laxed policy for dealing with Nicara-
U. United States. Justice Antonin Scalia dissented.
guans, whose Sandinista government
The seven-member sentencing panel, which includes three judges, was
the administration strongly opposed.
created in a 1984 anti-crime law (PL 98-473) to write guidelines aimed at
Whether Thornburgh will accept
reducing the wide disparities that existed in punishment for similar crimes.
the Floridians' proposal to grant EVD
Judges must follow the guidelines in sentencing, or explain in writing why
status to Nicaraguans is unclear. But
they did not. (1988 Weekly Report p. 2803; 1984 Almanac p. 215)
if he grants temporary relief only to
More than 150 federal district judges had declared the law unconstitu-
the Nicaraguans, "there would be po-
tional, while another 115 ruled it was valid, creating widespread uncer-
litical backlash of tremendous dimen-
tainty. The new sentencing law, which abolished parole, applies to all
sion," says Wade Henderson, associate
persons convicted of federal crimes committed after Nov. 1, 1987.
director of the American Civil Liber-
Lawyers for John M. Mistretta, who had been sentenced under the
ties Union's Washington, D.C., office,
guidelines, challenged the commission's constitutionality. They said that
who has worked on the EVD issue for
Congress delegated too much authority to the commission, abdicating its
four years.
legislative responsibilities, and that the commission itself violated the doc-
James P. McGovern, a spokesman
trine of separation of powers because the judges on it were called upon to
for Moakley, says the Bush adminis-
make sentencing policy, a legislative function.
tration should look at "the situations
In rejecting Mistretta's arguments, Blackmun said that the court long
in both those countries. The level of
ago recognized that "in our increasingly complex society
Congress
violence and civil unrest in El Salva-
simply cannot do its job absent an ability to delegate under broad general
dor is much higher than what we see
directives." Congress' delegation to the commission was "sufficiently spe-
in Nicaragua."
cific and detailed to meet constitutional requirements," Blackmun added.
While calling the commission "unquestionably a peculiar institution,"
Longer-Term Dilemma
the majority said it is not a court and does not exercise judicial power. In
Members concede that long-term
addition, Blackmun said, sentencing "long has been a peculiarly shared
solutions to Central America's prob-
responsibility among the branches of government and has never been
lems are harder to devise.
thought of as the exclusive constitutional province of any one branch." The
Rep. Dante B. Fascell, D-Fla.,
majority also said that service on the commission would not harm the
chairman of the House Foreign Affairs
independence of the judiciary. "That federal judges participate in the
Committee, says U.S. policy in the re-
promulgation of guidelines does not affect their or other judges' ability
gion already includes a large eco-
impartially to adjudicate sentencing issues," Blackmun said.
nomic-aid component. "We've had the
same situation for the last 30 years,"
he says. "The magnet of the United
there is no money in it. And it is not
A Broader Problem
States is still great.
yet clear just where federal funds can
While the Floridians may be uni-
But other Floridians and Texans
come from to reimburse Miami and
fied in what they want from the gov-
believe, as Ortiz put it, that "we need
Brownsville for the costs they have
ernment, the immigration problem is
to do something to alleviate the condi-
borne in the last month. It would
broader than Florida and the Nicara-
tions in those countries."
likely to have come from a reprogram-
guans. The EVD issue has been a trou-
Doris M. Meissner, a senior asso-
ming of existing appropriations or a
blesome one in Congress, because it is
ciate at the Carnegie Endowment and
new supplemental appropriation.
mixed up in disagreements over U.S.
a former senior INS official, says that
Justice Department spokesman
policy in Central America.
the mainstay of U.S. policy in the re-
Loye Miller said Jan. 18 that
In the last Congress, Rep. Joe
gion has been "using military tools,
Thornburgh has the entire immigra-
Moakley, D-Mass., and Sen. Dennis
when problems arise from deep social
tion situation "under advisement.'
DeConcini, D-Ariz., sponsored legisla-
and economic inequities. Those are
Gov. Martinez came to Capitol
tion to grant EVD status to Salvador-
very resistant to military solutions."
Hill Jan. 19 for a spirited 90-minute
ans and to Nicaraguans. The measure
Referring to the Nicaraguan in-
meeting with the Florida delegation.
passed the House but was never con-
flux, Meissner adds that "one of the
Although no specific recommenda-
sidered by the full Senate. The admin-
ironies in all of this is that in the early
tions were adopted, the Floridians
istration strongly resisted the move,
years of the administration, one of the
made clear they want the Nicaraguans
particularly the portion relating to El
main arguments that the Reagan peo-
to be granted temporary legal status
Salvador. Salvadoran President José
ple used to justify support for the
- known as "extended voluntary de-
Napoleón Duarte supported it. (1987
contras was that if a communist gov-
parture" (EVD) - and to be encour-
Almanac p. 284)
ernment solidified itself, there would
aged to leave their state. EVD status
Because the impetus for the legis-
be numbers of 'feet people' coming to
allows immigrants to work and live
lation was concern over human-rights
the United States." Now, she adds,
here temporarily, but only until the
violations in El Salvador, the Reagan
"We've got them both. We've got a
situation in their homeland permits
administration and its allies in Con-
hostile government and a very large
them to return there.
gress alleged that Democrats, in par-
and growing migration flow."
PAGE 132-Jan. 21, 1989
Copyright 1989 Congressional Quarterly Inc.
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in part except by editorial clients.
SOCIAL POLICY
LAW/JUDICIARY
area for other parts of the country.
But in December, INS Commissioner
Hill Committees to Survey
Alan C. Nelson ordered the Texas of-
fice to hold applicants in Brownsville,
straining that city beyond its limits.
Situation at the Border
After a lawsuit was filed, a federal
judge Jan. 9 ordered the INS to let the
aliens leave the area. But he lifted his
Immigration panels seek ways to cope with influx
order Feb. 17, allowing the INS once
of Nicaraguans, other Central Americans
again to keep the aliens near the bor-
der while their applications were re-
viewed. (Weekly Report p. 227)
F
or members of Congress, wrestling
employers who knowingly hired illegal
with immigration issues is like try-
aliens. It also granted legal status to
The INS Crackdown
ing to pin Jell-O. Just as they get a
illegal aliens who had been in the
Nelson Feb. 20 announced the new
grip on one part of the problem, an-
United States since before Jan. 1,
speedy review and detention policy,
other slips out of control.
1982. (1986 Almanac p. 61)
and the INS began erecting tents in
The latest problem to erupt this
But the 1986 law did not address
Bayville to house any overflow from
one in crisis proportions is the in-
another aspect of U.S. immigration
the 1,100 beds that were available in
flux of Central Americans into south
law that the Central Americans have
more permanent detention quarters at
Texas. Between Jan. 9 and Feb. 20,
seized on - political asylum.
Port Isabel, outside Brownsville.
according to the Immigration and Nat-
To be granted asylum, a person
In addition, Nelson said an addi-
uralization Service (INS), 13,248 for-
must demonstrate a well-founded fear
tional 500 INS workers were being
eigners streamed into Brownsville,
of persecution in his home country.
sent to south Texas. More than half of
which is on the Texas-Mexico border,
This is the same test a "refugee" must
them 269 - are assigned to border
seeking political asylum.
meet. The difference is that an indi-
apprehensions, and of that number, 96
Many of them, particularly Nicara-
vidual is given refugee status by U.S.
will be used to guard the detention
guans, headed to Miami, which is reel-
officials while he is still abroad and
areas. Other INS personnel, in con-
ing under the strain of dealing with
then enters the United States. An asy-
junction with State Department offi-
these new and largely impoverished
lum applicant is already here and
cers, will review asylum applications.
immigrants.
Anyone who is denied asylum and who
In a bid to stem the tide, the INS
declines to return home can appeal to
on Feb. 20 announced it would stop all
a special immigration judge. The indi-
new arrivals at the border, hold speedy
Most new arrivals are
vidual will remain in detention until
hearings on their asylum requests and
his claim is finally adjudicated, al-
issue decisions as promptly as possible.
seeking "a better future.
though he will be given an opportunity
People denied asylum will be deported
to post bond.
or detained in INS facilities 15 miles
That doesn't mean they
In the first three days of the new
outside of Brownsville while their ap-
peals are considered.
qualify for political
policy, asylum applications fell off
sharply - from 233 Feb. 21 to 10 on
On Feb. 22, Bruce A. Morrison, D-
asylum. We have to draw
Feb. 23. All but two were denied, ac-
Conn., chairman of the House Judi-
cording to Virginia Kice, INS spokes-
ciary Subcommittee on Immigration,
the line somewhere."
woman at the Port Isabel processing
Refugees and International Law, said
center. "We are encouraged by this.
that his panel would make fact-find-
-Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Texas
We feel the message has gotten out,"
ing trips to Brownsville and Miami the
Kice said.
week of Feb. 27.
To fund its multimillion-dollar
The same day, Edward M. Ken-
new program, the INS is borrowing
nedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate
seeks legal status after the fact.
against appropriations intended for
Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigra-
The violence and economic disloca-
use later in the fiscal year, according
tion and Refugee Affairs, announced
tions in Nicaragua and El Salvador, in
to Greg Leo, an INS official in Wash-
that staff from his panel would go to
particular, have prompted this latest
ington. As a result, one of the immedi-
south Texas Feb. 23 and then report
flood of Central Americans. Federal
ate questions Congress will face is
back to the subcommittee.
officials believe that the vast majority
whether to provide a supplemental
Morrison said his panel will hold
do not have legitimate asylum claims
appropriation to reimburse the agency
hearings in Washington in early
and should be returned to their coun-
for this emergency. In addition, there
March to determine what, if anything,
tries.
may be requests to shift money ear-
Congress can do to help alleviate the
Asylum requests from Central
marked for other Justice Department
problems.
Americans have increased almost sev-
programs to the INS.
It has been little more than two
enfold in the last three years, from
Officials in Dade County, Fla.,
years since Congress passed a major
7,063 in fiscal 1985 to over 50,000 in
which includes Miami, are also ex-
law to clamp down on illegal immigra-
fiscal 1988, according to the INS.
pected to ask Congress for help in de-
tion. That measure (PL 99-603), six
For a time, INS officials at Harlin-
fraying the costs of more than 3,000
years in the making, set penalties for
gen, which is near Brownsville, were
Nicaraguan children who have already
accepting the aliens' asylum applica-
come into their school system.
By Nadine Cohodas
tions and then letting them leave the
Another 4,600 are expected in
394 - FEBRUARY 25, 1989
CQ
SOCIAL POLICY
1989, Florida officials say.
The refugee law itself was over-
who had fled their home countries be-
hauled in 1980 (PL 96-212) to get away
cause of armed conflict, natural disas-
Lawyers Protest Detention
from the use of political ideology in
ters or other extreme circumstances.
The new INS policy was generally
determining what foreigners can come
But the bill died in the Senate. (1988
well-received by Texans, though civil
into the country as refugees. Prior to
Weekly Report p. 2806)
rights lawyers were quick to criticize it.
1980, refugees were defined as people
A narrower bill to allow Salvador-
"It is better than what the aliens
fleeing a communist country and cer-
ans and Nicaraguans already in the
have now," said Democratic Rep. Sol-
tain Middle East nations. (1980 Alma-
United States to remain temporarily
omon P. Ortiz, who represents
nac p. 378)
met a similar fate. The Reagan admin-
Brownsville. "They are going to have
Any effort to broaden the current
istration opposed the measure, con-
three meals a day and shelter. And it
definition of a refugee/asylee to in-
tending that Democrats were trying to
will remove the burden of the city and
clude those suffering economic dislo-
embarrass U.S. initiatives in El Salva-
county. They couldn't support it. We
cation is likely to meet with opposi-
dor, even though President José Napo-
will both be better off."
tion from the Bush administration.
león Duarte supported the legislation.
Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the
But some type of safe-haven pro-
Morrison said the debate must be
ranking Republican on the Immigra-
posal that provides temporary resi-
resumed. "One of the reasons we have
tion panel who represents another
dence in the United States may fare
this crisis is that we haven't come to
border district, said the INS policy
better than in previous years, because
grips with asylum vs. safe haven," he
represents a "good-faith effort" to re-
circumstances have changed so dra-
said.
spond humanely to individuals' needs
matically. The general criticism of such
The appeal of safe-haven legisla-
and to the country's right to control
measures is that once individuals are
tion, according to advocates such as
immigration. "The INS has to send
allowed to remain in the United States
Swartz, is that it can help alleviate an
the message that we will protect the
temporarily, they establish roots and
immediate crisis while providing time
integrity of the border," he added.
rarely are sent back home. Too gener-
for longer-term solutions - diplo-
Most of the Central Americans,
ous a policy, critics say, could be a
matic and economic initiatives to im-
Ortiz said, are economic migrants
magnet that undercuts the 1986 law.
prove conditions in Central America
seeking "a better future. That doesn't
Rep. Romano L. Mazzoli, D-Ky.,
so that the foreigners "have some
mean they qualify for political asylum.
last Oct. 5 pushed through the House
hope that their future lies in their
We have to draw the line somewhere."
a bill to grant safe haven to people
homeland."
But civil rights lawyers are con-
cerned that the INS, in an effort to
speed up the processing of asylum
SECTION NOTES
claims, will cut constitutional corners.
And at week's end, attorneys were
conferring about whether to file a law-
Hastings' Motion
lution (S Res 38) that would permit
suit challenging the new process.
To Dismiss Charges
the case against the Florida judge
Rick Swartz, president of the Na-
to be heard by a special committee,
tional Immigration Forum, a coalition
The Senate has agreed to hear
rather than the full Senate. (Week-
of 100 community and religious
arguments March 8 on U.S. District
ly Report pp. 227, 177)
groups, said the INS should remember
Judge Alcee L. Hastings' motion to
what happened a decade ago when the
dismiss the articles of impeach-
Senate Judiciary Approves
government tried to expedite the pro-
ment against him. It will vote on
'Whistleblower' Reward
cessing of thousands of Haitians who
the motion the following day.
streamed into Miami. Those proce-
By unanimous consent, senators
By voice vote Feb. 23, the Senate
dures were successfully challenged,
decided Feb. 22 to allow managers
Judiciary Committee approved a bill
"and the INS had to reprocess over
for the House and attorneys for
to reward "whistleblowers" who un-
5,000 asylum applicants," said Swartz,
Hastings an hour apiece to present
cover fraud in government contracts.
who was involved in that litigation.
their arguments. Hastings was im-
The measure (S 248), sponsored
The better solution, he said, is to
peached by the House last year on
by Howard M. Metzenbaum, D-Ohio,
adopt a "safe-haven" plan that recog-
charges of conspiracy to accept a
had been part of a contract-fraud bill
nizes the strife in Central America and
bribe, perjury, leaking wiretap in-
enacted last year (PL 100-700). But
allows these individuals to remain in
formation and undermining the ju-
the provision was dropped at the last
the United States and seek work until
diciary's integrity.
minute because of opposition from
conditions back home improve. Such
Because he was acquitted by a
one senator whom Metzenbaum did
"extended voluntary departure" sta-
jury of some of these charges, Has-
not name. (1988 Weekly Report p.
tus has been granted on an ad hoc
tings has contended that the Senate
3039)
basis in the past to other foreigners,
has no right to second-guess that
S 248 would allow the attorney
including Poles and Afghans.
verdict. But a federal judicial inves-
general to seek a reward for someone
tigatory commission determined
who discloses contract fraud. A court
Search for Solutions
that Hastings had lied at his trial to
would have to approve the
At the first meeting of the House
secure the acquittal, and recom-
reward, which could not exceed
Immigration Subcommittee Feb. 22,
mended that he be impeached. The
$250,000. To be eligible, the whistle-
Morrison said he intended to explore
House did just that last August.
blower would have to disclose the
the refugee/asylum dilemma, which
Once the Senate votes on Has-
alleged fraud to his or her employer
will include discussion of safe-haven
tings' motion, it will turn to a reso-
before going to the government.
legislation.
CQ
FEBRUARY 25, 1989 - 395
sallm
B> STILL
ordered
to
let
refugees
leave
The temporary restraining Valley order
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
JAN
1
0
1989
cans are living in the Valley because
y Maggie Rivas
of the INS rule.
comes at a critical time for the 300
Writer of The Dallas Morning News
The new procedure called for
people occupying a field across the
A federal judge in Brownsville on
asylum seekers, who in the past year
street from a Catholic church-spon-
onday ordered the Immigration
have been arriving in the Valley
sored haven for Central Americans.
di Naturalization Service to lift -
from Central America, mostly from
Casa Oscar Romero, under a court or-
least until a hearing Thursday --
Nicaragua. must have their cases
der to limit the number of guests to
controversial new requirement
heard in the local INS headquarters.
200, could not accept the surplus.
at political asylum seekers remain
Until their case was resolved. INS of-
Nuns watched as the people set up
the Lower Rio Grande Valley
ficials "strongly discouraged" appli-
their tent city across the street with-
nding the outcome of their appli-
cants from traveling outside the Val-
out running water or toilets.
tions.
ley.
Sunday, the Cameron County
U.S. District Judge Filemon Vela
Previously, political asylum seek-
Sheriff's Department ordered the
id in issuing a temporary restrain-
ers who arrived in the southernmost
people living in the field to vacate
g order that the 3-week-old INS pro-
tip of Texas used the Valley as a way
the property after the property
dure had created hardship for the
station on their journey to cities
owner complained that they were
plicants. most of whom are Central
where they had relatives or friends.
trespassing. Sheriff Perez gave them
mericans. Cameron County offi-
They could present themselves to the
24 hours to leave. But after the tem-
als estimate that as many as 5,000
Harlingen INS office, have their ap-
porary injunction Monday, Perez sof-
entral Americans have been
plication stamped and leave the area.
tened his stance.
randed in the Valley because of the
Half of Harlingen's asylum appli-
"I took it upon myself to give
ile.
cants in the six months that ended
them 24 more hours," said Perez. "By
"One would be blind not to recog-
Dec. 14 went on to Miami, the INS
tomorrow (Tuesday) at 2 o'clock, I
ze that we have a problem," Vela
said.
want the place vacated.
id.
The rule change, said attorney
"I know they have a hardship, but
Vela set a hearing for Thursday
Schneider. forced applicants to re-
it's creating a health hazard over
orning to consider a motion for a
main in the Valley with no place to
there, with human waste all over,"
:rmanent injunction from lawyers
stay and no means of support - only
he said. "And they're trespassing on
r six Central Americans who filed
the money that friends or relatives
private property."
it against the INS on Friday. In the
wired to them.
Late Monday afternoon, Sister
eantime, the 1,944 people who have
Norma Pimentel, co-director of Casa
plied for political asylum since the
U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus
Oscar Romero, said 150 to 200 single
ile change Dec. 16 are to receive
Christi, announced Monday that he
men remained under the plastic
IS receipts that allow them to travel
had obtained assurances of immedi-
jerry-built tents. The Mennonite
other cities for their adjudica-
ate assistance for Cameron County
Church opened its gymnasium to
ons. according to the court order.
in providing food and shelter for the
families Sunday night when the
INS spokeswoman Virginia Kice
influx of Central Americans.
weather became colder and drizzle
Brownsville said her agency
Ortiz said he and a team from the
started to fall, Sister Pimentel said.
ould fully comply with Vela's or-
Justice Department's community re-
"A lot of people (Central Ameri-
er. She referred further questions
lations service would tour the
cans) are being picked up by people
an INS spokesman in Washington.
county and make recommendations
in the community who are taking
ho W S not immediately available
for immediate action. He said the
them to their homes," she said.
or comment.
ideal situation would be to use exist-
The Associated Press contributed
Attorneys at the non-profit Casa
ing space in federal buildings simi-
to this report.
royecto Libertad, one of two legal
lar to the response in Florida to the
coups representing the six Central
Mariel boatlift of Cubans in 1980.
mericans who sued the INS, lauded
ela S position.
"We believe that he took notice of
Mauro plan would promote
e refugee crisis that Brownsville is
iffering right now," said attorney
lark Schneider. "Apparently the
natural gas use
adge believed that he's seen irrepar-
ble injury" to the Central Ameri-
DALLAS TIMES HERALD
ins.
By Jennifer Fine JAN 1 0 1989
Schneider said Proyecto Libertad
TIMES HERALD AUSTIN BUREAU
natural gas companies to develop legis-
aff members on Monday visited the
lation that would encourage the use of
rgest concentrations of Central
AUSTIN - Texas Land Commission-
natural gas. He said that he is not sure
mericans in the Valley to spread
er Garry Mauro said Monday that he is
lation. which lawmaker will sponsor the legis-
ie news of the court order and offer
developing a package of legislative pro-
elp. He said he expects an exodus of
posals to encourage the increased use of
He said the legislation generally will
entral Americans from the Lower
natural gas by industrial plants and
address amending the air pollution stat-
10 Grande Valley.
state- and city-owned vehicles.
utes to require that natural gas be
"I think everybody who has a rel-
Mauro, who has been pushing the in-
mixed with other fuels in industrial and
ive outside of the Valley will go,"
creased use of natural gas because it is
utility boilers, and to require converting
e' said. "It makes sense to us that
cleaner and more efficient than other
city- and state-owned fleet vehicles,
ley'll want to go someplace where
fuels, also issued a report that he called
such as trucks and buses, to allow them
to use alternate fuels.
ey have resources."
a blueprint for economic growth in
Since the change became effec-
Texas based on increased natural gas
ve, about 300 men, women and chil-
use.
en have camped on the outskirts
"Natural gas can be the ground floor
Brownsville under makeshift
of a revitalized economy that will carry
nts built of plastic sheets and bits
this state into the 21st century," he said.
cloth. An additional 200 have
Increasing natural gas use by 1 tril-
ken refuge in an abandoned motel
lion cubic feet would not only contrib-
lat was condemned by the city last
ute to cleaner air, but would create
oring Several hundred more are
110,000 jobs in Texas within five years,
imped out in smaller groups on va-
he said.
int land and under bridges, and
Mauro said he is working with repre-
hers are staying with families in
sentatives of environmental groups and
e community, said Cameron
ounty Sheriff Alex F. Perez. Perez
timated that 5,000 Central Ameri-
The refugees broke down their
An estimated 00 refugees
5.
moves to aid
shantytown starting Tuesday
from Nicaragua, II Savador, Hon-
morning and, with the aid of dump
duras and Guatemala have
trucks and a front-end loader pro-
streamed across the order here
fugees in Valley
vided by Cameron County, they
since May, with many going on to
cleared the field of tons of plastic,
New York, Miami Los Angeles,
HOUSTON
JAN
1
1989
lumber, discarded clothing, gar-
Houston and other cities where
By Fred Bonavita
bage and debris collected over the
they have relatives and friends.
month many had been there.
They stayed in the other cities and
OF THE HOUSTON POST STAFF
Although sheriff's deputies
worked while INS processed their
BROWNSVILLE - Hundreds of Central American
watched the process, there were no
applications for asylum - which
refugees abandoned their makeshift tent city here
problems as the refugees worked.
could take a year or longer.
Tuesday in favor of more permanent shelter as federal
Meanwhile, at the urging of U.S.
However, the agency suddenly
officials moved to help house and feed them while their
Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Texas, a
imposed a new regulation Dec. 16
requests for political asylum were being reviewed.
three-member team from the U.S.
requiring the refugees to stay here
INS officials, apparently acting under pressure from a
Department of Justice's Communi-
during the processing, which INS
local member of Congress, began to soften their posi-
ty Relations Service flew here to
said should be completed within 30
tion, which previously had been to accept no responsi-
examine the situation, meet with
days. But INS said it would not look
bility for housing the aliens.
him and local officials, and recom-
after them during the waiting peri-
And an apparently unprecedented declaration by lo-
mend ways to care for the thou-
od and left them to find shelter and
cal Red Cross officials that a "humanitarian situation"
sands of refugees who have poured
food in the community.
exists in the Rio Grande Valley opened shelters in
across the border in recent months.
However, U.S. District Judge Fi-
church facilities.
The congressman said CRS offi-
lemon Ortiz, in response to a suit
"They really started to open their doors Sunday
cials agreed to provide initial relief
brought by lawyers for the refu-
night when it started to rain and the churches began to
for the refugees in the Valley,
gees, Monday issued a temporary
take in the kids," said Robert Rubin of San Francisco.
which would be reimbursed by the
restraining order against INS, keep-
U.S. Immigration and Naturaliza-
ing the agency from enforcing its
By late afternoon Tuesday, as the deadline was
tion Service.
new travel ban for at least 72
reached for hundreds of refugees to leave a field where
The agreement marked an
hours. He has scheduled a hearing
they have lived in cardboard and
about-face for INS, which previous-
Thursday morning on a motion to
plastic "tents" for as long as a
ly has said it had no responsibility
expand the restraining order into a
month, almost all aliens had found
to care for the aliens, the majority
temporary injunction.
new shelter.
of whom are in this country illegal-
As a result of the judge's ruling,
Across town, more than 200 oth-
ly.
hundreds of refugees grabbed the
ers, living at the abandoned Amber
INS's hard-line posture and a
72-hour "window of opportunity"
Motel without heat, electricity or
policy implemented last month
to leave the Valley for other cities.
water, prepared to move to the
which effectively kept thousands of
More than a thousand were lined
shelters while city officials pre-
aliens here while their requests for
up at the INS office in Harlingen
pared to have the once-prosperous
asylum were processed were said
again Tuesday to get the docu-
motel demolished as a health haz-
by local officials to be the major
ments necessary for travel.
ard.
causes of the situation in the Val-
Jerry Sewell, chief of the INS re-
Roger Dahl of the Red Cross
ley.
gional office in Harlingen, told the
field office in Houston told a task
taskforce members the number of
force meeting Tuesday night that
While the CRS has authority only
refugees is not likely to diminish.
the local chapter will care for the
to care for Cuban and Haitian refu-
"I suggest that the number will
refugees through Wednesday. After
gees, Ortiz said the agency entered
continue to grow and grow," he
that, Dahl said, the national associ-
the picture here because "the cur-
said, "to what dimension, I don't
ation will take over, treating the
rent crisis in Cameron County is a
know."
situation as a disaster until an ap-
direct result of a national policy
He continued: "It's a very seri-
propriate agency can be found to
and therefore requires a federal so-
ous problem. Whatever the ruling
take charge.
lution."
is on Thursday, the problem is not
"We cannot have a refugee poli-
going to go away."
cy that encourages people to come
to this country to apply for political
asylum, then leave them on the
street to freeze and starve," Ortiz
said
Panel urges makeup days for school truancy
HOUSTON POST JAN 1 1989
Two-thirds of the state's welfare recipients
By Jorjanna Price
did not finish high school.
POSI AUSTIN BUREAU
AUSTIN - Fearing that strict school atten-
Texas leads the nation in teen pregnan-
dance rules may have backfired in the case of
cies, a leading contributor to girls being unable
school dropouts, a legislative panel recom-
to continue in school.
mended Tuesday that truants be allowed to
Picking up on the alarming number of preg-
make up unexcused absences.
After a year-long study of the soaring drop-
nancies. the panel recommended infant. day
out rate in Texas, the panel concluded the
care centers be established at or near school
issuance of a failing grade for five unexcused
campuses with high dropout rates, in addition
absences a semester may be the reason some
to offering courses on career counseling and
students don't return to school after periodic
child development.
absences.
It also urged school districts to copy the
"If they don't have a way to earn their way
"communities in schools" program in Houston
back into the school, they won't be back," said
in which school officials help coordinate social
state Rep. Ernestine Glossbrenner. a former
services available to youths.
school teacher who served as co-chairman of
Noting that many school dropouts are in-
the dropout committee.
The committee estimated that three of 10
volved in drug or alcohol abuse, the panel
students in Texas do not finish high school, a
further recommended peer counseling. much
fact that may cost the state as much as $17
as troubled adults undergo.
In proposing to change the mandatory atten-
billion a year in welfare and prison expenses
dance rules, which were part of the 1984
and lost economic opportunities.
school reform package, Glossbrenner cau-
"This problem is so complex there is no one
tioned that getting back into school shouldn't
solution, co-chairman Sen. Gonzalo Barrien-
be made easy.
tos said in releasing the report.
"I'm not talking about a two-hour makeup
Among the committee findings were:
session on Saturday," she said. But I do be-
lieve in redemption. 1 think a youngster can
One of three Texans is illiterate.
make a mistake in the first part of the semester
and realize later that he was being dumb."
Almost 90 percent of the Texas prison
inmates were school dropouts.
22
Refugees start leaving South Urexas
tent cities
Central Americans move under court order
More permanent relief is ex-
By early Tuesday afternoon.
DALLAS TIMES HERALD JAN 11 1989
pected to result from a visit
the INS legalization office in
Tuesday to the Valley by three
Harlingen was spewing forth de-
By John MacCormack
members of the Community Re-
lighted Central Americans, each
Of THE TIMES HERALD STAFF
lations Service. a Justice Depart-
with precious travel permission
ment agency that has handled re
documents in hand.
HARLINGEN - More than 1,000
settlement of Cuban and Haitian
One of the first was Marta Za-
Central American refugees on Tuesday
refugees in South Florida.
pata. 35. a Nicaraguan mother of
received permission to leave the Rio
According to U.S. Rep. Solo-
six who said she had waited 32
Grande Valley as the Immigration and
mon Ortiz, D-Texas, the Justice
hours in line.
Naturalization Service began complying
Department responded Monday
"Tive been here in the country
with a judge's order.
to his entreaties that It assume
"We're processing them as fast and ef-
for 15 days," she said. "Tive been
responsibility for the thousands
ficiently as possible. We've done twice
living in the camp by the Casa
of Central Americans who arrive
Romero."
the number we expected." said Virginia
each month in South Texas.
Kice. INS spokeswoman in Harlingen.
Her destination was San Ber-
"The current crisis in Cameron
The INS. under a judge's temporary
County is a direct result of na-
nardino. Calif., where she has a
order issued Monday. will continue let-
brother. Still in Nicaragua are
tional policy and therefore re-
ting the refugees leave the Valley for at
her six children. husband and
least two more days. Thursday. U.S. Dis-
quires a federal solution." Ortiz.
who is from Corpus Christi, said
parents.
in a statement released Tuesday.
1 left because the government
Friet Judge Filemon Vela will review his
IS imprisoning us, she said.
order during a hearing. when he could
A "special emergency memo-
randum of understanding" was
On hand in the parking lot
decide to cancel it, extend it or make it
reached Monday between the
were representatives of Valley
permanent. Vela's decision resulted from a law-
INS and the Community Rela-
Transit Co., selling $89 tickets to
still filed last week that says INS's pre-
nons Service to provide care for
Miami. Los Angeles. New York
vious policy of requiring political asy-
the refugees. Ortiz said. Such an
and Washington D.C.
hum applicants to stay in the Valley
agreement. which requires the
"Normally, we have five buses
until their cases were completed is im-
INS to pay for care for the refu-
a day going east and five west.
proper and inhumane.
gees. was required because the
but we're doubling up for this.
Until last month, the INS allowed
service has authority to provide
Ten a day in each direction," said
Central Americans to file for political
care only to Cubans and Haitians.
Ray Ramirez, a ticket agent for
asylum in Harlingen. then leave and
the company.
have the cases transferred to their desti-
nations. Most go to Miami or Los Ange-
les.
No illegal activity found in state
Since May, more than 27,000 Central
Americans did just that. Last month. the
INS said the asylum process was being
abused and forbade applicants from
bingo office probe
traveling until their cases were resolved.
of, easy access to top management
HOUSTON POST
After the policy change, thousands of
JAN
1
1
1989
By Mary Flood
of the Bingo Division," the investi-
refugees became stranded in South Tex-
gation concluded. The report said
OF THE HOUSTON POST STAFF
as - hundreds of them forced to sleep
there might have been "an appear-
in an abandoned motel or pitch make-
State Comptroller Bob Bullock
ance of impropriety" but there
shift tents in a field across from the
announced Tuesday that an inter-
were in fact no illegal acts.
area's only refugee center, which has
nal investigation of his bingo divi-
Twenty-four employees were in-
been full for months. The conditions be-
sion employees concluded with a
finding that there was no illegal
terviewed and 16 gave sworn state-
came critical during the weekend, when
ments to the investigators, said
cold. wet weather swept in.
conduct.
Proffitt.
In an attempt to avoid a similar situa-
The investigation concludes that
non. local and federal relief agencies be-
there were no bribes or payoffs but
"Many of the allegations seem to
that a bingo consultant got fast
have been prompted by the com-
gan enacting plans Tuesday to care for
treatment for his clients just be-
petitive nature of bingo,' said Prof-
the Central Americans who remain in
cause he knew the people and the
fitt.
the Valley and those who continue to
flee their nations because of political
procedures in the bingo division so
well.
and economic turmoil.
"This is basically the end of all
The infamous tent city across the
the (bingo) investigations," said
street from the Roman Catholic church-
deputy comptroller Tony Proffitt.
operated Casa Oscar Romero in Browns-
In October, the comptroller's of-
ville was largely deserted by early Tues-
fice began investigating Houston-
continuation of
day afternoon, the deadline set by the
Galveston area charities and hall
Cameron County Sheriff for its evacua-
operators connected with bingo
"Prairie View
tion.
games. Many were suspended or
Beginning at 2 p.m., a front-
had their licenses revoked as a re-
end loader and two dump trucks
sult of the media-prompted investi-
Under Pierre's leadership, the uni-
made short work of the squalid
gations.
versity started a dialogue with offi-
town that had housed at least 300
In December, the comptroller's
cials from Waller County and nearby
people in dwellings made of
office assigned an investigator and
cities, working on issues of common
cardboard and plastic.
a lawyer to check into allegations
concern.
The demolition. which had
that state employees improperly
"Every university needs a support-
been twice delayed by Sheriff
showed favoritism to certain bingo
ive community," Pierre said. "I think
Alex Perez to allow the refugees
operators.
we have established a good relation-
time to find other housing. was
Many of the allegations centered
completed without protest or in-
on the activities of bingo consul-
ship." The university's overall enroll-
cident.
tant George Garland, a former
ment is up 25 percent from six years
"We came at 2 p.m. and all the
Bullock employee who once ran
ago.
people were gone, except for
the bingo division.
what you see. Everyone cooper-
"The evidence showed that Mr.
ated. The only thing left is the
Garland had, and took advantage
cleanup." said Chief Deputy R.C.
Williams.
14
Refugees flooding Valley seek!
shelter while awaiting fate
HOUSTON
PORT
JAN
1
5
asylum requests. The INS required
Rudy Martinez of Harlingen, 35,
By Fred Bonavita
refugees to stay in the Valley until
an unemployed laborer and the fa-
OF THE HOUSTON POST STAFF
their applications were processed,
ther of three, showed up at the INS
which could take up to 30 days.
office last Monday to pass out fruit
HARLINGEN - When a traveler
But last Monday, a federal judge
juice and cookies to the children of
drove past the U.S. Immigration
in Brownsville temporarily stopped
the refugees. Next morning he was
and Naturalization Service office
the INS from enforcing that regula-
back, handing out clothing.
one rainy night last week, he spot-
tion, and the refugees began leav-
"Yesterday, I was just doing
ted dark bags along two sides of
ing in droves. A hearing is set for
nothing,' he said Tuesday morn-
the building.
Jan. 31 on a motion to make the
ing. "I was watching television,
"At first I thought they were gar-
ruling permanent.
and I saw these people. I told my
bage bags lined up to be taken
As many as 5,000 were estimat-
wife we had to do something for
them."
away," he recalled. "They were
ed to have been in the Valley, liv-
garbage bags, only they had people
ing where and how they could, be-
About 30 miles to the east, Mi-
in them."
chael Lazorko looked on as refu-
fore the judge issued his order.
More than a hundred men,
While the refugees struggled
gees dismantled their makeshift
women and children were using
shantytown homes and stuffed the
with the federal bureaucracy, the
the bags to keep warm and dry
debris in à front-end loader to be
people of the Rio Grande Valley
while preserving their places in line
turned out in large numbers to help
hauled to a nearby county dump.
to be among the first when the INS
He was there to see that the refu-
office opened in the morning. The
them. By cars and by truck, they
gees got to shelters that would care
Central American refugees were
came - bringing - clothing, food,
for them until they could leave the
seeking the coveted documents
blankets, medicines and encour-
Valley.
needed to leave the Valley for
agement.
"I am broke," said a happy La-
Houston, Miami, Los Angeles and
They were moved by reports of
zorko, who runs a program for
other cities where family, friends
hundreds living in a shantytown
homeless children for the Browns-
and possibly employment were
that sprang up in a vacant field in
ville Independent School District.
waiting.
the northeast corner of Brownsville
A few miles ácross town at the
By week's end, the INS office
and scores more living in an aban-
abandoned Amber Motel, Kather-
here had processed about 2,500
doned-and-condemned motel
ine Guajardo and two other volun-
applications for political asylum.
without heat, electricity or water.
teers from the local Red Cross
Most were from Nicaragua, but
Said one concerned official:
chapter walked through the trash-
there were large numbers of El Sal-
"This is a case of those who have
strewn rooms and corridors, count-
vadorans, Hondurans and Guate-
nothing helping those who have
ing the number of men, women
malans - all wanting permission
even less - the poor helping the
and children (there were 203) liv-
to stay in the United States.
poorer.'
ing there who would have to be
Among last week's applicants
Those Valley residents who
were Roberto Castillo, his wife and
could opened their homes and took
moved to church-sponsored shel-
in whole families - in some cases
ters when the wrecking crews ar-
their four children, who fled Mana-
rived.
gua, Nicaragua, a month ago. Cas-
more than one. Churches opened
tillo, 35, a former government
facilities as shelters, especially after
Not everyone from the Valley
who was attracted to the INS center
economist, got his family out of
the rains started and after local offi-
Nicaragua, where two of their chil-
cials ordered the shantytown
by the presence of the refugees
cleared and the motel demolished.
was there to help. Some were there
dren - a 14-year-old daughter and
to profit from their plight.
a 10-year-old son - faced compul-
One popular scam was charging
sory military service.
the refugees, almost all of whom
The Castillo family, which had
spoke and read only Spanish, from
been camped next to the INS cen-
$5 to $10 to help fill out the INS
ter for eight days before getting the
asylum applications that were writ-
needed papers to join relatives in
ten in English only.
Los Angeles, has two weeks to re-
port to the agency's office there
and request an interview.
Castillo and virtually all others
applying here seek asylum as polit-
ical refugees a status that federal
law gives the applicant ample lee-
way in proving. But most are ex-
pected to qualify as economic refu-
Back mental health 1989 agency
gees those who want to come to
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
JAN
1
4
the United States to work and live,
but whose chances of being al-
T
he state's mental health agency
the state facilities for the mentally ill
is beginning to move forward
and retarded.
lowed to stay are slim.
under its new commissioner,
If it is determined Castillo does
The agency has not always operat-
and the Legislature should do every-
not qualify as a political refugee, he
ed in the best interests of the people
and his family are subject to depor-
thing it can in the way of funding to
it is supposed to serve. It required
tation and further hearings, Kice
help the agency go beyond merely
two federal class-action suits to bring
said.
meeting federal court-ordered re-
about real improvements, and the
"If you are placed in deportation
forms. Texas has traditionally had a
agency still has a long way to go, de-
proceedings, it's not a case where
poor record of meeting the needs of
spite additional money from the Leg-
you have to pack your bags, and
its mentally ill and retarded citizens.
islature allocated to comply with
you're gone the next day,' Kice
It needs to move into the forefront in
court orders.
explained. "You have a right to a
such services.
But under a vigorous new commis-
hearing, and you can present addi-
Commissioner Dennis R. "Denny"
sioner, and with the help of the Leg-
tional evidence in support of your
Jones has said he plans to ask for
islature, the agency should be able
asylum claim and any other evi-
more than 20 percent additional
dence that would render you eligi-
not only to meet the requirements of
funding for community services in
ble to remain in this country."
the federal courts but also to go be-
his 1990-91 budget request. The cur-
The Castillos' journey - like
yond that to greatly improve and di-
those of thousands of others -
rent budget is about $1.5 billion, and
versify the services available to its
stalled in the Valley on Dec. 16
the majority of it is used to operate
clientele.
after INS clamped down in an effort
to stop what it considered spurious
28
77th Year No. 304 36 Priges
Valley Morning Stor 2/3/89 Front Page
Refugee Problem
Drains Patience
By GARY LONG
to wait here to have their
Star News Staff
claims adjudicated, a period of
Harlingen Mayor Bill Card
about 30 days during which
Thursday urged the federal
they woren't allowed to work.
government to do something
The no-travel policy caused
about the Lower Rio Grande
the Valley's refugee population
Valley's refugee problem "be-
to balloon. Three weeks later,
fore it becomes uncontrollable.
a class-action lawsuit was filed
"The problem is the same
and U.S. District Judge File-
today as it was when it was
mon Vela issued a temporary
created Dec. 16," Card said
restraining order forcing INS
with evident frustration. "The
to lift the travel ban.
longer we wait, the greater the
At a hearing Tuesday. Vela
opportunity we have for disas.
said he probably will have to
trous consequences to occur."
cancel the temporary restrain-
Card said his "patience 18
ing order Feb. 20, allowing
almost at an end because after
INS to return to the no-travel
policy.
'The longer we wait, the
From the beginning, Card
greater the opportunity
has advocated a cooperative
we have for disastrous
approach that depends on the
Valley's congressional delega-
consequences to occur.'
tion to VOICE the area's con-
- Mayor Card
cerns in Washington.
"I've waited patiently for
our U.S. senators and con-
six weeks, nothing significant
grossmen, for our state and
has been done."
federal officials and for the
Valley officials continue to
INS in Washington to do some-
worry about public safety and
thing," Card said.
the spread of infectious dis-
"We want to work with
eases, he said.
Local Immigration and Nat-
other government agencies,
but we must see results.
uralization Service officials
have been cooperative "but
"I think we ought to select a
their hands are tied. They
group of spokesmen to go to
can't do anything without a
Washington to speak to
directive from above."
whoever is necessary in what-
And with severely cold
ever agency to convince them
weather due to arrive this
the problem is almost out of
weekend "there is a real dan-
hand -- even to the point of
gur these people may start to
going to the Capitol steps and
break into houses or vacant
having a press conference."
facilities to get in from the
Card said the temporary sol-
cold.
ution is to establish A holding
"Then the situation starts to
facility for the asylum seekers
become uncontrollable," Card
said.
"funded by the federal govern-
ment, administered and con-
Since late last year about
2,000 people a week have been
trolled by the INS
and
applying for political asylum
sufficient to have the people
at the INS legalization center
being taken care of while the
on Ed Carey Drive.
larger problem is being taken
Until mid-December, most
care of in Washington.
of them traveled on to other
"There's no question this is
U.S. cities after filing an ini-
part of a bigger problem in our
tial application here.
country," he said. "Therofore it
But on Dec. 16, INS started
can only be resolved in Wash-
requiring the asylum.seekers
ington."
To'd 19:37 68'90'20
TRANSMITTED FROM
TRANSMITTED FROM
Refugees:,Health By BASILIO
2/3/89 the people DI that
Judged Good
Act of 1986 provides for direct aid to
The health of Central American refu-
they are seeing actually represent a rela-
refugee-impacted communities, it was only
gees in Cameron County. has been judged
tively small fraction of the total number of
allowed for Haitians and Cubans.
good by a Texas Department of Health
people that have gone through here," Garza
"Obviously, this situation (of Central
team, although it acknowledged its sample
said.
American refugees) was not anticipated
is small.
"Obviously, there's no way of telling if
when that was drafted. i think that should
The team, requested by County Judge
the people that they have seen represent a
be amended or redrafted to include Central
Tony O. Garze Jr. and Dr. David Flory,
statistically accurate sampling of the refu-
Americans, thereby bringing us within the
county medical director, has been in the
gees Garza said.
(immigration act)," Garza said.
area since Monday.
So far, the team has visited Casa Oscar
In addition, the immediate health needs
Since. no immediate help is available,
Romero, a refugee shelter near Brownsville;
of the refugees appears to have been
the county is still waiting for the Depart-
the Red Cross refugee shelter in Browns-
attended to, Garza said.
ment of Justice to follow the recommenda-
ville; and the Immigration and Naturaliza-
"Generally, they appear healthy," Garza
tions of its community relations service
tion Service legalization center in Harlin-
said.
team which recently visited the county,
02.06.89
gen.
The county should remain cautions at
Garza said.
Dr. Michael Kelley, a medical consul-
this point, he said. He said he's reserving
The team suggested opening more deten-
tant for disease control with the state
judgment until a complete report is availa-
tion facilities and contracting with local
health department, leads the team.
ble from the state team,
service providers for shelter, Garza said.
"They have had the opportunity to get
However, Garza contends county govern-
These are only temporary solutions,
around the county to talk to many of the
ment is the least equipped to deal with the
Garza said.
health-care professionals," Garza said.
temporary needs of the displaced refugees,
The only way he would declare a state of
P.01
"Their sense is the overall status of the
who are often bound for other destinations.
emergency, Garza said, is if the state health
refugees is good," Garza said.
"We have borne the brunt of a change in
department team determined a clear and
"As he (Kelley) puts it, Given the
a federal policy," Garza said, "namely, the
current danger existed to the community
number of asylum applicants there have
INS decision to restrict travel. I think there
from Central American refugee health prob-
been surprisingly few medical problems
should be some commensurate concern on
lems.
brought to their attention to date,' Garza
the INS' part for the impact it will have on
"Unless I get that, I think it would be
read from an inter-office memo he received
the local community."
somewhat alarmist to go that route," Garza
from Kelley.
Though the Immigration and Reform
said.
Refugees
Refugees crowded into houses here
(Continued From Page IA)
tion could get worse, he said,
housing code violations.
Brownsuille Herald 2/2/84 FrontPace
noting that the department re-
"If we see a violation, our
vulnerable to contagious diseases
ceived a rash of phone calls dur-
step is to give you a notic
ing the two weeks of the travel
comply," he said. "If you c
restriction.
comply within a certain am:
By REBECCA THATCHER
who camped out in front of Casa Oscar
People like Peña, who have managed to
U.S. District Judge Filemon
of time, we can cite you."
Herald Staff Writer
Romero or lived at the Amber Motel, Peña
Vela hinted Tuesday that he
Pena, who said she made
elude the Border Patrol and do not intend to
and her housemates have running water,
apply for political asylum, do not fall into
would allow the INS to reinstate
trip from Honduras alone, is
A cardboard shack it's not, but human
drama prevails nevertheless.
bathrooms and more than a plastic sheet or
either category.
the travel restriction Feb. 20.
too worried about housing cod
That possibility makes the city
She's concerned about find
There are 13 children playing, watching
cardboard box to protect them from the
Crowded into private rooms and small
elements.
health director nervous.
the money to travel to New 3
television or sleeping in the front room of the
hotels in Brownsville, these refugees escape
tiny two-room house.
more than the Border Patrol. They also
"It causes all our problems to
sey, where a niece will prov
But the overcrowded and illicit nature of
Magazine cutouts on the walls provide the
their existence has City Health Director Car-
escape the nurses who provide checkups and
multiply." he said. "When we had
shelter, and maybe a job.
only decoration to otherwise dreary surround-
los Rubinstein worried.
vaccinations at the refugee shelters. They are
the travel restriction, it (over-
A member of an evangeli.
His department has received 15 reports of
uncounted by policy makers grappling with
crowding) was at its worst."
church in her homeland, she 32
ings. The smell of body odor is overwhelming.
the refugee problem in the Rio Grande Valley
Laws designed to prohibit such
she trusts that God will provid
"At times we eat. Maybe we have a soda or
overcrowded single-family dwellings in the
Peña left her husband and
a piece of bread," said Elma Alicia Peña, a
past two months, Rubinstein said.
Under such living standards, they are
overcrowding stipulate that there
63-year-old Honduran woman who moved into
He fears it is only the beginning.
be 150 square feet of floor space
children in her country when so
vulnerable to contagious diseases such as
came to the United States
the hovel in late December after she illegally
"The problem that I see is that people have
tuberculosis and meningitis, Rubinstein said.
for the first resident of a dwelling,
search of work.
entered the United States.
to realize that all the refugees are not at Casa
Although many of the refugees are per-
and 100 square feet for each
The children she was watchir
At least two other adults live there with her
Romero or the Red Cross shelter," Rubinstein
fectly healthy, any health problems they have
additional resident, he said.
in the little house belong to the
and the 13 children, less than one mile from
said.
will be exacerbated by the crowding, he said.
Because of the rights of the so-
Hondurans who are letting he
the Rio Grande in the Riverside section of the
Casa Romero, the shelter run by the
"The more concentrated area they are in
called "homesteader," the city
stay there. she said.
city.
Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, is usually
the more we are going to be allowing illnesses
will not prosecute families that
Last fall's rains in her hom-
Other adults living in the house hid in the
full, and the Red Cross shelter on Porter Drive
to spread," he said.
exceed the occupancy laws in
will not provide shelter to refugees who have
houses they own, but it will cite
town destroyed land and crops,
second room behind a makeshift curtain dur-
If the Immigration and Naturalization
leaving people without a way &
ing a recent visit by a Brownsville Herald
not been arrested by the Border Patrol or
Service replaces a travel restriction against
owners of homes that are being
earn a living. she said.
reporter.
those who have not yet applied for political
refugees seeking political asylum, the situa-
rented to individuals, be said.
"They want to work, but the]
Unlike those Central American immigrants
asylum.
(See REFUGEES Page 14A)
The health department has re-
lost everything." she said of he
ceived complaints from local resi-
adult children.
dents and the police department,
Asked about her existence in
be said.
the United States, she said,
The city has a certain proce-
"Sometimes I'm happy. some-
dure that it follows in cases of
times, sad"
345
Thursday, March 9, 1989
A-19
INS chief defends ditch plan,
calls criticism 'ludicrous'
Thursday, March 9, 1989
LOS ANGELES TIMES
inefficiency. Soon after it was
A4
Austin American-Statesman
made public, administration
WASHINGTON - Alan Nel-
sources confirmed that Nelson
INS official defends ditch
Alan Nel-
son, commissioner of the Immi-
would not be reappointed to the
son says
gration and Naturalization Ser-
top INS post, which he has held
an Arizona
vice, defended his agency's
since 1982.
ditch has
record Wednesday and its plan to
Nelson also told the House Ap
drawn lit-
dig a border ditch near San Die-
Commissioner calls criticism of agency unfounded
propriations Committee's judicia-
tie com-
go, calling opposition to the pro-
ry subcommittee he hopes bud-
ment, un-
jeet "ludierous."
get constraints do not adversely
get, also hailed the immigration
subcommittee that he hopes that
Nelson said the four-mile
like one
affect the agency's anti-drug ef-
By Lee May
service's performance in imple-
budget constraints do not adverse-
Los Angeles Times Service
menting the landmark immigra-
ly effect the agency's anti-drug ef-
planned
ditch, designed to impede the
fort and other programs.
tion reform law and in making drug
fort and other programs.
for the
smuggling of aliens and contra-
The Bush administration's fis.
WASHINGTON - Alan Nel-
band. is similar to a smaller one
son, the embattled commissioner
seizures he said are "essential" to
The Bush administration's fiscal
San Diego
cal 1990 budget requests a reduc-
in Nogales, Ariz., that has caused
tion of 1,501 positions at the im-
of the Immigration and Natural-
the nation's war on drugs.
1990 budget requests a reduction of
area.
no controversy.
ization Service, Wednesday vigor-
1,501 positions at the immigration
migration service, including 552
Sharp criticism of the agency's
Nelson, testifying before a
ously defended his agency's record
management practices in a recent
service, including 552 in the Border
in the Border Patrol. "We're all
House subcommittee that is re-
and its plan to dig a border ditch
Department of Justice audit was
Patrol.
Nelson and Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-
under tough times" because of
near San Diego, calling opposition
"blown out of proportion," he said,
"We're all under tough times"
Ariz., a subcommittee member,
viewing his agency's proposed $1
the federal budget deficit, he
to the ditch "ludicrous."
vowing to submit a detailed re-
because of the federal budget defi-
questioned why objections have
billion budget, also hailed the
said.
Nelson said the 4-mile-long
sponse in the next several days.
cit, Nelson said, noting that INS
been raised to the ditch planned for
agency's performance in imple-
Since the ditch plan was publi-
The audit charged that INS
officials realize they must be "team
California, while one in Nogales
menting the landmark immigra-
cized in January, immigrant
ditch, designed to impede the
smuggling of aliens and contra-
management was riddled with inef-
players" in the deficit fight.
has been accepted.
tion reform law and in making
rights groups have charged it
band, is little different from a
ficiency. Soon after it was made
Critics of the California proposal
drug seizures he said are "essen-
Since the ditch plan was publi-
would become an onerous sym-
said the Nogales ditch, 3½ feet
tial" to the nation's war on drugs.
bol like the Berlin Wall, and the
smaller one already in place in No-
public, administration sources con-
cized in January, immigrants'
gales, Ariz., that has caused no
firmed that Nelson would not be
rights groups have charged that it
deep, 8 feet wide and 500 yards-
Sharp criticism of the agency's
Mexican government has lodged
reappointed to the top INS post,
would become an onerous symbol
long, is far shorter than the
management practices in a re-
a protest.
controversy.
Nelson, testifying before a House
which he has held since 1982.
like the Berlin Wall, and the Mexi-
planned 4-mile-long ditch near San
cent Justice Department audit
Nelson termed Mexico's pro-
Nelson also told the House Ap-
can government has lodged a
Diego. The new ditch would be 14
was "blown out of proportion,"
test "very mild." He dismissed
subcommittee that is reviewing his
agency's proposed $1 billion bud-
propriations Committee's judiciary
protest.
feet wide and 5 feet deep.
he said, vowing to submit a de-
objections, saving "a few groups"
tailed response in a few days.
and "a few politicians" got "fired
The audit charged that INS
up," adding the ditch "should
management was riddled with
never have been a big issue."
Sover amour
Liuo imm,
U.S. to rule on
refugees
Valley detention center
an option
be a fenced-in detention," he said.
"People would be expected to
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
"This tremendous line here rep-
check in each day, but it wouldn't
By Jim Phillips
FEB 1 6 1989
resents a large number of Central
be a fenced-in area," and refugees
Americen-Statesman Staff
Americans flooding into the Rio
would not be restricted to the site,
The U.S. Justice Department could decide
Grande Valley, and we just can't
he said. If a refugee did not report
as early as today whether to recommend to
continue like this," said Omer G.
each day. "you'd lose your place in
President Bush that a detention center be
Sewell, INS district director in
line" to have an asylum application
built in South Texas to house thousands of
Harlingen.
processed, he said.
Central American refugees seeking political
Sewell and other INS officials
At the South Texas center on
asylum.
contend that many seeking asylum
Wednesday, taxis. vans and cars
"We will be making a recommendation, I
are here only to better themselves
carried many of the immigrants to
suspect, tomorrow or the next day," David
economically. Political asylum is
the facility. Border Patrol agents at
Runkel, an assistant to Attorney General
granted only to those fleeing perse-
nearby rural intersections stopped
Dick Thornburgh. said Wednesday night.
cution for political or other
various vehicles en route to the
Runkel would not say if a recommendation
reasons.
asylum center.
for a detention center was likely. "We have
The possibility of detention
The Rev. Mike Siefert of Harlin-
talked about options, and that is clearly one,
centers was raised last week by
gen said he had been told Border
as long as the social services are provided,"
Thornburgh, who said such a sys-
Patrol agents were "were beginning
he said.
tem would deter some Central
to arrest people as they approach
Americans from coming to this
the line" at the center, and had
The prospect of detaining thousands of
country. He said the centers also
stopped people in cars on roads
refugees in camps while their applications
could ease the burden the refugees
leading to the site. "The intent of
are processed has outraged attorneys and
have placed on local governments
these people is to surrender," he
others assisting Central Americans. The ref-
and agencies trying to help them.
said.
ugees have made their way to the Rio Grande
"They are trying to make every-
Siefert said refugees were being
Valley in increasing numbers since late last
body afraid," said Mark Schneider,
harassed at the center, which he
year, and many of them have stayed there
an attorney with a Harlingen legal
described as "in the middle of no-
because they have no money to move on or
aid office for Central Americans.
where," and are being taken advan-
because federal regulations have kept them
"We don't think this will prevent
tage of by taxi drivers and those
there.
people from coming. We feel it will
offering to fill out their applica-
On Wednesday, more than 1,000 Central
raise the misery quotient.
tions for a fee.
Americans lined up at a rural Immigration
"They could try to do it, (but) it
He said applicants he took to the
and Naturalization Service center southeast
would be highly illegal" unless con-
center Wednesday were turned
of Harlingen. Wednesday was the first day
siderable money was spent to en-
away because they had only one
refugees have been able to apply for political
sure humane conditions, he said.
copy of their application, instead of
asylum since Friday when city officials
Otherwise, the detention centers
the required three.
closed the INS processing center in
would be "some kind of concentra-
"There is no Xerox machine for
Harlingen.
tion camp setting."
20 miles," he said.
The application process resumed
Some local officials say they
David Trevino, supervisor of the
amid charges that federal agents
want the INS to detain asylum-
intelligence division of the South
were arresting Central American
seekers to keep them from strain-
Texas Border Patrol division, said,
refugees on the rural roads leading
ing local communities.
"As far as I know, there have not
to the center before they could turn
"What I'd like to see is some sort
been any arrests of that nature. We
themselves in and ask for asylum.
of allowance made for sheltering or
have no intention of doing that,
Refugees who turn themselves in
temporarily detaining these people
(and are) not setting up any special
have several legal advantages over
while they're in the county," said
checkpoints."
those who are arrested and then
Cameron County Judge Tony Gar-
However, Trevino said that if of-
seek political asylum.
za.
ficers are told by informants or
More than 9,700 people applied
Runkel said he did not know how
anonymous callers of illegal aliens
for political asylum in South Texas
large the detention center under
being transported out of Browns-
between Jan. 9 and Feb. 9, leading
consideration would be, but said
ville, they will stop the car in ques-
INS officials to predict that more
any center "would have to be acom-
tion and arrest anyone in the
than 100,000 Central Americans
panied by additional people to han-
country illegally. He said that when
will enter the state this year.
dle these cases 80 we didn't have
occupants say they are going to the
For about a month, the INS had
people there for long periods of
asylum processing center to turn
ordered refugees to remain in
time."
themselves in, "we can't take ever-
South Texas until their applica-
ybody's word."
"The current proposal would not
tions were processed, which led
thousands of Central Americans to
live in tent cities or cram into
cheap motels while they waited. On
Jan. 9, U.S. District Judge Filemon
Con't from Railroad Penel
Vela of Brownsville lifted the no-
travel policy, and many of the refu-
bers from the two agencies, rather
gees joined families in Miami and
The three railroad commis-
than commissioners themselves,
other cities. But Vela has said he
sioners had requested the meeting
can exchange information.
probably will allow the INS to re-
to obtain informationabout mar-
sume the policy after a temporary
keting and appliance rebate pro-
Railroad Commissioner John
restraining order expires Monday.
grams sanctioned by the utility
Sharp said the meeting was can-
The new processing center, lo-
commission.
celed because his commission had
to present its budget to the House
cated on the grounds of an INS de-
In a case before the Railroad
Appropriations Committee and be-
tention center west of Port Isabel,
Commission, Lone Star Gas is ask-
cause the utility commission had
opened Wednesday. The INS was
ing for permission to grant rebates
met until 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on a
evicted Friday from its Harlingen
to customers who install gas appli-
GTE Southwest telephone rate
asylum office because of alleged
ances. Because the utility commis-
case.
health and fire code violations.
sion oversees similar programs for
Hundreds of Central Americans
electric utilities. the railroad com-
The utility commissioners have
had camped out overnight in a
also become known for their heated
missioners decided to seek that
plowed field near the Port Isabel
and combative debates. During the
agency's advice.
Service Processing Center for early
GTE rate hearing Tuesday, the
places in line. Several hundred
But Railroad Commission
commissioners talked loudly and
more showed up by midmorning.
sources say the commissioners
all at once, trying to drown each
have now decided that staff mem-
other out when they reached a dis-
nuted issue.
Port Isabel looms
as site for INS
detention camp
SAN
LIGHT
him, Leo said.
ANTONIO
FEB
1
6
1989
By R.A. ZALDIVAR
However, one congressional source said the issue
"is pretty well settled."
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
"The major feature is you just don't have these peo-
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department likely
ple left to the mercy of the elements, and you don't
will recommend to President Bush that a detention
leave the responsibility of looking after them to local
camp for Central Americans be set up in South Texas,
government," said the aide.
congressional sources said Wednesday.
The current Port Isabel detention center would
The camp would be located near Port Isabel, where
have to be expanded to house asylum applicants.
the Immigration and Naturalization Service already
Located on a former Border Patrol training base,
maintains a detention center, the sources said.
the dormitory-style facility already is at or near its
Tuesday, the INS moved the office handling asylum
600-bed capacity, according to the INS.
applications from Harlingen to the Port Isabel deten-
In a related matter, congressional officials are opti-
tion center. However, no asylum applicants are being
mistic about the prospects for federal aid to local ar-
eas affected by the immigrant influx.
held there now.
More than 9,500 Central Americans have applied
Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas, introduced a bill last
for political asylum in Harlingen since Jan. 9, when.
week that would free $20 million in Justice Depart-
federal judge Filemon Vela blocked the INS from en-
ment funds for local areas struggling to assimilate the
Central Americans.
forcing rules that kept refugees in South Texas until
their asylum claims were decided.
Thornburgh has indicated that he will support con-
About 40 percent of the applicants are from Nicara-
gressional requests for aid.
gua. The INS contends that most of the asylum claims
are frivolous, that the immigrants are fleeing eco-
nomic collapse, not political persecution.
Bullock orders closing
Vela has indicated that he will lift his order early
next week, but has expressed concern about immi-
grants sleeping in city parks. Announcement of a new
of 2 Houston bingo halls
detention policy could come then.
HOUSTON CHRONICLI
INS spokesman Greg Leo said Wednesday that no
By DIANNA HUNT
during the administrative process.
final decision had been made on what to do with the
Houston Chronicle
FEB 1 6 1989
"You propose the ultimate punish-
Central Americans. Attorney General Dick
ment. but few of them go that far,"
Thornburgh still has "a wide range of options" before
Stravato said. "You have to weigh
State Comptroller Bob Bullock
the cost to the state, the time that's
Wednesday ordered two All Star
going to be involved. vs. what evi-
Railroad
Bingo halls in Houston to close their
dence you've got and what you think
doors for 45 days for violating the
the outcome will be."
state's bingo laws by interfering in
The halls affected are: All Star
panel won't
charity games.
Southwest, at 11225 Bissonnet: All
The suspensions, shorter than the
one-year shutdown originally pro-
Star East. in Pineforest Village
FEB 16 1989
posed by Bullock's office, began
Shopping Center: and All Star Beau-
meet PUC
Wednesday. officials said.
mont. All halls will be allowed to
A third All Star Hall in Beaumont.
reopen when their suspension time is
which closed voluntarily in Novem-
completed.
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
ber amid an investigation by the
The audits of the All Star Bingo
By Debbie Graves
comptroller's office. also received a
halls were part of a seven-week
American-Statesman Capitol Staff
temporary suspension that will keep
investigation by the comptroller's
The Texas Railroad Commission
it closed until March 1. officials said.
office into bingo halls in the Houston
canceled a joint meeting with the
The three halls are run by compa-
area. The probe led to recommended
Public Utility Commission at the
nies headed by William Burton Dore.
closures of nine bingo halls and 40
last moment Wednesday, ostensi-
a Houston man who is facing gam-
charity games.
bly because the railroad commis-
bling charges in Louisiana that
At the All Star halls. auditors
sioners needed time to prepare for
stemmed from allegedly improper
found evidence that Dcre's employ-
a budget meeting.
bingo games there.
ees were handling day-to-day opera-
"These halls were not being run by
tions of the bingo gàmes, instead of
But the real reason the meeting
the letter of the law." Bullock said in
allowing the charities to operate the
was called off, Railroad Commis-
a written statement announcing the
games as required by law. State law
sion sources said, was that the
suspensions. "When that happens. I
- designed to keep bingo in the
commissioners did not want to
will shut them down."
hands of charities - forbids tingo
meet with the three utility commis-
Dore has not returned telephone
hall owners or their agents from
sioners, who are gaining a reputa-
calls from the Chronicle and could
running games.
tion for teing divisive and
not be reached for comment.
Bullock's office said more serious
quarrelsome.
Bullock's office originally sought a
Sources also said the railroad
year-long shutdown of the two Hous-
allegations et cash skimming and
commissioners, who regulate gas
ton halls by recommending that
rigged games were apparently un-
founded.
utilities, decided they had nothing
their bingo licenses not he renewed.
During administrative appeals of
"We found no evidence of this by
to gain by meeting with the utility
that recommendation. however. the
either the lessors (bingo hall owners)
commissioners, who regulate elec-
tric and telephone utilities.
penalty was reduced to a 45-day
or the organizations playing at the
suspension. said Deputy Comptroller
halls." he said.
Con't on next
Claudia Stravato. who oversees the
Several organizations that oper-
bingo division.
ated games at the halls face penal-
Stravato said penalties often are
ties. said Roy Scudday, a staff attor-
reduced in compromises reached
pey in the comptroller's office.
Tent city planned
Asylum-seekers to be detained near border
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
cessing Center where it is currently processing
By Jennifer Dixon
Associated Press
P.17A
FEB
17
1982
their applications for asylum. the officials said.
Immigration and Naturalization Service
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department
spokesman Duke Austin said, however, that
plans to set up a "tent city" detention center
there has been "no public disclosure" of the
where it will hold Central American refugees
Bush administration's plans for handling the
while their applications for political asylum are
flood of refugees and that the issue was still un-
processed, congressional officials confirmed
der review.
Thursday.
Smith and two congressional aides said that
Rep. Lamar Smith, a San Antonio Republican,
the tent-city camp would have plywood floors
said in a statement released by a spokeswoman
and that food would be provided by contractors.
that the tent city on isolated brushland 15 miles
The INS moved its operations for processing
from the U.S. -Mexico border would meet basic
asylum claims to the minimum scurity facility
human necessities - adequate housing, food
near Bayview after city officials closed the INS
and sanitary conditions. There will be no fence
processing center in Harlingen over alleged
around the facility, another congressional aide
health and fire code violations caused by
said.
stream of applicants.
TROR
A congressional aide said the Justice Depart-
One congressional side sand the Justice De-
ment hopes word of the detention center
partment would start "interning people
quickly reaches Central America and
U.S. District Judge Filemon Vela is
discourages thousands of amnesty-seekers from
reinstate an INS policy that hars
coming into the United States.
from traveling beyond the Rio Grandai
More than 2,000 refuges from Central Amer-
while their applications
ica are arriving in the United States illegally
Vela is expected to make his ruling
every week, most of them crossing the Rio
Austin said the INS would address its plans
Grande at Brownsville from Mexico, officials
meeting the refugees' human needs' at the
say.
court hearing, but not before.
The Department plans to keep the ref-
Before Vela blocked the INS' no-travel policy
ages in tents nest the Port Isabel Service Pro-
Please see INS on Page 20A.
INS plans to detain
asylum applicants
Continued from Page 17A.
the United States, and they (Justice
on Jan. 9. Central Americans who
Department officials) are hoping
had crossed the Rio Grande ille-
the word flashes, probably via Mi-
gally were forced to live in shanty-
ami. that the time is past and to stop
town conditions - camped out be-
coming now or you might wind up
neath plastic sheets in open fields
in a tent in South Texas," the aide
- or in condemned buildings.
said.
Some officials believe the judge's
INS officials contend many seek-
order blocking the no-travel policy
ing asylum are here only to better
has sent a signal to Central America
themselves economically and use
that the time is ripe for asylum-
seekers to enter the country. Once
the asylum process and lengthy
they leave the border area, officials
appeals to get into the United States.
Lamar Smith
says tent
Political asylum is granted only to
say it is much more difficult to find
city will meet basic human
those fleeing persecution for politi-
and deport those who are denied
cal or other reasons.
needs of asylum-seekers.
asylum.
"Word flashes to Central Amer-
INS officials say they have
considered a democracy - and
ica as fast as a phone line can flash
received petitions for asylum from
from someone fleeing the "war in
it that the time is ripe to come into
people from Mexico, Costa Rica -
Brazil."
the
LOCAL & STATE
9 being deported today under new policy®
Of 458 asylum applications sub-
ASSOCIATED PRESS
"
mitted in South Texas since Feb:
Nine Central Americans denied
We may not be deporting people every day,
21, only 36 - all Nicaraguans
political asylum in South Texas will
but this is the second group we have deported
had been approved through
be flown from Houston to their
Wednesday.
own countries today as deportees
under our new initiative."
Immigration officials held more
under a new get-tough policy by
than 2,700 undocumented aliens,
the U.S. Immigration and Natural-
- Virginia Kice, INS spokeswoman
primarily Central Americans, in
ization Service, officials said.
custody Thursday alternoon in
The two Hondurans, three Salva-
ple every day, but this is the sec-
left the country Sunday. On that
Cameron County, the state's south-
dorans and four Guatemalans were
ond group we have deported under
day, 61 were flown out of Houston,
ernmost.
taken Thursday from the INS de-
our new initiative," Kice said.
including 48 Salvadorans, 10 Gua-
Political asylum is granted to
tention center 20 miles northeast
The INS on Feb. 21 started im-
temalans and three Hondurans.
those able to show they are fleeing
of Brownsville and sent on buses to
mediately detaining rejected politi-
The INS spent $16,553 to send
persecution. The INS contends that
Houston, the INS said.
cal asylum applicants and marking
them back, Kice said.
most of the Central Americans
"We have not deported any Nic-
them for deportation in a one-day
She said the Meese directive
seeking political asylum are actual
araguans," said spokeswoman Vir-
adjudication process. Those de-
does not prohibit the INS from de-
ly applying for economic reasons:
ginia Kice. "The Meese directive
tained are held under deportation
porting Nicaraguans, but "it says
and therefore do not qualify.
stands."
bonds of up to $4,000 at the Bay-
we need to make a careful and
Some INS critics blame the
Former U.S. Attorney General
view detention center near
thorough review of cases involving
Meese directive for an influx of
Edwin Meese in 1987 issued a di-
Brownsville, and may resubmit
Nicaraguans."
more than 40,000 Nicaraguans and
rective calling for special treatment
their asylum cases before an immi-
The INS spokeswoman said
other Central Americans seeking
of Nicaraguan political asylum
gration judge.
cases of Nicaraguans not granted
asylum after crossing the border
cases.
The first Central Americans to be
asylum would be referred to the
legally into South Texas since last
"We may not be deporting peo-
deported under the new procedure
Justice Department in Washington.
spring.
p.A7
SA Light
MAR
in
1989
Border disaster seen in flood of asylum-seekers
WASHINGTON (AP) -
Rep. Bruce Morrison, D-Conn., sald the
6,850-person capacity.
Nelson said only 103 aliens have been de-
sources have told him another 2,500 to
Immigration and Natural-
number of asylum-seekers is growing "at a
"It looks to me like an Impending disas-
ported or agreed voluntarily to return
3,000 Central Americans are walting across
ization Service Commis-
rate of hundreds a week" despite the INS'
ter," Morrison, chairman of the House sub-
home.
the Rio Grande in Matamoros, Tamaulipas;
sioner Alan Nelson de-
new policy of detaining Central Americans
committee on Immigration, Refugees and
If the INS runs out of detention space at
to come into the United States.
fended the agency's get-
while their petitions for political asylum
International Law, said during a hearing of
its center near Port Isabel, however, Nel-
tough approach to handling
are adjudicated.
the panel.
son said contracts with county jalls and ar-
According to his sources in Mexico, Ortiz
the crush of Central Ameri-
Morrison, who spent two days in the Rio
Morrison sald there were already 1,700
rangements with military, facilities would
said Central Americans have filled up all
can asylum-seekers in South Texas, but the
Grande Valley earlier this week, said he
Central Americans being detained as of
be considered for detaining the Central
the hotels, are "staying in alleys all over
chairman of the House refugee committee
does not believe It will be long before the
Monday at the Bayview facility, with an-
Americans.
Matamoros, and are standing on the river-
said Thursday he foresees "impending di-
INS' detention facility and tent-city at
other 837 people in a quasl-detention Red
Rep. Solomon Ortiz, a Corpus Christi
"saster" on the border.
bank waiting to see if the Border Patrol
Bavview will be filled to its maximum
Cross shelter in the Rio Grande Valley.
Democrat, testified that unidentified
will be lax (in
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
TO
6-state region's
DI
Fig
Defense
defense contracts
Tex
Inst
reach new high
E-8
LOCKNOOU
and Space Co.
Austin
$1.3
By Kathryn Jones
General
East Camden
Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News
Dynamics Corp.
Ark.
$1.2
The Southwest's dollar value of defense contracts siz-
zled to a record $23.9 billion at the end of June, fired by
Scottsdale,
Motorola Inc.
Ariz.
$1.2
a hefty $2.6 billion increase in Pentagon awards in
SOURCE: Defense Contract Administration Services Region Dallas
Texas.
The Dallas Morning News
The state's obligated value of defense contracts -
meaning work currently under way or in the hopper -
cent in fiscal 1987 compared with the number of the pre-
rose to $16.8 billion at the end of the first half of the year
vious fiscal year. They also said the latest defense report
from the $14.2 billion total at the same month a year ago,
was "encouraging" and more in line with their own ex-
according to figures from the Defense Contract Adminis-
pectations.
tration Services Region in Dallas. The number of con-
"If we're doing better, that's good news for the state,"
tracts in Texas also rose to 24,451 from 21,643 of a year
said Bernard L. Weinstein, economist and director of
earlier.
Southern Methodist University's Center for Enterpris-
Economists said the figures make more sense than
ing. "Even in the face of a shrinking defense budget, our
Commerce Department data released earlier this year
contractors should be very well-positioned because
that showed Texas' level of defense contracts fell 22 per-
Please see DEFENSE on Page 7A.
Defense contracts reach new high
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
JUL
2
$
1988
Continued from Page 1A.
about 18 percent of the total value of
General Dynamics' East Camden,
they're
awards, the administration said. Al-
Ark., facility with $1.176 billion; and
working on the 'gee whiz' things like
most 80 percent of the region's con-
Motorola Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz.,
lasers, electronic warfare and sur-
tractors are classified as small busi-
with $1.173 billion in defense
veillance systems."
nesses.
awards.
In the six-state Southwestern re-
Texas Instruments Inc. of Dallas
Most other states in the region
gion administered by the defense
and E-Systems Inc.'s Greenville Divi-
also posted gains in contracting. Ari-
contract administration, contracts
sion were the region's top two con-
zona's awards rose to $3.6 billion
were up $3.4 billion from $20.5 bil-
tractors. TI held contracts valued at
from $3 billion a year ago; Arkansas
lion posted a year ago. The 2,020
more than $7.5 billion at the end of
was flat at $1.3 billion; New Mexico's
prime contractors in the region held
the first half, while E-Systems' unit
contracts rose 16 percent to $1 bil-
36,086 awards at the end of June.
held $1.4 billion in defense con-
lion from $864 million; Oklahoma
The administration, part of the
tracts.
was up 1 percent to $840 million from
Defense Logistics Agency, oversees
Rounding out the top five were
$828 million; and Louisiana's awards
military contracts in Texas, Okla-
Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. in
rose 41 percent to $277 million from
homa, Arkansas, Louisiana, New
Austin, with $1.3 billion in contracts;
$197 million.
Mexico and Arizona. Its figures don't
include awards managed directly by
the military services, thus excluding
contracts held by LTV Corp. in Dal-
las, General Dynamics Corp.'s Fort
Worth Division and Bell Helicopter
Textron Inc. in Fort Worth.
Small businesses accounted for
27
TOP DEFENSE
Texas ranks higher on defense
CONTRACTING
STATES
FEB 1980
For fiscal year 1988, dollar fig-
State companies garner $9 billion in fiscal '88 awards
ures in billions
1987
By Kathryn Jones
showing in 1987, fell from third to
rank
defense companies, held onto its
staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News
usual No. 1 position and huge
fifth place as its share of con-
1. California
$23.5
1
lead. But the state's level of con-
tracts dropped 17 percent to $7.2
Texas bucked a national trend
2. Virginia
$10.2
5
tracts fell 4 percent to $23.5 bil-
billion. Massachusetts has been
of declining defense spending
3. Texas
$9.0
4
lion from $24.5 billion in fiscal
one of the main beneficiaries of
last year, slightly boosting its
the Strategic Defense Initiative,
4. New York
$7.7
2
1987.
share of military awards and
Virginia vaulted into second
or "Star Wars" program, which
5. Massachusetts
$7.2
3
jumping from fourth to third
place in the Pentagon's annual
place with $10.2 billion in awards,
has been feeling the budget pinch
SOURCE: Defense Department
up from $7.8 billion in fiscal 1987,
recently.
ranking of defense contracting
when the state finished fifth. Part
The Pentagon's figures cover
The Dallas Morning News
states.
of Virginia's increase came from
only prime contracts, meaning
Texas companies won $9 bil-
contracts the Newport News Ship-
awards of $25,000 or more, and
Gross, associate director of the
lion in defense awards in fiscal
building & Drydock Co. received
don't account for subcontracts
Center for Enterprising at SMU's
1988, up 4 percent from $8.65 bil-
for two nuclear-powered aircraft
awarded from out-of-state prime
Edwin L. Cox School of Business.
lion a year earlier, according to a
carriers.
contractors.
Fiscal 1988 was the first full fiscal
new Defense Department report
New York and Massachusetts,
The latest ranking puts Texas
year in which Fort Worth Demo-
released Wednesday. Texas was
which knocked down Texas in
in a stronger position than it was
crat Jim Wright was Speaker of
one of only 18 states to post gains
the 1987 ranking, posted some of
a year earlier, when defense
the House and Texas Sen. Lloyd
in the Pentagon report, "Prime
the largest declines in the 1988 re-
awards tumbled 21 percent and
Bentsen was chairman of the pow-
Contract Awards by State."
port. New York, which was the na-
the state fell from its second place
erful Senate Finance Committee.
But most of the increases were
tion's second-largest defense con-
standing to fourth.
Texas also has suffered less
small, as the level of total defense
tracting state in fiscal 1987, fell to
Harold T. Gross, a Southern
from defense cutbacks in recent
contracts continued to shrink.
fourth in 1988 as its defense
Methodist University economist
years than some other states,
The Defense Department, the
awards slid almost 20 percent to
who last year co-authored a re-
Gross said.
armed services and the Army
$7.7 billion.
port on regional military procure-
Texas doesn't depend on a sin-
Corps of Engineers awarded
New York's largest contractor,
ment patterns, said Texas' de-
gle contractor or one "big-ticket"
$142.15 billion in contracts for the
Grumman Corp., has been slash-
fense position may be improving
program. and Gross said its de-
12-month period ended Sept. 30,
ing its employment in recent
because of the state's additional
fense electronics companies tend
1988. That was down 3 percent
years as heavy Pentagon spend-
political clout in Washington,
to focus on surveillance and com-
from $147.15 billion in fiscal 1987
ing by the Reagan administration
D.C., and the kinds of defense
munications programs, which are
and 5 percent from $149.3 billion
slowed and the company reduced
products built in Texas.
still in demand.
in fiscal 1986.
its reliance on military planes.
"It may be some of our en-
California, home to many of
And Massachusetts, which daz-
hanced political clout is begin-
The Associated Press contrib-
the nation's largest aerospace and
zled economists with its strong
ning to have an effect," said
uted to this report.
Defense puts
8
Top defense
more dollars
contract states
into Texas
By Andrea Watson
OF THE TIMES HERALD STAFF
FEB 16 1989
Despite an overall decrease in U.S.
defense spending in fiscal 1988, Pen-
Contracts in billions of dollars.
tagon contracts awarded to Texas
companies increased 4 percent last
State
1987
1988
year - improving the state's ranking
California
$24.51
$23.46
to third.
Contracts awarded to Texas compa-
Virginia
7.81
10.24
nies totaled $9 billion in the fiscal
Texas
8.65
9.00
year ended Sept. 30, 1988, compared
New York
9.62
with $8.65 billion in fiscal 1987, ac-
7.70
cording to figures released Wednesday
Massachusetts
8.68
7.21
by the Defense Department.
Missourl
6.00
5.56
The increase moved Texas to third
Florida
place among states receiving the most
5.79
5.33
defense contract dollars. The state was
Ohio
4.55
5.06
ranked fourth in 1987.
Connecticut
5.03
Texas firms were able to attract
4.91
more contract dollars despite an over-
Maryland
4.75
4.27
all decrease in the amount of prime
SOURCE Defense Department
contracts awarded by the Pentagon
Please see DEFENSE, C-3
Dallas Times Herak
billion in 1988, compared with
DEFENSE
$24.51 billion in contracts in
1987.
From C-1
Virginia, with $10.24 billion in
1988 contracts, vaulted to second
last
place on the 1988 list from fifth
year. Prime contracts totaled
in 1987, while New York
$142.15 billion in 1988, down 3.4
dropped two positions to fourth
percent from $147.16 billion in
place on the new list.
1987.
Rounding out the top 10 states
California, which ranked first
1988 were Massachusetts, Mis-
for the second consecutive year
souri, Florida, Ohio, Connecticut
with more than twice the total
and Maryland.
contracts of any other state,
Virginia had the biggest in-
gained contracts totaling $23.46
crease in 1988 contracts.
50
Missile
crushing
begins
Bush, Soviets view
arms pact actions 1988
SEP
9
Bush watches U.S. begin
By Carl P. Leubsdorf
Washington Bureau of The Dallas Morning News
KARNACK, Texas - With Vice
meeting arms pact pledge
President George Bush looking on
through binoculars, white flames
Continued from Page 1A.
Later, he gave several local media
flashed, gray smoke billowed and ex-
the presidential race.
interviews in which he stressed the
plosions rumbled across the East
"This has nothing to do with poli-
need for "more incentive (for the oil
Texas countryside Thursday as the
tics," he told a reporter. "It has to do
industry) through liberalization of
United States began destroying its in-
with world peace."
the intangible driling cost provi-
termediate-range nuclear missiles.
"This visit is non-political," said
sions" of the tax code. And he criti-
Soviet inspectors watched from a
Craig Fuller, the vice president's
cized Congress for its failure to dere-
nearby bunker as officials at the
chief of staff. "We would not cam-
gulate natural gas.
Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant
paign on a military or defense facil-
In another campaign develop-
exploded the fuel in the first two of
ity."
ment, Bush spokeswoman Sheila
the 859 U.S. missiles to be destroyed
However, he acknowledged, "In
Tate said the vice president - in a
under the Intermediate Nuclear
the world we live in, almost every-
reversal of policy - supports an in-
Forces Treaty signed last December
thing is political."
crease in the minimum wage, which
by President Reagan and Soviet
Thanking various officials for
has been fixed for seven years at
leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
their part in negotiating and ratify-
$3.35 an hour. She did not say how
Then, Bush, the team of one
ing the treaty, Bush made no men-
large a hike he favors.
dozen Soviet inspectors and a large
tion of Democratic senators who
Meanwhile, in Washington, Amer-
group of U.S. officials and jounalists
helped push it through, and no mem-
icans for Bush - a conservative po-
trooped to the side of an orange ma-
bers of the Democrat-controlled Con-
litical action group not associated
chine that crushed and crumpled the
gress were invited.
with the Bush campaign unveiled
first-stage rocket motor of one of the
Behind Bush was an American
a pair of biting television commer-
two missiles.
flag that had been installed the pre-
cials attacking Dukakis on his oppo-
vious day to provide a television
Officials of both countries hailed
sition to the death penalty and on
backdrop between the place where
the Massachusetts prison furlough
the day's events as a significant
he stood and the buildings 1,300 feet
program.
move toward ending the arms race.
away where the missile engines were
Both spots allude to convicted
"We have been the eyewitnesses
fired.
murderer Willie Horton, who es-
of important events," said Nikolai
After the ceremonies, the vice
Shabalin, the senior Soviet repre-
caped while on a weekend pass in
president campaigned in Tyler and
Massachusetts and kidnapped a
sentative who is monitoring the de-
was greeted by more than 2,000
struction of the missiles.
young couple, stabbing the man and
cheering supporters, the most enthu-
raping the woman.
"We are witnessing today one of
siastic crowd he has encountered all
"Bush supports the death penalty
those unique moments in the career
week. East Texas voters are being
for first-degree murderers," an an-
of man, a moment when the tides of
courted strenuously by both Bush
nouncer says in one ad. "Dukakis not
history turned, that a new future
and Dukakis, who will be in the area
only opposes the death penalty, he al-
dawned," said Bush.
Friday.
lowed first-degree murderers to have
Echoing one of his favorite cam-
Flanked by the Apache Belles
weekend passes from prison."
paign themes, he said, "The lesson of
drill team of Tyler Junior College,
"Weekend prison passes," the an-
INF is the age-old lesson that peace
the vice president praised the INF
nouncer concludes. "Dukakis on
comes not from weakness but from
pact and added, "Our liberal critics
crime."
strength, not through naive hopes
said it could never be done." He said
The two 30-second spots will run
and wishful thinking but through
the treaty "should teach those critics
nationally on CNN and other cable
firmness, will and resolve."
a lesson, a lesson I hope they will
networks during September at a cost
Bush made no direct reference to
never forget. And that lesson is this:
of about $500,000.
Democratic nominee Michael Du-
Peace through strength works. Peace
The destruction of the missiles
kakis. Although the Bush campaign
through weakness would fail."
that Bush witnessed Thursday morn-
paid for the trip, the GOP nominee
Bush was repeatedly cheered as
ing marked the beginning of a
denied that his appearance at the
he cited his Texas ties. "I want to win
lengthy process set forth in the INF
ceremony had anything to do with
this, my home state of Texas," he
treaty, which Reagan and Gorbachev
Please see BUSH on Page 10A.
said. "I think it's time for Texas to
signed last Dec. 8. Both countries
have a president of the United
have three years to destroy their INF
States."
missiles, 859 in the United States and-
Declaring that "my. values are
1,752 in the Soviet Union. The Soviets
your values," he ran down a long list
began their destruction last month
of issues on which he disagrees with
at a ceremony attended by U.S. offf-
Dukakis, including his support for
cials and have already destroyed 114
the death penalty, his opposition to
missiles and 30 missile launchers.
gun control and abortion, and his ri-
Two types of U.S. missiles are
val's support for Massachusetts' con-
being destroyed at the Karnak plant
troversial furlough program for pris-
- older Pershing IA missiles that
oners.
have a range of 300 to 600 miles and
Bush also made his first reference
newer Pershing IIs that can travel
of the week to "my young, vigorous
500 to 3,500 miles.
running mate," Indiana Sen. Dan
Many of the Pershing LAs were
Quayle.
built at the Longhorn plant.
13
Bush witnesses missile milestone in East Texas
SEP
By Bob Drummond
1988
Soviet observers and NATO en-
new future dawned," Bush said
day we began to reverse the arms
TIMES HERALD WASHINGTON BUREAU
voys, U.S. Army specialists ignit-
after witnessing the first demoli-
race, this was the day we began
ed the rockets of two Rershing
tion of an American weapon un-
destroying the weapons of de-
KARNACK - In what Vice
intermediate-range nuclear mis-
der a treaty that eliminates all in-
struction.
President George Bush called a
siles in an earthshaking eruption
termediate-range nuclear missiles
In what was nominally a non-
historic, hopeful turning point in
of fire at the Longhorn Army
in Europe.
partisan appearance, although
the nuclear age, the United
Ammunition Plant and then
"It is a moment we will be able
the trip to Texas was financed by
States for the first time destroyed
crushed one of the missiles'
to tell our children and our
his presidential campaign, Bush
two missiles Thursday in East
scorched, empty motor cases.
grandchildren about," said the
avoided all but the most oblique
Texas as part of an arms-reduc-
"We are witnessing today one
vice president, who has made
references to his ongoing debate
tion treaty with the Soviet Union.
of those unique moments in the
continued weapons moderniza-
with Democratic nominee Mi-
While Bush watched with a
career of man, a moment when
tion a key point of his campaign
delegation of top Pentagon brass,
the tides of history turned, that a
for the Oval Office. "This was the
Please see MISSILES, A-13
MISSILES
the vice president questioned
munition plant. Under the terms
whether someone's faith should
of the treaty, the missiles were to
legitimately preclude them from
be deactivated by having their
From A-1
reciting the pledge of allegiance.
solid-fuel rockets ignited as if
"I'd like them all to say it
they were being launched.
chael Dukakis over military
frankly. I don't see how it can
As Bush and Army Secretary
spending.
violate one's religious beliefs,"
John Marsh watched through
"This has nothing to do with
the vice president said during an
binoculars from a platform 1,300
politics," Bush said. "It has to do
interview with local television re-
feet away, the demolition team
with world peace.'
porters. "We are one nation un-
first touched off the solid-fuel
But Bush wasted little time
der God."
rocket of a Pershing II missile.
making political hay from the
Bush has repeatedly criticized
The rocket burned with enough
morning missile ceremony, stop-
Dukakis for vetoing a Massachu-
ferocity to shake the ground and
ping at a rally in Tyler to slam,
setts law that requires state
send shock waves through the
as "naive" and destabilizing, Du-
teachers to include the pledge of
air.
kakis' past support for a nuclear-
allegiance in their school day.
A smaller Pershing IA rocket
arms freeze and his opposition to
Dukakis has defended the veto
was touched off a short time lat-
some weapons programs.
on the grounds that the require-
er. A 12-member Soviet verifica-
"He wanted to restrain us and
ment is an unconstitutional in-
tion team watched both firings
not the Soviet Union - there lies
fringement on the beliefs of de-
from a nearby bunker.
a big difference between George
nominations, such as the
After it had cooled, the spent
Bush and the governor of Massa-
Jehovah's Witnesses, which re-
rocket motor from the Pershing
chusetts," he said. "We cannot
fuse to swear secular oaths.
IA missile was loaded into a hy-
make unilateral cuts in our
draulic crushing machine. As the
forces, hoping against naive hope
Only one day after he garnered
that the Soviets will give us
the unexpected endorsement of
vice president and other officials
something for free."
Chinese Communist Party leader
watched, a workman struggled
Hammering on his Lone Star
Deng Xiaoping, Bush started his
through four false starts before
daylong Texas swing by joining a
finally coaxing the crusher's en-
ties while he shared a flag-
draped podium with Tyler's
group of Soviet arms specialists
gines to start.
Apache Belles drill team, Bush
at the Army ammunitions plant
The motor was flattened like a
proclaimed Texas a keystone of
outside Marshall for destruction
tin can, spitting off small pieces
his campaign strategy and pre-
of the first two of 859 American
of metal, two of which Bush
sented himself as someone in
missiles scheduled for extinction
claimed as souvenirs of the occa-
tune with the concerns and val-
under the INF treaty ratified by
sion. The second motor, which
ues of Texans, regardless of their
the Senate earlier this year. The
took longer to cool, was crushed
Soviets have eliminated 114 mis-
political loyalties.
later in the day.
Quoting Dukakis as calling
siles of the 1,752 missiles target-
"One for the president and one
himself a "strong, progressive,
ed by the pact.
for me," Bush said. "I think it'll
liberal Democrat," Bush told
After the nuclear warheads
be a marvelous keepsake for the
more than 2,000 supporters that
and missile guidance systems
grandchildren."
"I am not a strong, progressive,
had been removed, Army spe-
The East Texas site is one of
liberal Democrat. I'm a Texan."
cialists loaded two first-stage
four locations in the U.S. and
And, returning to a favorite
missile launch motors into spe-
West Germany where missiles
campaign issue while in the so-
cial holding devices at a bunker-
formerly deployed in Europe will
called buckle of the Bible Belt,
like building on the remote am-
be destroyed.
15
MCC wins contract
APR 2 1 1988
Consortium gets Defense Department job
AMERICAN STATESMAN
By Kim Tyson
ules. The systems would be based
American-Statesman Staff
on a microprocessor announced
last week by Motorola, the 88100.
The Microelectronics and Com-
MCC officials have said the kit
puter Technology Corp. has won a
could cut prototype building from 2
three-year, $6.3 million research
or 3 years to 6 or 9 months.
contract from the Defense Depart-
Although the work will be done
ment, a spokesman for Rep. Jake
for the Defense Department, re-
Pickle said Wednesday.
sults of the research would not be
The research consortium will de-
classified and would be available to
velop a "kit" to cut the time it takes
members of Austin-based MCC.
to build prototypes of high-perfor-
The new technology could also be
mance computer systems, said Rob
used by universities that have re-
Smith, leader of MCC's advanced
search contracts with the Defense
computer architecture program.
Department, Smith said.
"Our concept of this project is,
we're building a collection of Lego-
The contract is a reversal of
like building blocks that you can
MCC's policy not to pursue govern-
put together," he said. "We're try-
ment contracts. The five-year-old
ing to eliminate a lot of the tedious
consortium has relied on funding
detail that a lot of designers have to
from its 19 member companies.
get involved with."
The change of direction "re-
The kit would include plug-to-
quired board level approach,"
gether computer hardware that can
Smith said. "We are engaging in re-
be stacked like books, and plugga-
search that benefits not only the
ble connectors and software mod-
shareholders but also others."
31
Abilene to lose air command
DALLAS
MURNING
Pentagon to move headquarters to South Dakota base,
Associated Press
"For effective command
sion headquarters.
RAPID CITY, S.D. - The Air
It is to early to know which other
Force will transfer the headquar-
and administration of
bases will fall under the 12th Air DI-
ters of the 12th Air Division from
vision, Wilhelmi said.
Abilene, Texas, to Ellsworth Air
Strategic Air Command
"Bringing in an air division and
Force Base in South Dakota, offi-
forces, it was decided
a one-star general, the significance
cials announced Thursday.
would be one of some esteem in that
"For effective command and ad-
that we would organize
you have an air division here
ministration of Strategic Air Com-
and place air divisions at
which is one level below a
mand forces, it was decided that we
numbered Air Force base," he said.
would organize and place air divi-
dual wing bases."
Ellsworth is under the higher com-
sions at dual wing bases," said Mas-
- Master Sgt. Steve
mand of the 15th Air Force out of
ter Sgt. Steve Wilhelmi, Ellsworth
March Air Force Base in California.
public affairs officer.
Wilhelmi, public affairs
The brigadier general will man-
Ellsworth is SAC's largest opera-
officer at Ellsworth
age the base, Wilhelmi said. Much
tional base, with the 44th Strategic
of that responsibility now is han-
Missile Wing and the 28th Bombard-
dled by the 44th Strategic Missile
ment Wing. It has two squadrons -
change, the newspaper said.
Wing commander.
or 35 - B-1 bombers and
Sen. Larry Pressler, R-S.D., ear-
Pressler's letter asking that an
commmands 150 Minuteman II mis-
lier this year had asked the Air
air division headquarters be moved
siles.
Force to transfer headquarters of
to Ellsworth coincided with an Air
The division's move from Abi-
the 4th Air Division at F.E. Warren
Force study of its operations, Wil-
lene's Dyess Air Force Base should
Air Force Base in Wyoming to Ells-
helmi said. "The move will be
be completed by October, Wilhelmi
worth.
longstanding (or) at least until
said.
Neither Dyess nor F.E. Warren
another study is done," he said.
The move would involve the
are dual wing bases, Wilhelmi said.
Said Pressler: "I have long called
transfer of 12 active-duty personnel
He did not know why Ellsworth,
on the Pentagon to recognize the in-
including Dyess' highest ranking
which now is in the 4th Air Divi-
creased importance of Ellsworth in
officer, a brigadier general, the Abi-
sion with F.E. Warren and
our national defense network.
lene Reporter News reported. No
Malmstrom Air Force Base in Mon-
This will be good for all of South Da-
aircraft will be moved with the tana, was not assigned the 4th divi-
kota and for our national defense."
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
On Guard
against
Guard joins
NM
Dallas
U.S. Customs
El Paso
TEXAS
smuggling
Houston
Texas troops join
drug searches
Laredo
Customs drug battle
Continued from Page 23A.
MEXICO
APR U ( 1989
penos.
Hidalgo
By Joel Williams
23A
Mr. Macias said the help will
Brownsville
make it possible for his inspectors
Associated Press
to fulfill a mandate that they un-
The Dallas Morning News
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Na-
load, or "de-van," 10 percent of the
last August, as well as other,
tional Guard troops in camouflage
average of 300 loaded cargo trucks
smaller seizures.
fatigues joined a battle against drug
that pass through the Brownsville
A total of $12 million has been re-
smugglers Thursday when they
port of entry daily.
leased for using the National Guard
started working with U.S. Customs
"In very simple terms, what this
for drug interdiction in 12 states,
Service inspectors at five Texas
will do is enable the Customs Ser-
said Maj. Bob Dunlap, a spokesman
points of entry.
vice to inspect more cargo and do it
for the National Guard Bureau in
Ninety-two National Guard
quicker," said Charles Conroy, a
Washington, D.C.
troops authorized for drug interdic-
Customs regional spokesman in
The troops will work with fed-
tion in Texas began working with
Houston.
eral agencies in areas including
Customs at international bridges on
Inspectors will not search pas-
aerial detection and photography,
the Mexican border at Brownsville,
senger vehicles, Mr. Conroy said.
radar surveillance, expanded train-
Hidalgo, Laredo and El Paso and at
The program to use National
ing of law enforcement personnel
the Port of Houston.
Guard troops in cargo inspections
and increased loans of military
A $2.9 million Pentagon appro-
at the border is patterned after a pi-
equipment, he said.
priation makes the troops available
lot project conducted at ports of en-
Other states in which National
for the next six months, said Lt. Col.
try last summer.
Guard troops will be deployed to
Ed Komandosky, spokesman for the
"That was a test and it was very
fight drug trafficking are Arizona,
Texas National Guard.
successful," Col. Komandosky said.
Alabama, California, Florida,
"They are weekend soldiers who
National Guard troops assisted
Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missis-
have agreed to volunteer for the
in the seizure of 8,400 pounds of
sippi, New Mexico, Oregon and
six-month duty," Col. Komandosky
marijuana from a truck at Hidalgo
Washington, Maj. Dunlap said.
said. "Some have left their civilian
jobs to do this."
The troops inspecting cargo will
not carry weapons or have author-
ity to make arrests, Col. Komando-
sky said.
"If the guy jumps out of the truck
and starts to run away, it will be up
to Customs to do something," he
said.
Customs officials welcomed the
help.
"We have knowledge that nar-
cotics are being brought into the
United States through cargo, but be-
cause of a lack of manpower we can-
not do the job we should do," said
Fernando Macias, Customs port di-
rector at Brownsville.
Behind Mr. Macias on the cargo
Drugs
inspection dock Thursday after-
noon, Guard troops helped Customs
inspectors unload a truck full of
furniture and oversaw the empty-
ing of a truck loaded with jala-
Please see GUARD on Page 25A.
62
The Houston Post/Friday, April 7, 1989/ A-5
LOCAL & STATE
92 Texas Guardsmen
join anti-drug battle
Assisting Customs Service inspectors at border
ASSOCIATED PRESS
because of a lack of manpower- we
cannot do the job we should do,
BROWNSVILLE - National
said Fernando Macias, customs.
Guard troops in camouflage joined
port director at Brownsville.
a battle against drug smugglers
Behind Macias on the cargo in-
Thursday, when they started work-
spection dock Thursday afternoon.
ing with U.S. Customs inspectors at
troops were helping inspectors un-
five Texas points of entry.
load a truck full of furniture and
Ninety-two National Guard
oversaw the emptying of another
troops authorized for drug interdic-
loaded with jalapeno peppers.
tion are working Customs at inter-
Macias said the help will make it
national bridges at Brownsville, Hi-
possible for his inspectors to fulfill
dalgo, Laredo and El Paso and at
a mandate that they unload, or
the Port of Houston.
"de-van," 10 percent of the aver-
A $2.9 million appropriation
age of 300 loaded cargo trucks that
from the Pentagon makes the
daily pass through the Brownsville
troops available for the next six
port of entry.
months, said Lt. Col. Ed Koman-
Guardsmen will not search pas-
dosky, spokesman for the National
senger vehicles, officials said.
Guard in Texas.
The program to use National
"They are weekend soldiers who
Guard troops in cargo inspections
have agreed to volunteer for the
at the border is patterned after a
six-month duty," Komandosky
pilot project conducted at ports of
said. "Some have left their civilian
entry last summer.
jobs to do this."
National Guard troops assisted in
The troops inspecting cargo will
the seizure of 8,400 pounds of
not carry weapons or have author-
marijuana from a truck at Hidalgo
ity to make arrests, he said.
last August, among other, smaller
Customs officials welcomed the
seizures.
extra help inspecting cargo.
A total of $12 million has been
"We have knowledge that nar-
released for using the National
cotics are being brought into the
Guard for drug interdiction in 12
United States through cargo, but
states.
61
22 A
The Ballas Morning Nelus Wednesday. April 5, 1989
Guard to launch border
drug patrols, Gramm says
By Jennifer Dixon
ability to interdict drugs coming
Associated Press
into our country. It is not a substi-
WASHINGTON - National Guard
tute for law enforcement, but it is a
troops will attempt to infiltrate
good complement. It makes law en-
areas of suspected drug smuggling
forcement more effective."
along the Texas-Mexico border and
But Lt. Col. Ed Komandosky,
relay their intelligence to federal
spokesman for the National Guard
authorities under a $2.9 million pro-
in Texas, said he was not aware of
gram to fight narcotics trafficking
any such foot or air patrols "what-
in the state, Sen. Phil Gramm said
soever" under the $2.9 million ef-
Tuesday.
fort.
Mr. Gramm,
"The only money we've been al-
R-Texas, said the
located by the Department of De-
Guard is not dis-
fense for drug interdiction is to run
closing many de-
a cooperative program with the
tails of the
Customs Service," Col. Komandosky
planned foot pa-
said.
trols,
which
Under that plan, 90 to 100 volun-
would be part of
teer, part-time troops would be
a drug-traffick-
dispatched beginning Thursday to
Phil Gramm
ing package by
four border points of entry and the
Guard troops that also involves aer-
Port of Houston to assist customs in-
ial survelliance and helping the
spectors' search for illegal drug
U.S. Customs Service with search
shipments.
and seizure of cargo crossing the
Col. Komandosky said he was
border into Texas.
"positive" the money would not be
A congressional source who re-
financing the air or ground patrols,
quested anonymity said the Texas
unless Mr. Gramm "knows some-
Guard troops would use camouflage
thing I don't know, and that's en-
paint to "look like a cactus bush"
tirely possible (that) I'm not aware
and infiltrate the border "under
of any such animal."
cover of darkness" as they attempt
Mr. Gramm said that the air sur-
to gather intelligence information
veillance is effective in finding
for federal authorities on drug-traf-
clandestine landing strips used by
ficking patterns.
drug smugglers, and that the search
The $2.9 million in spending was
and seizure assistance provided by
approved last week by Defense Sec-
Guard troops frees up customs
retary Dick Cheney.
workers "to engage in more ar-
Mr. Gramm said the "long-range
rests."
reconnaissance patrol" program "is
a new program the National Guard
is not talking about."
However, he said it involves
troops who will provide additional
assistance to customs, the Immigra-
tion and Naturalization Service and
the Border Patrol in the agencies'
"running war with drug smugglers
along our border."
"The American people clearly
want the military more involved in
our war on drugs," Mr. Gramm said.
"It is a great step
to enhance our
66
B6
Austin American-Statesman
Thursday, March 30, 1
Lawmakers cry
for drug initiative
by Washington
basis. Those new courts would be
By Mike Ward
federally funded and would prose-
American-Statesman Capitol Staff
cute state crime, Terrell said.
A powerful legislative coalition
Conversion of all inactive or
on Wednesday proposed a get-
closed U.S. military bases into pri-
tough initiative to combat illegal
sons for drug offenders, combined
drugs in Texas, but most of the ef-
with rehabilitation and education
forts would require federal money
programs for convicts housed
or congressional action.
there. Legislators said there are
With the backing of House
about 17 such bases in Texas, but
Speaker Gib Lewis and Lt. Gov.
Pentagon officials said Wednesday
Bill Hobby, the group announced it
that they could not confirm a list.
will travel to Washington on April
Passage of federal legislation,
6 to press the Texas congressional
or even an amendment to the U.S.
delegation and federal officials to
Constitution, to make all crimes in-
adopt the plan.
volving the sale, trafficking or
One member of the group, Rep.
manufacture of illegal drugs state
and federal offenses.
Mark Stiles, D-Beaumont, said he
would support tax increases to
Development of a national
fund the anti-drug initiatives. He
prototype for all prison systems
also said he would favor suspend-
and jails to offer enhanced drug re-
ing some constitutional rights to
habilitation. In addition, proba-
swiftly punish drug traffickers.
tioners and parolees with histories
Charles Terrell, chairman of the
of drug troubles would receive test-
Texas Criminal Justice Task Force
ing and rehabilitation to help them
break their habit.
and the coalition's leader, called
the drug crisis "a true national
The coalition also suggested that
emergency (that) justifies far-
Texas lawmakers consider su-
reaching new strategies and con-
spending driver's licenses of young
cepts. It's the tip of an iceberg that
drug violators.
threatens to make a Titanic of
"The suspension could vary in
America."
severity with the nature of the of-
In Washington, federal officials
fense and the number of offenses,"
greeted the plan with bewilder-
Terrell said. "It's tough to be ma-
ment. They said several aspects are
cho on a bicycle."
already being used, some are being
Included in the bipartisan coali-
considered, and others might be
tion are House Corrections Com-
unworkable.
mittee Chairman Allen Hightower,
Highlights of the plan:
Senate Criminal Justice Chairman
New state "drug courts" in
Bob McFarland, House County Af-
major U.S. cities, which would be
fairs Vice Chairman Ben Camp-
operated around the clock to han-
bell, House Criminal Jurispru-
dle narcotics cases on an expedited
dence Chairman Dan Morales,
54
STATE
OF
Staff photo by Mike Boroff
House Speaker Glb Lewis, left, listens as top legislators seek a drug crackdown. Among the members of
the coalition are, from left, Reps. Allen Hightower, Mark Stiles and Dan Morales; Charles Terrell, chair-
man of the Texas Criminal Justice Task Force; and Reps. Ric Williamson and Ben Campbell.
House Appropriations Vice Chair-
tional drug-fighting plan by Sept.
projects. But expediting offenders'
man Ric Williamson and House
5.
cases through quick trials has
Judicial Affairs member Tom
proved difficult without violating
Uher.
Federal drug laws were tough-
the constitutional right to due
Terrell said the coalition plans to
ened in 1986 and 1988 to allow joint
process, they said.
meet with U.S. Sens. Lloyd Bent-
federal-state jurisdiction over
Stiles, however, said that waiv-
sen and Phil Gramm of Texas and
many prosecutions, according to
ing due process laws to alleviate
Sam Nunn of Georgia, House
Con Dougherty, spokesman for the
backlogged courts "is OK with me.
Speaker Jim Wright, and U.S.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Adminis-
Reps. Jack Brooks and Steve Bart-
tration. But the suggestion to make
"We're talking about poisoning
lett. In addition, the group wants to
state drug crimes a federal offense
the children. We're talking about
meet with federal drug czar Wil-
would be unworkable and would
ruining society," said Stiles. "As
not solve the problem, according to
far as I'm concerned, when those
liam Bennett.
DEA and Justice Department
people break the law, they need to
In Washington, a spokesman for
officials.
be punished. They lose their rights
Bennett, Larry Cirignano, said the
under those things.
If speeding
new Office of Drug Control Policy
Justice Department spokesmen
up due process means they've got
has been deluged with similar pro-
said New York and Los Angeles are
to go to trial in 30 days, it suits
posals. Bennett is to map out a na-
considering special "drug court"
me."
55
Issued August 1987
Updated June 1988
GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE
ON DRUG ABUSE
STATEWIDE DRUG STRATEGY
NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
STATE
OTTEXAS
OF
THE
TEXAS
Col. James B. Adams
Chairman
Arthur C Eads
Vice Chairman
Jorge A. Solis
Al Schorre
STATE OF TEXAS
Jerry P. Cunningham
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
John M. Bott
CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION
John A. Burns
Bobby S Weaver
Christopher L. Milner
GOVERNOR WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS, JR.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
I.
Introduction
1
II.
1988 Update - Nature and Extent of Drug Problem
4
Scope of Drug Trafficking in the U.S. - Cocaine (Map)
11
III.
Drug Trends in Texas Today
12
IV.
Texas Narcotics Control Program
16
1987 TNCP Projects (Map)
28
App. 1, Project Impact for Cities with 100,000+ pop
29
App. 2, Funding Impact Analysis of Major Metro Areas
30
App. 3, TNCP Grant Facts
31
App. 4, Drug Arrests by TNCP Task Forces
32
App. 5, Drug Seizures by TNCP Task Forces
33
App. 6, Non-Drug Seizures by TNCP Task Forces
34
App. 7, TNCP Selected Seizures for First Quarter
35
App. 8, TNCP Select Seizure Activity Report
36
V.
1988 Priorities - Texas Narcotics Control Program
39
VI.
Federal Anti-Drug Initiatives in Texas
43
VII.
State Drug Law Enforcement
48
VIII.
Statewide Data Summary
52
App. 9, Statewide Drug Removals
53
App. 10, Non-Drug Seizures and Forfeitures
54
App. 11, Drug Arrests by State Law Enforcement Agency
55
App. 12, State and Local Drug Abuse Violations,
Persons 17 and Under
56
App. 13, State and Local Drug Abuse Violations,
Persons 18 and Over
57
App. 14, Organized Crime Control Units
58
I. INTRODUCTION
In August 1987 the Statewide Drug Strategy issued by the
Governor's Task Force on Drug Abuse was submitted with
Texas' application for $10.6 million in funding from the
U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance
(BJA). The strategy was developed as a condition of the
state's application for drug law enforcement funds available
through the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986.
This funding has been used to implement the Texas Narcotics
Control Program (TNCP), a new program for enhanced drug law
enforcement administered by the Criminal Justice Division
(CJD) of the Office of the Governor. The grants, awarded to
41 projects statewide, are designed to bolster all aspects
of Texas' law enforcement efforts through increased arrests,
prosecution, adjudication and the identification of drug
offenders for rehabilitation at the time of detention. The
response to the program was even greater than anticipated,
with over 90 requests submitted for more than $27 million in
funding, or 300 percent over-subscribed. State officials
and law enforcement professionals have praised the program's
concept. It has been promoted as a model for other states.
1
George Luciano, Director of BJA, while addressing a group of
law enforcement officers gathered in Austin for TNCP's First
Organizational Conference remarked, "I compliment Governor
Clements and each of you for your participation in the
development of a comprehensive approach to the drug
problem."
A majority of the grants underwrite multi-jurisdictional
apprehension task forces coordinating the resources and
personnel of several agencies. The task forces have already
made dramatic headway against drug dealers in the first few
months of operation. For example, the Tarrant County Task
Force has initiated more than 1,000 narcotics investigations
since its formation in December 1987.
Funding for new or enhanced anti-drug efforts was provided
to 173 counties, directly impacting a total of 14,025,589
Texas citizens. Texas' six major metropolitan areas received
38 percent of all TNCP funding for drug enforcement efforts,
because these cities are recognized as primary sites for
drug trafficking and sales. There are 18 cities in Texas
with 100,000 residents or more, which account for 39 percent
of the state's population. Seventeen are directly impacted
by TNCP funded projects. A total of $6,906,326 or 73
percent of all TNCP funding provide these anti-drug abuse
efforts. There are approximately 9,581,800 residents in
2
metropolitan areas of Texas who will benefit from these
anti-drug abuse efforts. Additionally, the Anti-Drug Abuse
Act of 1986 provided three separate discretionary grants for
narcotics control in Texas' major metropolitan cities,
totaling $944,500 in funding.
For the 1988 federal fiscal year, Texas will receive $2.38
million in funding, well below the $10.5 million made
available in the 1987 grant award from the Anti-Drug Abuse
Act of 1986. This reduced funding will have a serious
impact on Texas Narcotics Control Program projects.
Although the Criminal Justice Division is not required by
BJA to update the 1987 Statewide Drug Strategy as a
condition to receive funds, it is felt such a status report
would be informative in providing a current assessment of
the illegal drug situation in Texas and a review of the
progress of the Texas Narcotics Control Program.
This report reflects that the drug trafficking problem in
Texas continues to grow in magnitude. However, we have
progressed measurably in identifying the causes of the
problem and also in directing the attention of state, local,
and federal officials to this growing menace. This has
resulted in increased enforcement efforts in Texas,
particularly along the Texas-Mexico border. The TNCP has
initiated the type of multi-agency cooperative efforts that
will prove to be most successful in stemming the flow of
drugs into our state.
3
II. 1988 UPDATE - NATURE AND EXTENT OF DRUG PROBLEM
Since the August 1987 publication of the Statewide Drug
Strategy, drug trafficking continues to be the most critical
crime problem in Texas. It is a sophisticated and complex
crime. Cocaine, marijuana, and heroin are smuggled into
this state from Mexico and other international sources by
land, sea, and air. Illicit drug trafficking not only
violates our drug laws, it also involves numerous other
criminal activities: racketeering, conspiracy, bribery, and
corruption of public officials, tax evasion, banking law
violations, illegal money transfers, crimes involving
firearms, and an alarming amount of violence.
Unlike other states, which may be concerned only with drug
demand and abuse problems, we must address the problem of
being a major transshipment area for drugs. Texas is used
extensively as a traffic route for illegal drugs for several
reasons. Our proximity to Mexico, a country that has been
identified as the leading single-country source of heroin
and marijuana entering the United States and a leading point
of transfer for cocaine, is the primary reason. Cocaine
traffickers from South America have been using Mexico
increasingly as an alternative to Caribbean routes to
transport multi-hundred kilograms of cocaine powder and
4
cocaine base. Once in Mexico, smugglers use private and
commercial vehicles, boats, and small private planes to
smuggle the drugs into our state.
Additionally, law enforcement officials report a major shift
in concentration of drug trafficking from Florida to Texas
in the past few years. Initially, this trend seemed to be a
result of the increased enforcement activities in Florida
prompted by task force operations there. But, it has become
increasingly evident that the trend has been caused more by
the establishment of alternative routes than by the
wholesale movement of trafficking organizations to Texas.
Whatever the reason, drug smugglers have been forced to
change their operations and have obviously selected Texas as
their alternative. The result has been a dramatic increase
in cocaine smuggling through Mexico and Texas with
transshipment from Texas cities to organizations in Los
Angeles, New York City, and Chicago.
Not only does Texas' geographical location contribute to the
state being used as a drug transshipment route, the
geographical makeup also plays an important role. Texas is
composed of 262,000 square miles of land, 624 miles of
coastline, and a 1,248 mile international border. Our
extensive, sparsely populated regions are ideally suited for
undetected smuggling operations. These remote areas are
5
used for clandestine landing strips for aircraft to land, or
simply to air drop contraband drugs.
Geography of the state is also conducive to domestic
production of drugs, a problem that has been identified as
significant in Texas. During the 1987 calendar year, a
total of 1,088,219 domestic marijuana plants on 143 plots of
land were eradicated by local, state, and federal drug
enforcement agencies. The total street value of the
eradicated plants is estimated at $530,000,000, according to
DPS officials.
Texas' national forests and commercial timberlands cleared
by cutting operations are primary areas for the cultivation
of marijuana. The favorable climatic conditions and the
remoteness of the areas are ideal for growing marijuana.
Drug investigators indicate that there are also large
numbers of indoor marijuana growers throughout the state.
The vast rural areas of Texas also provide the seclusion
necessary for the manufacture of dangerous drugs, such as
methamphetamine and amphetamine, in clandestine labs. Rural
areas are preferred locations for drug labs, with most found
in Central, North, and East Texas. In secluded rural areas,
the odor produced during the manufacturing process attracts
little attention, making detection difficult. One pound of
6
the drug amphetamine or methamphetamine brings up to $22,000
on the street. Even a simple lab can produce several pounds
a week. The DPS Narcotics Service reports seizure of 86
clandestine labs in 1987.
The growing magnitude of the drug problem in Texas is
highlighted by the following:
*
During the first three months of fiscal year 1987, the
McAllen sector of the U.S. Border Patrol seized $48
million worth of narcotics. By comparison, $117
million of narcotics was seized during the first three
months of 1988.
*
The Killeen/Temple area is earning a place on the
international map for illegal drug activity. Two
conspiracies to deliver cocaine, one mounted by
Panamanian nationals and the other by residents of
Puerto Rico, have been uncovered in the area. In the
Panamanian case, the Killeen Police Department seized
1,100 grams of cocaine and more than $50,000 in cash.
The conspiracy resulted in 17 indictments last April.
Two fugitives are at large, but the other 15 defendants
have been convicted in district court. The Puerto
Rican case involved the cooperation of the FBI, the
U.S. Attorney's Office, the Killeen and Temple Police
7
Departments, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the
Bell County Sheriff's Office, and the Central Texas
Narcotics Control Task Force, a TNCP funded project.
Nine guns, two cars, 1,200 grams of cocaine, and
$37,714 in cash were seized. A significant amount of
stolen property was recovered. Indictments were issued
in January for 22 individuals.
*
More than half of recent border drug seizures were in
Texas, according to figures released by the Drug
Enforcement Administration. Seizures along the Texas-
Mexico border from January to June 1987 more than
doubled over a comparable period in 1986. The DEA
credited an intensified law enforcement effort for part
of the increase.
*
Drug-detection canines located a ton each of cocaine
and marijuana hidden aboard a Florida-registered truck
at the border checkpoint near Falfurrias in early
January. The drugs were estimated to have a combined
street value of nearly $75 million. The 1973 Kenworth
tractor-trailer was carrying limes and watermelons on
top of burlap sacks full of the contraband. The
seizure was the third-largest made by the U.S. Border
Patrol's four drug-detecting dogs that work along the
border in the McAllen and Laredo areas.
8
*
Drugs are smuggled into Texas by land, air, and sea
through organized, well-financed networks of career
criminals. Law enforcement agencies seized illegal
drugs worth $680 million last year, and some officers
estimate that they catch only 10 percent of the illegal
drugs that are being smuggled into the country.
*
More of the "speed" drugs (methamphetamine and
amphetamine) are produced in Texas than anywhere else
in the country, with federal seizures of labs in the
state accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total
nationwide. The public safety threat posed by this
illicit industry is significant since speed "cooks"
have an affinity for exotic weapons, machine guns, and
explosives.
*
A recent study conducted by the Texas Board of Pardons
and Paroles of 1,483 offenders admitted to the Texas
Department of Corrections in one month late last year
found that four-fifths of them had used drugs, were
under the influence of drugs when arrested, or were
convicted of a drug-related offense. The sample groups
included those entering prison as a result of a court
sentence, probation violation, or parole revocation.
On this subject, Governor Bill Clements has remarked,
9
"Drugs ignite crime. It's like pouring gasoline on a
fire. It's an ugly, vicious circle. If we want to get
serious about fighting crime and reducing prison
overcrowding, we must get serious about reducing drug
abuse."
*
In April of 1988, federal officials announced that
increased production and purity of Mexican heroin has
swelled supplies in Texas to the point that seizures of
the drug so far this year already surpass those during
all of 1987. Federal agents nationwide seized 468
kilograms of heroin in 1985, 383 kilos in 1986, and 356
in 1987. But during the same period, Texas heroin
seizures went from 10 kilos in 1985 to 11.4 in 1986,
and 20 kilos in 1987. John Nattinger, Special Agent
with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston
Division, said the rise indicates increased heroin
production in Mexico and a change in the source of
heroin for U.S. consumers.
10
Scope of Drug Trafficking in the U.S. - Cocaine
BOSTON
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
SAN FRANCISCO
11
LOS ANGELES
ATLANTA
SAN DIEGO
HOUSTON
MIAMI
MEXICO
COLUMBIA
COLUMBIA
1st Level Distribution Centers
Source: FBI National Drug Strategy
2nd Level Distribution Centers
III. DRUG TRENDS IN TEXAS TODAY
There has been a heightened public awareness of the problems
associated with drug trafficking and abuse in the past year.
In Texas, as in many other states, the fight against drugs
has received new political significance, improved laws and
prosecutorial tools, and additional resources. Federal,
state, and local governments, private and non-profit
organizations, and individuals have all joined the effort to
prevent, treat, and research drug abuse, and to educate our
citizens about the dangers of using illegal drugs. Governor
Clements' personal attention, legislative concern, and
expanded media coverage all attest to a firm commitment to
the continuing struggle against drug trafficking and abuse.
We are now faced with frightening new trends in drug use--it
has spread to all levels of society and the age for first
use has dropped. National statistics show that 58 percent
of high school seniors used illicit drugs in 1986. These
numbers are especially alarming because addiction is too
often fatal for young people, as reflected in statistics
that show that fifteen to twenty-four years old are the only
age group with an increased death rate in the past ten
years, mostly from drug-related accidents, suicides, and
overdoses.
12
Experts now recognize that drug abuse not only harms the
abuser, but it also hurts their families and friends, co-
workers and employers or fellow employees. Society is
harmed in terms of lost productivity and safety. Drug abuse
drives up health-care costs for everyone. Our courts,
social service agencies, and police are overwhelmed by drug-
related crimes.
The financial drain from the illegal drug problem is
staggering. Total economic losses in Texas were estimated
at $3 billion during 1984, with drug-related crime
responsible for $1.1 billion and health treatment and
support service costs totaling $71 million.
The direct correlation between drug abuse and crime has been
confirmed by national studies that show that drug use is
often a precursor to all categories of criminal behavior.
More than half of all arrestees in selected metropolitan
cities have tested positive for illegal drugs, with as many
as one-third of the offenders testing positive for multiple
drug use, according to a U.S. Department of Justice study
released in February 1988. This level of drug abuse is
twice as high as previously estimated from self-reported
data.
13
Drugs are often a catalyst for violent crime. Violent
crimes are just as likely to be committed by serious drug-
using offenders as the property offenses commonly associated
with addicts. Nationwide, one in four violent offenders
imprisoned in 1983 admitted using drugs just prior to the
offenses for which they were convicted. A majority of the
"violent predators" with career criminal histories are long-
term narcotics abusers who frequently use combinations of
drugs.
Studies of inmates incarcerated in Texas' prison system
reveal that 83 percent of the offenders are in prison either
directly (drug possession or sales) or indirectly (crimes
committed while on drugs or committed to support drug
habits, such as robbery or burglary). In some regions of the
country, at least one-fourth of homicides are related to
drug trafficking. Evidence of the close relationship
between drugs and crime continues to mount.
An alarming new aspect of the drug problem is that every
drug sold on the streets today is far more potent than ever
before. In Houston, the purity of cocaine available on the
streets has increased from 30 to 40 percent in mid-1986 to
the 60 to 80 percent range during the first six months of
1987. Peter Bensinger, former head of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, compares the difference between drugs of
14
today and those of just a few years ago to "the difference
between a bicycle and a Sherman tank". This is especially
true of crack, which is more addictive than heroin, easier
to get than marijuana, and more potent than cocaine powder.
In some cities, crack is sold in small-dose vials at such a
low price that it is cheaper than a bottle of liquor and
more readily available to youths.
15
IV. TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
The Texas Narcotics Control Program (TNCP) is a new
offensive being launched in the war on drugs in Texas.
Components of the criminal justice community across Texas,
from undercover police officers to district attorneys, are
synchronizing their efforts toward a common goal: putting
illegal drug dealers out of business. This far-reaching
approach was made possible by the federal funds available
through the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, with matching funds
and grant administration provided by the Criminal Justice
Division of the Governor's Office.
"Never before have funds been earmarked specifically for
narcotics control efforts," said Rider Scott, Executive
Director of the Criminal Justice Division and General
Counsel to Governor Clements. "The TNCP represents a
significant new strategy in our crusade against illegal
drugs and the crime so closely associated with drug
trafficking and abuse. Task forces that cross agency and
jurisdictional lines present a unified front to combat the
drug problem."
16
In December 1987, Governor Clements announced grant awards
to 41 recipients, 37 of which were to local units of
government. Coordinated multi-agency and multi-
jurisdictional task forces account for 33 projects. Three
prosecution and adjudication projects, a pilot project for
identification of drug offenders at the time of detention,
and four statewide projects are also funded. Projects are
receiving 100 percent funding, with the federal money
providing 75 percent of each project's cost ($9.5 million)
and the Criminal Justice Division meeting the 25 percent
federal grant match requirement ($3.2 million). It was the
Governor's desire that no community be denied funding solely
because of an inability to provide matching funds.
Projects funded by the Texas Narcotics Control Program
provide enhanced drug law enforcement to 173 counties
throughout Texas. The chart on page 28 details the area of
impact for each project. Note that the numbers indicate the
grantee for each project, but that the service area includes
surrounding counties and cities. Interagency cooperation
and coordination to attack drug traffickers is the
foundation of the TNCP, thus, the majority of the grants
awarded to local units of government fund multi-agency,
multi-jurisdictional projects involving the cooperation of
metropolitan and rural law enforcement agencies. This
improved cooperation among agencies throughout Texas has
17
resulted in an effective approach to a problem that
recognizes no jurisdictional boundaries.
The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 mandated that 67.87 percent
of Texas' law enforcement allocation be passed through to
local governments. During the grant award process, the
Governor's Office made every effort to disburse the funds in
such a manner that they would be most effective and used
widely across the state. A total of 90 percent of the funds
were awarded to local units of government for use in their
communities. All but one of the Texas cities with a
population in excess of 100,000 are receiving the benefits
of a specialized drug enforcement program funded by the
TNCP. Funding for new or enhanced anti-drug efforts was
provided to 173 counties, directly impacting a total of
14,025,589 Texas citizens. There are 18 cities in Texas
with 100,000 residents or more, which account for 39 percent
of the state's population. Seventeen are directly impacted
by TNCP funded projects. A total of $6,906,326 or 73
percent of all TNCP funding was awarded to provide these
cities with drug law enforcement services. Texas' six major
metropolitan areas, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth,
Houston, and San Antonio, account for 9,581,800 of the
state's 16,685,009 residents according to the 1986 U.S.
Census Bureau figures. In an effort to provide drug
enforcement services and impact the drug-related crimes in
18
these major metropolitan areas, the Texas Narcotics Control
Program established nine projects in these areas totaling
$4,340,724 in grant funds. The Austin metropolitan area
received $564,103 for a Regional Anti-Drug Abuse Task Force.
The Dallas metropolitan area received $200,000 for a Love
Field Drug Interdiction Task Force, and the Dallas County
District Attorney's Office received $425,177 for a
Prosecution and Adjudication of Drug Offenders project. The
El Paso metropolitan area received $727,672 for a combined
Apprehension, Prosecution, and Adjudication Drug Enforcement
Task Force. The Houston metropolitan area received $200,000
for the Hobby Airport Drug Interdiction Task Force, and the
Harris County District Attorney's Office received $177,039
for a Prosecution and Adjudication of Drug Offenders
project. The metropolitan area of San Antonio received
$750,484 for a Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Task Force, and
the Bexar County District Attorney's Office received a grant
award in the amount of $220,461 for an Adjudication of Drug
Offenders project.
The funding provided by the Texas Narcotics Control Program
will provide increased drug enforcement services for the
9,581,500 Texas citizens residing in these major
metropolitan areas and enhance the efforts created by
discretionary grant funding awarded to the Houston, Dallas,
and San Antonio metroplitan areas from the Department of
19
Justice under the Omnibus Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. In
addition to the funding received from the Texas Narcotics
Control Program for Drug Law Enforcement, the City of
Houston received $300,000 for a Crack/Focused Substance
Abuse Enforcement Task Force; the City of San Antonio
received $394,500 for a Street Sales Drug Enforcement Task
Force, and Dallas County received $250,000 for an Organized
Crime Narcotics Enforcement Task Force.
A listing of the Texas cities with populations of 100,000 or
more that are impacted by the Texas Narcotics Control
Program can be found in Appendix No. 1.
As a result of the TNCP, there are an additional 190 law
enforcement officers, 59 more support personnel, 17 more
assistant district attorneys, and three additional judges
dedicated to fighting drugs in the state. Equipment,
overtime pay for grant-funded personnel, and confidential
funds are also provided.
A key element of the Texas Narcotics Control Program is the
use of cooperative agreements between the task forces and
district attorneys that guarantee full return on asset
forfeiture awards to the task force that generated the
seizure and resulting forfeiture. Any funds produced in'
this manner will become program income that shall be used to
20
further the objectives of the project. This innovative
feature of the program was designed to ensure future funding
for the projects as the federal funding continues to be
jeopardized by budget constraints. The Criminal Justice
Division has been pleased by the level of cooperation
received from district attorneys throughout Texas who
entered into these agreements in order to further the goals
of the Texas Narcotics Control Program.
The cornerstone of the program is the Statewide Drug
Strategy, which was developed by the Law Enforcement
Subcommittee of the Governor's Task Force on Drug Abuse to
serve as a blueprint for this attack on illicit drugs.
Public hearings conducted in June 1987 in Arlington, Corpus
Christi, and El Paso provided the subcommittee with oral and
written testimony from law enforcement officials,
corrections professionals, drug treatment experts,
educators, parents, and concerned citizens.
Colonel James B. Adams, former director of the Texas
Department of Public Safety, who served as chair of the Law
Enforcement Subcommittee stated: "The information gathered
at the hearings was critical in developing the Strategy and
winning the federal grant money. The expertise and first-
hand experience of federal, state, and local officers from
throughout the state gave us an invaluable picture of the
21
drug problem in Texas and of the tools that could be most
successfully employed in the struggle against illegal
drugs."
The priorities established in the Strategy guided the
awarding of grants for narcotics enforcement units,
specialized prosecution programs, asset-forfeiture programs,
impact courts designed to speed adjudication of drug cases,
a pretrial drug detection program, enhancement of state
crime laboratories, and a system for the collection and
analysis of drug abuse data. The grant review process
stressed coverage of the border areas in recognition of the
amount of drugs flowing into our state from Mexico. Eight
task forces were funded to secure the Texas-Mexico border.
Because of the emphasis on multi-agency and multi-
jurisdictional projects, a large number of grants feature
combinations of two or more elements.
Some specific elements of these innovative new projects
follow:
*
In Tarrant County a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional
task force was formed to provide narcotics enforcement
for 37 metropolitan cities and two adjacent counties.
More than 1,100,000 citizens benefit from the service
of this program. What is unique about this project,
22
other than its sheer size, is that it is a vertically
and horizontally integrated program that includes 50
narcotics officers and a full-time prosecution team.
*
In Dallas County, the District Attorney's Office
operates a program for the prosecution and speedy
adjudication of drug cases. It includes felony
prosecutors and a visiting judge for that purpose. In
addition, the services of an asset forfeiture team,
under the direction of a prosecuting attorney, expedite
the asset forfeiture efforts of the task force in order
to remove the financial incentive from drug
trafficking.
The El Paso District Attorney's Office is operating an
apprehension and prosecution project that will serve
six counties. Not only does the narcotics control
team detect and apprehend smugglers who prey upon the
remote areas along the Rio Grande River and the Big
Bend area of Texas, this cooperative effort also
follows the offenders all the way from crime to
punishment, as it includes a prosecution component and
incorporates an impact court for speedy adjudication of
drug cases.
23
*
Nowhere is the spirit of cooperation more evident than
in the Cass County project, which reaches across state
lines as well as city and county boundaries. The
Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas Interstate Narcotics Task
Force has been in existence informally since 1984
because of mutual problems and interests. The TNCP
provided funds to augment the project's existing
operation with additional undercover officers,
equipment, and buy money. The task force most recently
was responsible for the eradication of 51 marijuana
fields and five clandestine labs.
*
Hundreds of secluded areas in the state provide the
privacy and limited accessibility necessary for large-
scale manufacture of illegal drugs. As a result, nine
rural counties joined with Hill County to form the
"Agriplex Roadrunners" project to eradicate clandestine
laboratories and marijuana fields. The task force
works together to gather intelligence, coordinate
raids, and apprehend drug offenders.
These projects are typical of the ambitious efforts funded
by the TNCP. All of the agencies in the program represent a
consortium of dedicated law officers who are helping to
create a new front line of defense in the war on drugs.
What follows is a short summary of the progress made in the
24
programs that are threatened by reduced funding. In just
the first few months of operation, the projects funded by
the Texas Narcotics Control Program have yielded production
statistics beyond initial expectations. There have been
1,164 persons arrested for felony drug abuse violations;
$23,949,983 worth of illicit narcotics seized; and over
$500,000 worth of property seized for forfeiture efforts.
(Refer to Appendices 5-6) These TNCP projects join the
existing nine organized crime control units funded by the
Criminal Justice Division and the seven DEA local and state
task forces already combining resources to fight drugs and
drug-related crime in the State of Texas.
The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 provided $10.6 million to
Texas for enhanced drug law enforcement for federal fiscal
year 1987. The anti-drug abuse funds, while greatly
appreciated, are just beginning to address the problem. Our
state is at a pivotal point in the fight against the scourge
of illegal drugs. The federal funding allocation for fiscal
year 1988 under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act was reduced to $2.3
million. This 76 percent reduction in funding will have an
adverse impact on established drug enforcement projects
created by the Texas Narcotics Control Program. By reduced
funding, these drug enforcement projects will be faced with
the termination of drug enforcement agents, reduced amounts
of necessary equipment, and safety materials, and the money
25
with which to purchase evidence and information necessary to
make cases against these drug dealers. It is also probable
that many of the existing projects would be totally
eliminated due to the lack of available funding. Every
effort will be made to keep existing programs operational.
Projected funding needs for fiscal year 1988 call for
approximately $6.2 million in budgetary needs.
To slow and ultimately stop the escalating flow of illegal
drugs into Texas will require increased funding, not
decreased funding. We are at a crossroads in the war on
drugs, and the road we take now will have an enormous impact
on the victim of the drug merchant for years to come.
26
1987 Texas Narcotics Control Projects
1 City of Orange
"Central Texas Narcotics
"Drug Enforcement Task Force"
"Special Drug Enforcement
Control Task Force"
30 City of Del Rio
Unit"
15 San Patricio County
"Narcotics Trafficking Task Force"
2 City of McAllen
"Tri-County Narcotics Task
31 City of Laredo
"Narcotics Trafficking Task
Force"
"Narcotics Trafficking Task
Force"
16 Gregg County
Force"
3 Dallas County District Attorney
"Narcotics Trafficking Task
32 City of Eagle Pass
"Prosecution and Adjudication
Force Program"
"Organized Narcotics Task
of Drug Offenders"
17 City of Amarillo
Force"
4 El Paso County
"Panhandle Regional Narcotics
33 Grayson County
"Narcotics Traffic Detection,
Trafficking Task Force"
"Pretrial Drug Detection
Apprehension & Prosecution"
18 Goliad County
Program"
5 Bexar County
"Local Dangerous Drug Unit"
34 City of Lubbock
"Adjudication of Drug
19 City of Austin
"South Plains Regional
Offenders"
"Regional Anti-Drug Abuse
Narcotics Task Force"
6 City of San Antonio
Task Force"
35 Nacogdoches County
"Multi-Agency Narcotics
20 Erath County
"Deep East Texas Narcotics
Trafficking Task Force"
"Tri-County Task Force"
Trafficking Task Force"
7 City of Dallas
21 Cass County
36 City of San Angelo
"Love Field Task Force"
"Regional Interstate Narcotics
"Rio Concho Multi-Agency
8 Harris County
Task Force"
Drug Enforcement Task Force"
"Prosecution of Drug
22 City of Paris
*37 Texas Department of Public
Offenders"
"Regional Controlled
Safety
9 Tarrant County District
Substance Apprehension
"Expanded Crime Laboratory
Attorney
Program"
Services"
"Narcotics and Intelligence
23 Hill County
*38 Texas Adult Probation
Coordination Unit"
"Agriplex Roadrunners"
Commission
10 Austin County
24 Brazos County
"Enhancement of Apprehension,
"Apprehension and
"Narcotics Trafficking Task Force"
Prosecution & Adjudication"
Prosecution of Drug Offenders"
25 Brazoria County
*39 Criminal Justice Policy Council
11 Midland County
"Special Investigative Unit"
"Drug Abuse Data Collection
"Permian Basin Narcotics
26 Chambers County
and Analysis"
Control Program"
"Narcotics Trafficking Task Force"
40 City of Houston
12 Taylor County
27 Matagorda County
"Hobby Airport Task Force"
"West Central Texas Interlocal
"Two County Narcotics Trafficking
*41 Texas District and County
Crime Task Force"
Task Force"
Attorney's Association
13 City of Kerrville
28 Starr County
"Asset Forfeiture Training
"216th Judicial District
"Tri-County Drug Abuse Task
Program"
Narcotics Task Force"
Force"
14 Bell County
29 Cameron County
*
Statewide impact
27
DALLAM
SHERMAN
HANSFORD
OCHILIREE
LIPSCOMB
MARTLEY
MOORE
HUTCHINSON
ROBERTS
HEMPHILL
17
OLDHAM
POTTER
CARSON
GRAY
WHEELER
DEAF SMITH
RANDALL
ARMSTRONG
DONLEY
COLLINGS
WORTH
PARMER
CASTRO
SWISHER
BRISCOE
HALL
CMIL
DRESS
HARDEMAN
BAILEY
LAMB
MALE
FLOYD
MOTLEY
COTTLE
FOARD
WILBARGER
WICHITA
34
CLAY
MONTAGUE
LAMAR
RED RIVER
COOKE
HOCKLEY
CROSBY
KNOX
33
FANNING
22
COCHRAN
LUBBOCK
DICKENS
KING
BAYLOR
ARCHER
BOWIE
DELTA
TITUS
YOAKUM
TERRY
LYNN
GARZA
RENT
STONEWALL
HASKELL
THROCK
DENTON
COLLIN
HUNT
HOPKINS
FRANKLIN
CASS
YOUNG
JACK
WISE
21
MORTON
CAMP
ROCK
RAINS
WOOD
MARION
7
WAL
UPSHUR
GAINES
DAWSON
BORDEN
SCURRY
FISHER
JONES
SHACKEL-
STEPHENS
PALO PINTO
PARKER
TARRANT
DALLAS
KAUFMAN
VAN ZANDT
MARRISON
12
FORD
3
SMITH
GREGO
HOOD
JOHNSON
ELLIS
16
PANOLA
ANDREWS
MARTIN
HOWARD
MITCHELL
NCLAN
TAYLOR
CALLAMAN
EASTLAND
ERATM
HENDERSON
RUSK
MILL
NAVARRO
20
CHERONEE
COMANCH
BUTWE
SHELDY
ANDERSON
PASO
LOVING
WINKLER
ECTOR
MIDLAND
GLASSCOCK
STEPLING
COKE
RUNNELS
COLEMAN
BROWN
4
23
FREESTONE
CULBERSON
HAMILTON
NACOGDOCHES
HUDSPETH
36
MCLENNAN
LIMESTONE
.
MILLS
SABINE
WARD
CHANE
UPTON
REAGAN
TOM GREEN
CORVELL
35
REEVES
ORION
FALLS
LEON
HOUSTON
ANGELINA
CONCHO
AIC CULLOCH
SAN SABA
LAMPASAS
NEWTON
TRINITY
BELL
ROBERTSON
JASPER
14
MADISON
MENARD
24
POLK
TYLER
SCHLEICHER
MILAM
WALKER
JEFF DAVIS
MASON
LLAND BURNET
PECOS
CROCKETT
WILLIAMSON
BRAZOS
SAN
GRIMES
JACINTO
BURLESON
SUTTON
KIMBLE
HARDIN
LEE
MONTGOMERY
GILLESPIE
BLANCO
ORAN
19
RAVIS
TERRELL
WASHINGTON
LIBERTY
BASTROP
KERA
13
HAYS
40
JEFFERSON
PRESIDIO
BREWSTER
VAL VERDE
EDWARDS
AUSTIN
RENDALL
7
COMAL
CALDWELL
FAVETTE
10
8
30
REAL
26
PANDERA
6
COLORADO
FORT BEND
5
GUADALUPE
GALVESTON
GONZALES
LAVACA
KINNEY
UVALDE
MEDINA
BEXAR
WHARTON
BRAZORIA
WILSON
DE WITT
27
25
JACKSON
MATAGORDA
MAVERICK
ZAVALA
FRIO
ATASCOSA
KARNES
VICTORIA
GOLIAD
32
18
CALHOUN
DIMMIT
LA SALLE
MC MULLEN
LIVE
BEE
REFUGIO
OAK
SAN
ARANSAS
PATRICIO
31
JIM
WEBS
DUVAL
WELLS
NUECES
KLEBERG
ZAPATA
JIM HOGG
BROOKS
KENEDY
28
STARR
HIDALGO
WILLACY
2
29
1987 Texas Narcotics Control Projects
Area of Impact
28
APPENDIX 1
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
PROJECT IMPACT FOR
TEXAS CITIES WITH 100,000 OR MORE POPULATION
T.N.C.P.
CITY
POPULATION
PROJECT IMPACT
HOUSTON
1,705,697
YES
DALLAS
974,239
YES
SAN ANTONIO
842,779
YES
EL PASO
463,809
YES
FORT WORTH
424,810
YES
AUSTIN
397,001
YES
CORPUS CHRISTI
258,067
YES
ARLINGTON
213,832
YES
AMARILLO
162,863
YES
LUBBOCK
178,529
YES
GARLAND
160,208
YES
BEAUMONT
123,356
NO
IRVING
120,057
YES
PASADENA
119,303
YES
ODESSA
108,690
YES
LAREDO
108,676
YES
ABILENE
108,157
YES
WACO
104,133
YES
29
APPENDIX 2
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
FUNDING IMPACT ANALYSIS OF TEXAS MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS
METROPOLITAN AREA
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
GRANT ALLOCATION
POPULATION IMPACT
BEXAR COUNTY
SAN ANTONIO MULTI-AGENCY DRUG
ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE
$ 750,484
1,276,400
BEXAR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
ADJUDICATION OF DRUG OFFENDERS
220,461
* CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
STREET SALES DRUG ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE
394,500
DALLAS COUNTY
CITY OF DALLAS LOVE FIELD
INTERDICTION TASK FORCE
200,000
2,401,400
DALLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
PROSECUTION AND ADJUDICATION OF DRUG
OFFENDERS
425,177
30
* CITY OF DALLAS
ORGANIZED CRIME NARCOTICS TASK FORCE
250,000
EL PASO COUNTY
EL PASO COUNTY NARCOTICS TRAFFIC DETECTION,
APPREHENSION, & PROSECUTION TASK FORCE
727,672
566,400
HARRIS COUNTY
CITY OF HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT
DRUG INTERDICTION TASK FORCE
200,000
3,230,700
HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
PROSECUTION AND ADJUDICATION
177,039
* CITY OF HOUSTON
CRACK/FOCUSED SUBSTANCE ENFORCEMENT
TASK FORCE
300,000
TARRANT COUNTY
TARRANT COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
NARCOTICS INTELLIGENCE COORDINATION UNIT
1,075,788
1,253,900
TRAVIS COUNTY
CITY OF AUSTIN
REGIONAL ANTI-DRUG ABUSE TASK FORCE
564,103
853,000
TOTAL:
$5,285,224
9,581,800
TE Indicates discretionary grant award
APPENDIX 3
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
GRANT FACTS
97 grant applications were received
Total amount requested, $27,078,034
41 grants approved, totaling $12,692,922
33 Multi-agency, Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Task Forces funded
173 counties receiving direct narcotics enforcement services from the
task forces
Personnel funded:
190 enforcement officers
17 district attorney prosecutors
3 special drug prosecution judges
59 various support personnel, including chemists, crime analysts,
court reporters, and secretaries
$1,666,967 provided for new equipment
$1,163,563 provided for direct operating supplies
$1,061,600 provided for confidential funds
$320,982 for travel expenses
Average amount of the approved grants is $324,070
31
APPENDIX 4
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
DRUG ARRESTS BY TASK FORCES
REPORT PERIOD: January through March 1988
OFFENSE
MAJOR DRUG INVOLVED
POSSESSION
MANUFACTURE
SALE
TOTAL
Marijuana
219
-0-
168
387
Hashish
7
-0-
-0-
7
Morphine
-0-
-0-
1
1
Heroin
17
-0-
32
49
Codeine
1
-0-
1
2
Cocaine
135
-0-
116
251
Crack
13
-0-
12
25
LSD
6
-0-
2
8
Designer Drugs
3
-0-
-0-
3
Amphetamines
119
10
58
187
Methamphetamines
87
16
45
148
Tranquilizer
-0-
-0-
1
1
Synthetics Narcotics
2
-0-
2
4
Labs
8
29
-0-
37
Precursor Chemicals
3
-0-
-0-
3
Non-Drug Arrests
-
I
-
51
Totals
620
55
438
1164
Source: Criminal Justice Division, Office of the Governor
32
APPENDIX 5
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
DRUG SEIZURES BY TASK FORCES
January through March 1988
DRUGS-TYPE
QUANTITY SEIZED
ESTIMATED STREET VALUE
Marijuana
13,581.3
lbs.
$ 7,516,173
Cocaine
43.5
lbs.
1,161,093
Crack
28.75
gms.
2,980
Methamphetamine
52.42 lbs.
6.16 gal.
3,001,591
Amphetamines
33.72
lbs.
186.33 gal.
4,197
d.u.
7,624,382
Barbiturates
102
d.u
225
Hydromorphone
2
d.u.
80
LSD
58
liq. OZ.
3,720
Clandestine Labs (Methamphetamine) 13
labs
Clandestine Labs (Amphetamine)
11
lbs
180,000
Precursor Chemicals
795.65
lbs.
4,258,721
Heroin
11.3
lbs.
177,691
Tranquilizers
126
d.u.
607
Codeine
2
d.u.
40
Hashish
16.13 lbs.
18,350
Designer Drugs
19
OZ.
29
d.u.
1,100
Synthetic Narcotics
115
d.u.
1,105
Mushrooms
6
gms.
125
Morphine
40
d.u.
2,000
Total.
$23,949,983
Source: Criminal Justice Division, Office of the Governor
NOTE: Data reflects seizures made by grant funded task force projects.
Estimated street value from figures provided by local projects.
Note that street prices vary throughout the state due
to availability of certain drugs.
33
APPENDIX 6
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
NON-DRUG SEIZURES BY TASK FORCES
REPORT PERIOD: January through March 1988
NUMBER OF SEIZURES
DOLLAR AMOUNT
Vehicles
76
$225,725
Currency
81
155,984
Other Financial Instruments
19
59,543
Real Property
3
79,352
Weapons
95
21,850
TOTAL
274
$542,454
Source: Criminal Justice Division, Office of the Governor
NOTE:
Forfeiture proceedings are in process for these seized assets.
APPENDIX 7
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
SELECTED SEIZURES FOR FIRST QUARTER
January - March 1988
TASK FORCE
DATE
CONTRABAND
REMARKS
Cass County
1/27/88
Methamphetamine
Fully automatic AR-15 assault
Clandestine Lab
rifle; Two-way police radios;
Police scanners; Bullet-proof
vests
Gregg County
2/28/88
Methamphetamine
High Tech Surveillance; Cougar
Clandestine Lab
Cat for security; $5 million
value
Midland County
3/03/88
650 lbs. Marijuana
Airplane seizure; Transshipment
from Mexico
San Angelo
3/11/88
Clandestine Lab
3 rattlesnakes in lab;
2.2 lbs. Amphetamine
$1 million value
El Paso County
3/21/88
1,000 lbs. Marijuana
Big Bend area; Vehicle caravan;
$800,000 value
El Paso County
4/04/88
Marijuana and weapons
14 AK-47 semi-auto rifles; 14
bayonets; 3,000 rounds ammuni-
tion; $14,000 cash
McAllen
4/08/88
2,000 lbs Cocaine
Tractor-trailer rig loaded with
onions; $325 million value
Tarrant County
4/08/88
Crack House
32 arrests on reversal operation
San Antonio
4/22/88
Cocaine
Sophisticated lab utilizing red
Methamphetamine
phosphorus; $4 million value
Clandestine Lab
Austin
4/28/88
Methamphetamine
Surveillance camera and listen-
Clandestine Lab
ing devices; Chemicals;
$1.8 million value
Tarrant County
5/01/88
Methamphetamine
Precursor chemicals;
Clandestine Lab
$1 million value
Eagle Pass
5/05/88
Methamphetamine
Two labs seized; $450,000 value
Clandestine Lab
San Angelo
5/12/88
Methamphetamine
Underground lab; $600,000 value
Clandestine Lab
McAllen
5/13/88
2,406 lbs Cocaine
Stored in van located inside
temporary storage unit;
$50 million value
35
APPENDIX 8
TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
SELECT SEIZURE ACTIVITY REPORT
1. El Paso Narcotics Traffic Detection, Apprehension, and
Prosecution Task Force arrested a Hudspeth County employee
and seized 1,200 pounds of marijuana having an estimated
street value of $1,080,000.
2. Midland County Permian Basin Narcotics Control Program,
working on information provided by U.S. Customs, seized
1,600 pounds of marijuana and a twin engine Cessna airplane.
U.S. Customs tracked the plane coming across the border and
notified Task Force officials as it appeared to land in
Midland County. Task Force officers responded and effected
the seizure, and the arrest of three males.
3. Tarrant County Narcotics Intelligence and Coordination Unit
conducted a raid on an operational crack house. Working on
information that a shipment had just arrived, agents
arrested two male suspects in the house, then set up a
reversal operation in the house that netted 32 arrests in a
matter of three hours.
4. Tarrant County Narcotics Intelligence and Coordination Unit
raided two clandestine methamphetamine labs operated by the
same group of suspects. Five arrests were effected, and
$1.2 million of methamphetamine oil was seized.
5. McAllen Narcotics Trafficking Task Force, working on
intelligence information, stopped a semi-tractor trailer
loaded with onions. Found under the onions was over 2,000
pounds of cocaine valued at $325 million. One arrest was
effected at this time, and the semi-tractor trailer was
seized.
6. El Paso Narcotics Traffic Detection, Apprehension, and
Prosecution Task Force conducted a search warrant on an El
Paso residence. Seized in the search were 14 AK-47 semi-
automatic rifles, 14 bayonets, 3,000 rounds of ammunition,
and $14,000 cash. These weapons were to be traded for
narcotics in Mexico. Three adults were arrested.
7. The El Paso Task Force, working on intelligence information,
set up a surveillance operation in Brewster County and
observed a convoy of several vehicles coming from a remote
border crossing. A stop was made, 500 pounds of marijuana
was seized, and six arrests were effected.
36
8. Austin Regional Anti-Drug Abuse Task Force raided an
operational clandestine methamphetamine lab located in a
residence in Austin. Seized in the raid was $900,000 in
methamphetamine oil and precursor chemicals. Arrested were
six adults.
9. Eagle Pass Organized Narcotics Task Force seized two
operational clandestine methamphetamine labs in Dimmit
County. $500,000 worth of methamphetamine was seized, and
two arrests were effected.
10. Austin Regional Anti-Drug Abuse Task Force seized two
working clandestine labs. Discovered in the raid were
operational surveillance cameras with listening devices that
were set up around the clandestine location. Six arrests
were effected, and precursor chemicals capable of making
approximately $1.8 million worth of methamphetamine were
seized.
11. Eagle Pass Organized Narcotics Task Force, working an
undercover buy bust, arrested three adults and seized 1/2
pound of cocaine valued at $84,000.
12. Hill County Agriplex Roadrunners Narcotics Task Force, in
the first months of their operation reported seizure of nine
working clandestine labs, arrest of 9 suspects, recovery of
70 guns, and seizure of 17 vehicles.
13. San Antonio Multi-Agency Narcotics Trafficking Task Force
raided a working clandestine methamphetamine lab that netted
$300,000 worth of amine oil, $4 million worth of
methamphetamine, $1,900 in cocaine, and $2,000 cash. Also
seized were four commercial plant growers that had psilocybe
mushrooms growing in them. Four arrests were effected. The
unique facet of this incident is that it was the first
encounter by task force personnel of a clandestine lab
utilizing red phosphorus in its operation.
14. San Angelo Rio-Concho Multi-Agency Narcotics Task Force
seized a working underground clandestine lab in Coke County.
They report the lab was very sophisticated in structure.
Two pounds of methamphetamine valued at $600,000 was seized.
Additionally, $3 million in production value of phenocidic
acid was confiscated. One arrest was effected.
15. McAllen Narcotics Trafficking Task Force seized 2,406 pounds
of cocaine located in a temporary storage unit in McAllen.
The value of the cocaine was estimated at $350 million.
37
16. Nacogdoches County Deep East Texas Narcotics Trafficking
Task Force seized a working clandestine lab and confiscated
approximately $5 million worth of methamphetamine. The lab
had high-tech surveillance equipment located around the
perimeter, with a live cougar utilized for security of the
inner perimeter. Three arrests were effected.
17. Cass County Ark-La-Tex Narcotics Enforcement Task Force
seized a working methamphetamine clandestine lab. Recovered
in the raid were 40 pounds of Mexican marijuana, $200,000
worth of methamphetamine, and several vehicles. Four
suspects were arrested.
18. McAllen Narcotics Trafficking Task Force conducted a search
at a residence and seized 700 pounds of marijuana.
Additionally, $18,600 cash was confiscated. Two adults were
arrested.
38
V. 1988 PRIORITIES - TEXAS NARCOTICS CONTROL PROGRAM
The future of the Texas Narcotics Control Program looks
promising at this time if adequate continuation funding is
secured. The Criminal Justice Division has applied for and
received an award of $2.38 million for FY '88 projects.
Priorities of the program continue to be those established
for the first year of operation, based on findings by CJD
that criminal justice agencies have similar resource needs
as those identified in 1987, as follows:
1. Apprehension of drug offenders: provision of
additional personnel, equipment, facilities,
personnel training, and supplies to apprehend
those illegally producing, possessing, or
transferring controlled substances; with payment
of operating expenses incurred in apprehending
such persons (including purchase of narcotics
information, and personnel overtime pay).
2. Prosecution of drug offenders: provision of
additional personnel, equipment, facilities
(including upgraded or additional law enforcement
crime laboratories), ; and personnel training and
39
supplies for more widespread prosecution of career
narcotic offenders, aggravated narcotic dealers
who are accused of violating state and local laws
relating to the production, possession, or
transfer of controlled substances; and payment of
operating expenses in connection with such
offenses.
3. Adjudication of drug offenders: provision of
additional personnel (including judges),
equipment, personnel training, and supplies for
more widespread adjudication of cases involving
persons accused of violating state and local laws
relating to the production, possession, or
transfer of controlled substances; payment of
operating expenses in connection with such
adjudication; and quick provision of temporary
facilities in which to conduct adjudication of
such cases.
4. Detention and Identification of Drug Offenders for
Rehabilitation: provision of additional
correctional resources for the detention of
persons convicted of violating state and local
laws relating to the production, possession, or
transfer of controlled substances; and improvement
40
of treatment and rehabilitative efforts provided
to drug-dependent persons by identifying and
referring them to appropriate programs.
Although local law enforcement agencies in Texas have
responded to the latest patterns in drug trafficking with
upgraded equipment and new approaches, they continue to be
hampered by lack of funds for equipment and personnel. The
resources available to law enforcement to combat drugs are
limited compared to the overall magnitude of today's
problem. It is imperative that all available resources are
employed wisely. For this reason, the Statewide Drug
Strategy for 1988 calls for a continuation and expansion of
the cooperative atmosphere that has been established among
levels of government and throughout the law enforcement
communities in Texas.
In development of the Statewide Drug Strategy, the
Governor's Office recognized the need for an urban/rural
interagency partnership approach to law enforcement due to
Texas' unique drug situation. Officials identified that the
source of drugs trafficked in Texas are not limited to those
being transported across our borders or through our state.
A significant amount of illegal drugs are produced in Texas,
mostly marijuana, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. Although
cities see the end result of drug trafficking -- street
41
sales and drug abuse problems -- it is acknowledged that
rural areas are a key source for drugs because of domestic
production and smuggling. This link is the basis for the
principal priority of the Statewide Drug Strategy, which is
the use of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional drug law
enforcement task forces to combat the supply of illicit
drugs. Task forces offer combined resources of equipment,
personnel, evidence purchasing ability, intelligence
sharing, and the cooperative effort of regional initiatives
that is crucial to successfully stemming the flow of drugs
into our state.
The success of multi-agency task forces that were formed in
the past year under the Texas Narcotics Control Program
provide statistical evidence that this is the most effective
approach to drug law enforcement, a concept which has been
heralded as a major development in Texas law enforcement.
The Criminal Justice Division of the Governor's Office is
firmly committed to promoting the task force concept and has
identified this as the key element for the 1988 Texas
Narcotics Control Program.
42
VI. FEDERAL ANTI-DRUG INITIATIVES IN TEXAS
In recognition of the extent of drug trafficking in our
state, the federal government has made a large commitment of
personnel and resources to Texas. Highlights of new federal
initiatives to combat narcotics within our state:
-
DEA/State and Local Task Forces: The Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the federal
agency primarily responsible for drug law
enforcement. Through formal agreements with DEA
and participating agencies, these task forces
operate in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Lubbock,
Fort Worth, Tyler, McAllen, Laredo, and the
Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport.
-
U.S. Customs Service: This is the lead federal
agency for interdicting drugs and apprehending
smugglers at and between U.S. ports of entry. As
part of an overall program to enhance protection
of the U.S. Southeast Border and the Gulf Coast,
Customs has initiated Operation Blue Fire, an
intensified narcotics interdiction effort that
increases its personnel and involves closer
43
cooperation with state and local law enforcement
agencies.
-
U.S. Border Patrol: Under the Immigration and
Naturalization Service, the Border Patrol controls
entry of illegal immigrants and assists in
interdiction at traffic checkpoints and between
ports of entry. The Border Patrol has added new
offices and hundreds of additional agents to Texas
as part of its recently increased focus on drug
interdiction. The greatest expansion in Texas is
the incorporation of hundreds of miles of
coastline into the McAllen sector, which increases
its geographical coverage area by 100%. In fiscal
year 1987, which ended September 30, agents in
this sector seized $182 million in drugs in 969
separate incidents.
-
El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC): This federal
air and marine interdiction and tactical
intelligence effort, located in El Paso, provides
for the sharing of intelligence among agencies in
Texas. EPIC responds to requests from field units
on specific conveyances and persons suspected of
transporting drugs. It provides analyses of
smuggling methods, routes, and sources.
44
-
Operation Alliance: This new federal initiative,
announced in August 1986, is a bold approach to
fight smuggling in high risk areas. Federal,
state, and local agencies have formed an alliance
to share information and tactics in order to
effectively curtail the passage of contraband
across the border. It is a multi-agency
coordinated effort to control the flow of drugs,
weapons, aliens, and other contraband coming
across the U.S.-Mexico border. For calendar year
1988, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin seizures
attributable to agencies cooperating with
Operation Alliance have already surpassed the
total of those made in the same period last year.
-
National Narcotics Border Interdiction System
(NNBIS): NNBIS is a management system designed to
coordinate the multi-agency efforts of drug law
enforcement agencies, and to call on those
federal, state, and local resources that will
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of drug
interdiction efforts. Its primary objectives
include coordinating joint efforts of law
enforcement agencies, providing Department of
Defense assets for drug interdiction, and
45
developing tactical information and intelligence
to support interdiction efforts. Created with the
goal of providing behind the scenes support, NNBIS
has no field operatives and generates no seizures
or cases. Regional NNBIS centers collate and
disseminate intelligence, assess smuggling threats
and vulnerabilities, identify detection and
response resources, recommend actions to
interdiction agencies, and coordinate multi-agency
and multi-national special operations.
The
Southwest Region Center began operating in Houston
in February 1987 and is one of seven regional
divisions in the U.S. The Center is responsible
for coordinating drug interdiction operations
along the border from Brownsville, Texas, to Yuma,
Arizona. It focuses on border smuggling and
relies on personnel contributed from federal drug
enforcement agencies, DPS, U.S. Marshal Service,
and each branch of the military.
In addition to these enhanced federal efforts in Texas,
several local law enforcement agencies received federal
funding under the Bureau of Justice Assistance Narcotics
Control Discretionary Grant Program, as follows:
46
*
Dallas County, Organized Crime/Narcotics Trafficking
Program: This funding is being used to develop a
regional enforcement project designed to remove
specifically targeted major organized crime narcotics
trafficking conspiracies. One of 21 projects of this
type conducted throughout the nation, the Dallas County
project is a joint operation of local, state, and
federal law enforcement personnel.
*
Bexar County, Street Sales Enforcement Program:
Funding is being used by the San Antonio Police
Department to target street level narcotic dealers and
buyers through planning, investigation, and
prosecution.
*
City of Houston, Crack/Focused Substance Enforcement
Program: The Houston Police Department plans to use
the funds to improve its capabilities to investigate
and immobilize crack cocaine trafficking organizations.
47
VII.
STATE DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT
The Narcotics Service of the Texas Department of Public
Safety is responsible for the overall direction of the
state's enforcement efforts against illegal drug traffic
and, as such, remains committed to its overall objective of
eliminating and deterring illegal trafficking in controlled
substances and dangerous drugs in Texas.
During 1987, the authorized strength of the Narcotics
Service was 189 commissioned narcotics officers, 16
commissioned uniformed troopers, 7 narcotics analysts, and
77 support personnel. To organize its fight against the
drug problem in Texas, the Narcotics Service has established
the following six investigative priorities:
Clandestine drug laboratories
Air smuggling
Marine smuggling
Smuggling by land vehicle
Drug diversion
Domestic marijuana eradication
During 1987, the Service conducted 1619 investigations which
resulted in the arrest of 2004 suspects and the filing of
48
2473 cases. These investigations accounted for the seizure
of drugs valued at over $1.3 billion. (See Appendix 9)
Within the Narcotics Service are several specialized
sections which have proven to be extremely successful. The
Triplicate Prescription Section, established in 1982, has
provided an effective tracking system for Schedule II
Controlled Substances from the prescriptions issued by the
physician to the dispensing of the drug by the pharmacist
and then to the ultimate user. In 1987, the Triplicate
Prescription Section processed 639,783 prescription
receipts. The Controlled Substances Registration Section,
responsible for the registration of every person who
lawfully manufactures, distributes, analyzes, or dispenses
controlled substances in Texas, processed 45,096
registrants.
Another specialized section in the Narcotics Service is the
Technical Unit. This highly trained unit is responsible for
installing, maintaining, and repairing wire intercept
equipment, as well as providing expert audio and video
capabilities during drug investigations. During 1987, the
Technical Unit conducted 15 wire intercepts and one oral
intercept, which resulted in the arrest of 84 defendants and
the seizure of over $4 million in controlled substances.
49
The Narcotics Service also maintains its own Training
Section, which is composed of one sergeant and two
investigators who provide specialized training in the unique
areas associated with drug law enforcement. During 1987,
this division instructed over 1400 police officers from the
DPS, and local and federal agencies.
The Analyst Section of the Narcotics Service is recognized
as one of the finest of its kind in the nation. This
department provides professional assistance to all services
of the DPS, as well as to local and federal agencies. In
September of 1987, the Analyst Section developed the
Precursor Chemical Program to aid the Narcotics Service in
complying with 1987 legislation that requires the Narcotics
Service to maintain reports of all individuals who sell,
transfer, or otherwise furnish any of the 17 designated
precursor chemicals that are used in the illegal manufacture
of controlled substances. During 1987, the Precursor
Chemical Program developed 22 investigative leads from the
500-plus receipts generated by the program.
The Narcotics Service operates twelve crime laboratories
throughout the state in order to provide the necessary
certified analysis of evidence required for prosecution in
drug violation cases. The labs receive and analyze the
drugs seized by DPS and the majority of local law
50
enforcement agencies in Texas. As identified by the
Statewide Drug Strategy in August 1987, the existing level
of staffing, equipment, and operating budget at that time
was insufficient to meet the existing workload and certainly
would not allow for any increase generated by enforcement
efforts of the Texas Narcotics Control Program. For this
reason DPS was awarded TNCP funds to enhance the existing
labs that will allow examination of 25% more drug samples in
1988 and increased ability to provide testimony in
additional drug cases being brought to trial. This grant
award has statewide impact because it enhances the
capability of the crime labs to support prosecutors and law
enforcement officers throughout Texas.
51
VIII. STATEWIDE DATA SUMMARY
The following tables reflect results of drug control efforts
made by local law enforcement agencies and the Texas
Department of Public Safety Narcotics Service in calendar
year 1987.
52
APPENDIX 9
STATEWIDE DRUG REMOVALS
January through December 1987
DRUGS SEIZED
QUANTITY SEIZED
ESTIMATED STREET VALUE
Cannabis
1,136,760
lbs.
$ 607,904,557
Cocaine
1,987,350
gms.
383,083,894
Heroin
5,551
gms.
1,153,195
LSD
313
d.u.
1,465
Methamphetamine
2,102,667
gms.
219,728,560
Depressants
80,334
d.u.
613,710
THC/Hash
15,700
d.u.
86,900
Other
9,969,720
d.u.
46,008,713
Stimulants
7,999,517
d.u.
121,688,860
Other Narcotics
31,330
d.u.
830,157
Other Hallucinogens
327,704
d.u.
41,957
P2P
73,616
gms.
2,545,542
Precursors
86
labs
249,818
TOTAL
$1,383,937,328
SOURCE: Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Narcotics Service
NOTE:
Data reflects seizures made by DPS Narcotics with local or federal
law enforcement cooperation in some instances.
53
APPENDIX 10
NON-DRUG ASSET SEIZURES AND FORFEITURES
REPORT PERIOD: January 1987 - December 1987
ASSET SEIZURES
ASSET FORFEITURES
STATE AND LOCAL
NUMBER OF
DOLLAR
NUMBER OF
DOLLAR
AGENCIES
SEIZURES
AMOUNT
FORFEITURES
AMOUNT
Vehicles
276
N/A
54
N/A
Aircraft
-0-
N/A
-0-
N/A
54
Weapons
163
N/A
2
N/A
Currency
N/A
$7,684,399
N/A
$5,618,270
Jewelry
N/A
$5,000
--
$2,825
Real Property
N/A
$2,245,310
--
SOURCE: Texas Department of Public Safety
Narcotics Service
APPENDIX 11
DRUG ARRESTS MADE BY STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
REPORT PERIOD: JANUARY - DECEMER 1987
MAJOR DRUG INVOLVED
Opiates
Cocaine
Cannabis
Hallucinogens
Stimulants
Depressants
Unknown/Other
Total
OFFENSE:
Distribution
35
390
311
7
275
1
3
1022
Manufacture
4
-
-
-
114
-
18
136
55
Importation
-
-
9
-
2
-
-
11
Possession
22
224
677
9
202
9
25
1168
Conspiracy
2
11
48
-
41
-
21
123
Other
-
-
-
-
-
-
405
405
TOTAL:
63
625
1045
16
634
10
472
2865
SOURCE: Texas Department of Public Safety
Narcotics Service
APPENDIX 12
STATE AND LOCAL DRUG ABUSE VIOLATIONS
ARRESTS OF PERSON 17 YEARS OF AGE AND UNDER
REPORT PERIOD: JANUARY-DECEMBER 1987
MAJOR DRUG INVOLVED
Opium/Cocaine
Synthetic
Other Dangerous
OFFENSE
Derivatives
Marijuana
Narcotics
Non-narcotic Drugs
Total
Sale/Manufacturing
(m)
50
(m)
254
(m)
22
(m)
22
(m)
348
(f)
16
(f)
35
(f)
8
(f)
11
(f)
70
56
Possession
(m)
372
(m)
3403
(m)
204
(m)
243
(m)
4222
(f)
103
(f)
546
(f)
63
(f)
62
(f)
774
GRAND TOTAL
5414
DRUG ABUSE VIOLATIONS
SOURCE: Uniform Crime Reporting
Texas Department of Public Safety
Crime Records Division
NOTE:
Data represent statewide arrests by local law enforcement agencies.
APPENDIX 13
STATE AND LOCAL DRUG ABUSE VIOLATIONS
ARRESTS OF PERSON 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER
REPORT PERIOD: JANUARY-DECEMBER 1987
MAJOR DRUG INVOLVED
Opium/Cocaine
Synthetic
OFFENSE
Other Dangerous
Derivatives
Marijuana
Narcotics
Non-narcotic Drugs
Total
Sale/Manufacturing
(m)
2333
(m)
2034
(m)
926
(m)
457
(m) 5750
(f)
491
(f)
301
(f)
265
(f)
125
(f) 1182
57
Possession
(m) 10,776
(m) 25,051
(m)
3394
(m)
2442
(m) 41,663
(f)
2,485
(f) 3,457
(f) 1099
(f)
800
(f) 7,841
GRAND TOTAL
56,436
DRUG ABUSE VIOLATIONS
SOURCE:
Uniform Crime Reporting
Texas Department of Public Safety
Crime Records Division
NOTE:
Data represent statewide arrests by local law enforcement agencies.
APPENDIX 14
1
ORGANIZED CRIME CONTROL UNITS
FUNDED BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION
NON-
LOCAL
STATE
UNIT
AREA
SWORN
SWORN
TOTAL
CONTRIBUTION
MATCH
Austin
11 counties
27
2
29
$676,113
$226,828
El Paso
3 counties
37
3
40
$1,608,588
$180,622
Corpus Christi
1 county
7
3
10
$318,397
$134,064
Amarillo
3 counties
12
2
14
$389,681
$118,707
Fort Worth
1 county
21
2
23
$961,062
$296,357
58
Dallas County
1 county
8
2
10
$373,540
$181,383
Harris County
1 county
15
3
21
$550,663
$206,199
Galveston County
1 county
19
2
21
$446,810
$232,345
Brownsville
1 city
6
1
7
$192,278
$25,634
SOURCE: Criminal Justice Division
Office of the Governor
May 1988
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Prepared under the direction of:
Rider Scott, Executive Director
Criminal Justice Division
Office of the Governor
Research, writing, and editing by:
John Coffel, Program Director
and Georgia Whitehead, Assistant Program Director
Texas Narcotics Control Program
Production assistance by:
Elizabeth M. Stamm
and Joni Sager