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NAFTA
IMMIGRATION
‘Mexico missed you’ Tamaulipas begins task of repatriating deportees By Aaron Nelsen SA N A NT ONI O E XPRE SS-NEWS
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico — Deportees arrive in this gritty border city by the busload. They appear on the streets disheveled and disoriented, making them easy marks for criminal groups looking to prey on their vulnerability. Fortunately for many of these expats, the Instituto Tamaulipeco, a state-run migrant organization, will be there to reintroduce them to Mexico. “Welcome home,” said the institute’s director, Jose Carmona, greeting a few dozen shellshocked deportees. “So things didn’t go according to plan. Mexico is your land, your flag, your roots, and honestly, Mex-
ico missed you.” Most Mexicans are repatriated in towns that border the United States. More than 57,000 were sent to cities in Tamaulipas in 2016; only Baja California took in more people. So when President Donald Trump promised to deport up to 3 million criminal immigrants earlier this year, Tamaulipas officials braced for a mass deportation. But Mexican figures show only 29,738 were repatriated from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 to Tamaulipas, which is on pace to be considerably fewer than last year. And U.S. figures show Immigration and Customs Enforcement is deporting fewer
Declining deportations
San Antonio
Despite threats of mass deportations, fewer people are being sent back to Mexico. xico. TEXAS Nuevo The border state of Tamaulipas takes in around a quarter of all deportees, and tens ns Laredo of thousands of northbound migrants MEXICO every year. Reynosa Matamoros
Number of deportees received by cities in Tamaulipas 50,000
Gulf of Mexico
Tamaulipas
Concerns raised over wages Equal pay sought for Mexican workers ASSOCIATED PRE SS
43,187
Nuev o La red o M at am or os
MEXICO CITY — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the issue of Mexico’s persistently low wages during a 30,000 visit Friday, as both countries and the United States continue 15,247 negotiations over the North 20,000 8,685 American Free Trade Agreement. a s o In a speech to the Mexican eyn 10,000 R 4,501 senate, Trudeau said support 5,806 for NAFTA “depends on the 0 fruits of this trade being fairly 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 shared.” As of Aug. 3 Source: Secretaria de Gobernacion de Mexico “So we must pursue trade Mike Fisher/San Antonio Express-New Mexico continues on A8 agreements that are win, win, win, helping workers across North America achieve better standards, wages and working conditions,” he told lawmakers. Mexican wages are a key element in NAFTA talks, with Washington pushing to increase labor protections and pay. Auto workers in Mexico, for example, often earn about $2 per hour compared with $30 or more by their counterparts in the other two countries. Wages are kept low in Mexico in part because of antiquated labor laws and pro-government unions that often sign contracts behind workers’ backs. Some unions are so absent from the workplace that employees sometimes don’t even know one exists. It was not clear whether Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto discussed the wage issue directly during the Thursday and Friday visit. Peña Nieto said Thursday night at a dinner for Trudeau that “Mexico sees the renegotiation of NAFTA as a way to ensure that any agreement reached represents an opportunity to improve labor conditions in Mexico.” “Mexico doesn’t want to be competitive based on low wages,” Peña Nieto said. “Mexico wants to compete on the basis of skilled labor.” However his government has not moved to get rid of thousands of pro-company “protecCourtesy photo tion” contracts that prevent real unions from organizing. Congressman Henry Cuellar presents a check for $1,973,630 from the U.S. Department of Health And leaders of crooked labor and Human Services to SCAN Inc. President and CEO Isela Dabdoub and SCAN Inc. Vice federations are in many cases President Christopher Craddock during a grant announcement Friday morning. Cuellar announced two grants from HHS to SCAN to combat substance abuse, HIV, viral hepatitis and members of Peña Nieto’s In40,000
40,276
SERVING CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN NEED
CUELLAR PRESENTS NEARLY $2 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS Money will fund prevention programs and services S P ECIAL T O T HE T I ME S
Congressman Henry Cuellar recently joined Serving Children and Adults in Need officials to announce two federal grants totaling $1,973,630. “These federal funds and programs are a great investment for maintaining healthy communities along the border,” Cuellar said. “It is one of my priorities as your U.S. congressman to bring federal resources to keep our people safe, healthy and prosperous. I believe we must continue to provide extensive outreach and prevention services. “I congratulate (SCAN President and CEO Isela) Dabdoub and everyone at SCAN on receiving these two awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and for their invaluable work that they provide to improve the lives of Grants continues on A8
homelessness among youth and young adults in Webb, Zapata and Starr counties.
NAFTA continues on A8
EDUCATION
Harmony Public Schools open third campus By Andrea Castañeda LA R ED O MORNI NG T IME S
Harmony Public Schools in Laredo, which once served 340 students and operated out of one building, has now grown to three campuses serving about 1,700 students. The public charter school celebrated its growth Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Harmony
School of Excellence, located off San Francisco Avenue. The third and newest campus, which opened its doors in August, houses grades nine to 12. During Thursday’s ceremony, Renato Ramirez, CEO and chairman of the board of International Bank of Commerce in Zapata, spoke about his role in bringing the new model of education to Laredo. Ramirez
has been instrumental in the expansion, having provided the land and financing for the construction of the schools. Ever since the establishment of its first campus, Harmony Science Academy, in 2008, the school has been in high demand from parents and students interested in the school's curriculum. “Our focus is on science, Harmony continues on A8
Cuate Santos / Laredo Morning Times
Local and state officials join forces with Harmony Public Schools officials for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Laredo's newest high school, Harmony School of Excellence, on Thursday.
Zin brief A2 | Saturday, October 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
CALENDAR
AROUND THE NATION
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, OCT. 14
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Dia del Rio Laredo Paddling Trail Excursion. 8:30 a.m. registration at Outlet Shoppes parking lot 2 (corner of Santa Maria/Pedregal). Join the Rio Grande International Study Center for a 3-mile paddle from Laredo Water Museum to Bridge I. $20 with boats on first-come, first-serve basis. Private pachanga immediately after, at the Outlet Shoppes. Register at www.rgisc.org.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions. The 32nd Distinguished Business Awards banquet. 6 p.m. Laredo Country Club. The Laredo Chamber of Commerce announced the selection of Ermilo Richer Jr. and Ermilo Richer III as Laredo 2017 Businesspersons of the Year. For ticket and sponsorship information, call 956-722-9895 or email miriam@laredochamber.com.
THURSDAY, OCT. 19 Laredo of Tomorrow Health Task Force presents Advanced Directives: A Gift of Love. 6-9 p.m. UTHSA-Regional Campus Laredo. Keynote speaker: Sister Rose Marie Tresp. Reserve a space by registering at adagiftoflove.eventbrite.com.
Al Drago/Bloomberg
President Trump waves while walking with Melania Trump in Washington, D.C. on Friday. The Trump administration will dismantle parts of the Affordable Care Act.
TRUMP CUTS OFF HEALTH PAYMENTS
SATURDAY, OCT. 21 Dia del Rio Paso del Indio Nature Trail Workday. 7:30 a.m. registration @ Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center (LCC main campus by the windmills). Help the Rio Grande International Study Center mulch, clean and beautify Laredo’s oldest nature trail. Complimentary lunch and T-shirts. Free event. The American Cancer Society’s 3rd annual Glow in Pink Power Walk. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. TAMIU Quad Area. There will also be food, games, and selfie booths for a small donation. The winner of the Real Men Wear Pink campaign will be announced. Register online at relayforlife.org/ pinkwalkwebbtx. Registration is $15 online and $20 onsite. Children 5 and under enter free. For more information, call 956-319-3100.
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s abrupt move to cut off federal payments to insurers jolted America’s health care and political worlds alike on Friday, threatening to boost premiums for millions, disrupt insurance markets and shove Republicans into a renewed civil war over their efforts to shred “Obamacare.” Defiant Democrats, convinced they have important leverage, promised to press for a bipartisan deal to restore the money by year’s end. On one side: pragmatists seeking to avoid political damage from hurting consumers. On the other: conservatives
demanding a major weakening of the Affordable Care Act as the price for returning the money. “The American people will know exactly where to place the blame,” declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., all but daring Trump to aggravate what could be a major issue in the 2018 congressional elections. The money goes to companies for lowering out-of-pocket costs and deductibles for low- and middleincome customers. It will cost $7 billion this year and help more than 6 million. — C ompiled from AP reports
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
SATURDAY, OCT. 28 Dia Del Rio Loving Laredo Hike at Dusk. 5:30 p.m. Benavides Sports Complex, 600 S. Bartlett. Join the Rio Grande International Study Center for a Halloween-inspired hike at the Chacon Hike & Bike Trail with bat watching at dusk at the Meadow Street Bridge. Free event.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
SATURDAY, NOV. 4 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions. 8th annual Birdies on the Rio golf tourney. 7 a.m. registration at the Max Mandel Municipal Golf Course. Join the Rio Grande International Study Center for the biggest, baddest golf tournament in town. $150 per golfer (all-inclusive). Register at www.rgisc.org.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions. The Nature Talk on "Introduction to Beekeeping." 6:30 p.m. Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center at Laredo Community College. Nature Talks are sponsored by the Brush Country Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists. The presenter will be Jesus Jimenez. All Nature Talks are free and open to the public.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 22 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Hard cover $1, paperback $0.50, magazines and children’s books, $0.25. Public is invited. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29 First United Methodist Church Used Book Sale. 10 a.m. - noon. 1220 McClelland Ave. Proceeds are used to support the church’s missions.
Las Vegas gunman targeted responding police, jet fuel tanks LAS VEGAS — The gunman who sprayed more than 1,000 bullets into a Las Vegas country music concert also took shots at jet fuel tanks and targeted police officers responding to the scene, investigators said Friday in portraying a killer who seemed determined to inflict even more carnage than the 58 people he murdered. Investigators gave more de-
tails on the chronology of events surrounding the shooting and pushed back against criticism that they were changing their story. Shifting accounts about when Stephen Paddock fired his first shots in his 32nd floor Mandalay Bay suite have led to questions about whether police could have done more to stop him on Oct. 1. “In the public space, the word ‘incompetent’ has been brought forward,” Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said. “I am absolutely offended with that characterization.”
In a chronology provided Monday, Lombardo had said Paddock started spraying 200 rounds from his suite into the hallway of the Mandalay Bay at 9:59 p.m., wounding an unarmed security guard in the leg. He said Friday that the security guard came to a barricaded stairwell door at 9:59 and wasn’t shot until around 10:05 p.m. About that time, the gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets on the festival crowd. Then he killed himself with a gunshot to the head. — C ompiled from AP reports
AROUND THE WORLD Former Mexican governor could be extradition target MEXICO CITY — Authorities in Mexico said Friday that they have asked their federal counterparts to keep them informed about the possible extradition to the United States of a former governor arrested last week. The Tamaulipas state anti-corruption prosecutor said in a statement that he has asked the federal Attorney General’s Office to let him know of any proceeding related to a U.S. extradition request for Eugenio Hernandez Flores. Hernandez was arrested Oct. 6 in the state capital of Victoria on charges of misuse of public funds and use of illicit funds. He is wanted in Texas on money laundering charges. Through his lawyer, Jorge Olvera Reyes, Hernandez has denied any wrongdoing. U.S. prosecutors asked a federal court in Corpus Christi
Courtesy / Gobierno de Tamaulipas
Former Tamaulipas Governor Eugenio Hernandez Flores was indicted on money laundering charges in Texas in 2015.
in August for certified copies of the original arrest warrant issued for Hernandez in February. The request said the copies were needed for the extradition package provided to Mexico. Hernandez was indicted on money laundering charges in Texas in 2015. The Texas indictment alleges he was involved in laundering money
from 2008 to 2015. It also accuses him of defrauding Texas banks by misrepresenting the source of funds. Tamaulipas state security officials asked their federal counterparts to transfer Hernandez to a federal facility, saying they cannot safely house him. — C ompiled from AP reports
Today is Saturday, Oct. 14, the 287th day of 2017. There are 78 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Oct. 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles E. ("Chuck") Yeager became the first test pilot to break the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell XS-1 rocket plane over Muroc Dry Lake in California. On this date: In 1890, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States, was born in Denison, Texas. In 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt, campaigning for the White House as the Progressive ("Bull Moose") candidate, went ahead with a speech in Milwaukee after being shot and wounded in the chest by New York saloonkeeper John Schrank, declaring, "It takes more than one bullet to kill a bull moose." In 1926, "Winnie-the-Pooh" by A.A. Milne was first published by Methuen & Co. of London. In 1939, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the HMS Royal Oak, a British battleship anchored at Scapa Flow in Scotland's Orkney Islands; 833 of the more than 1,200 men aboard were killed. In 1944, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel committed suicide rather than face trial and certain execution for allegedly conspiring against Adolf Hitler. In 1959, actor Errol Flynn died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at age 50. In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy suggested the idea of a Peace Corps while addressing an audience of students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Soviet leader Nikita S. Khrushchev was toppled from power and was succeeded by Leonid Brezhnev. In 1977, singer Bing Crosby died outside Madrid, Spain, at age 74. In 1987, a 58-hour drama began in Midland, Texas, as 18-month-old Jessica McClure slid 22 feet down a narrow abandoned well; she was rescued on Oct. 16. In 1997, novelist Harold Robbins died in Palm Springs, California, at age 81. Ten years ago: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice opened an intense round of Mideast shuttle diplomacy. Three University of Texas students exploring Airman's Cave were rescued after getting lost inside a day earlier. Lorena Ochoa clinched her second straight LPGA Tour player of the year award with a runaway victory in the Samsung World Championship, finishing at 18-under 270. The reality TV show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" premiered on E! Entertainment Television. Five years ago: Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner landed gracefully in the eastern New Mexico desert after a 24-mile jump from a balloon in the stratosphere in a daring, dramatic feat that officials said made him the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, at the age of 89, marked the 65th anniversary of his supersonic flight by smashing through the sound barrier again, this time in the backseat of an F-15 which took off from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Former Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, 82, died in Philadelphia. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, while the Detroit Tigers blanked the New York Yankees 3-0 to take a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series. Today's Birthdays: Classical pianist Gary Graffman is 89. Movie director Carroll Ballard is 80. Former White House counsel John W. Dean III is 79. Country singer Melba Montgomery is 80. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren is 78. Singer Sir Cliff Richard is 77. Singer-musician Justin Hayward is 71. Actor Harry Anderson is 65. Actor Greg Evigan is 64. TV personality Arleen Sorkin is 62. World Golf Hall of Famer Beth Daniel is 61. Singer-musician Thomas Dolby is 59. Actress Lori Petty is 54. MLB manager Joe Girardi is 53. Actor Steve Coogan is 52. Singer Karyn White is 52. Actor Edward Kerr is 51. Actor Jon Seda is 47. Country musician Doug Virden is 47. Country singer Natalie Maines is 43. Actresssinger Shaznay Lewis is 42. Singer Usher is 39. TV personality Stacy Keibler is 38. Actor Ben Whishaw is 37. Actor Jordan Brower is 36. Director Benh Zeitlin is 35. Actress Skyler Shaye is 31. Actor-comedian Jay Pharoah is 30. Thought for Today : "To think is to speak low. To speak is to think aloud." — F. Max Mueller, German philologist (1823-1900).
CONTACT US AROUND TEXAS Fitness guru charged with multimillion-dollar insurance fraud FORT WORTH, Texas — A North Texas fitness guru has been charged with submitting over $25 million in fraudulent claims to insurance companies. David Williams of Fort
Worth is free on bond after his Thursday arrest. A criminal complaint alleges that between November 2012 and this past August, the 54year-old trainer was paid more than $3.9 million through fraudulent billing of United HealthCare, Aetna and Cigna. Williams advertised on the internet offering in-home fitness training and therapy. A Justice Department statement
Friday states that 54-year-old fitness trainer falsely certified that he was a health care provider and billed for medical services. Williams’ attorney, Wes Ball of Arlington, says his client believed he was acting legally until that legality was questioned and he stopped. If convicted, Williams can be sentenced to 10 years in prison. — C ompiled from AP reports
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THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 14, 2017 |
A3
STATE
Alert delayed in campus shooting
Documents: Police did little to stop Waco biker showdown By Emily Schmall ASSOCIATED PRE SS
A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
LUBBOCK — Lubbock police say they were on Texas Tech University’s campus within five minutes of receiving a call about the shooting of a campus police officer. It took about 35 minutes from the time university officials called the city
police for an alert to be sent to students and faculty warning them that an armed suspect was on the loose. University officials told the Lubbock AvalancheJournal that the delay happened because the police station where the initial student alert would normally be generated
had become a crime scene. A 19-year-old student, Hollis Daniels III, is charged with murder in Monday’s killing of campus police officer Floyd East Jr., who had arrested Daniels on a drug possession charge and was booking him at the station when the attack occurred.
Inmate executed in Texas for corrections officer’s death By Michael Graczyk A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
HUNTSVILLE — A Texas inmate convicted in the death of a prison guard was executed Thursday after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his lawyers’ attempts to halt the punishment. Robert Pruett was given a lethal injection for the fatal attack on corrections officer Daniel Nagle in December 1999 at a prison southeast of San Antonio. Nagle was repeatedly stabbed with a tape-wrapped metal rod, though an autopsy showed he died from a heart attack that the assault caused. Prosecutors have said the stabbing stemmed from a dispute over a peanut butter sandwich that Pruett wanted to take into a recreation yard against prison rules. In his final statement before being put to death, the 38-year-old Pruett said he hurt a lot of people and a lot of people hurt him. “I’ve had to learn lessons in life the hard way,” he said. “One day there won’t be a need to hurt people.”
He told his friends who were watching the execution through a Pruett window that he loved them. “I’m ready to go,” Pruett said. “Nighty night, everybody. I’m done, warden.” As the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital began to flow, he started to chant: “Love. Light. It’s forever.” His voice rose as he repeated the phrase. He added obscenities and soon was yelling. He started to slur his words before slipping into unconsciousness. He was pronounced dead at 6:46 p.m. CDT, 29 minutes after being given the drug. Pruett, who was already serving a 99-year sentence for a neighbor’s killing near Houston when he was convicted in Nagle’s death, lost two appeals at the Supreme Court as his execution neared. He became the 20th prisoner put to death this year in the U.S. and the sixth in Texas, which carries out the
death penalty more than any other state. Texas executed seven inmates last year. About 100 corrections officers stood in formation outside the Huntsville Unit prison as Pruett was being executed. They remained there as Nagle’s relatives emerged from the prison after witnessing the punishment. “While some people may not understand this, I forgive him because God’s word tells us to do so,” Nagle’s wife, Crystal, said. “ Pruett’s 99-year murder sentence was for participating with his father and a brother in the 1995 stabbing death of a 29-year-old neighbor, Raymond Yarbrough, at the man’s trailer home in Channelview, just east of Houston. Pruett was 15 when the attack happened. Pruett punched and kicked Yarbrough and held him down while his father stabbed the man multiple times, the detective said. Pruett’s father, Howard Pruett, is serving life in prison. His brother, Howard Pruett Jr., was sentenced to 40 years.
FORT WORTH — Law enforcement officers prepared for war in Waco, Texas, on May 17, 2015. In parking lots surrounding the Twin Peaks restaurant just off Interstate 35, 16 police officers, including a SWAT team of 11, were poised with assault rifles in five police cars and two unmarked SUVs. Seven state police, some undercover, were inside the restaurant or nearby. Families were eating Sunday lunch apparently oblivious to the gathering storm, as dozens of armed bikers from the Cossacks poured onto the restaurant patio to confront the most powerful motorcycle gang in Texas, the Bandidos. When the first Bandidos rolled in, “the Cossacks began coming off the patio. You could see the tension building up instantly,” Waco Police Detective Jeff Rogers said in an affidavit that is part of a trove of evidence provided to The Associated Press. Then the shooting started. A SWAT officer said he saw a biker fire first. But evidence isn’t clear who started the deadliest biker shootout in U.S. history that left nine bikers dead and 20 wounded. Police bullets struck four bikers, killing at least two of them. Police arrested 177 bikers and state authorities indicted 154. Jury selection began this week in the first of those trials, against Bandidos Dallas chapter president Christopher “Jake” Carrizal for leading and engaging in organized criminal activ-
ity. Evidence that prosecutors gave to lawyers who are representing the bikers shows local and state authorities had overwhelming intelligence that violence was likely and did little in advance to prevent the meeting. While the strong police presence was aimed at deterring violence, and bikers said they noticed police cars, the uniformed police were mostly on the restaurant perimeter. The evidence also shows that the Texas Department of Public Safety, which was investigating biker gangs, met three times with Waco police in advance of the Twin Peaks meeting and had "contingency plans," although the document simply called on officers to follow department policy before firing. Rogers said that he made several calls before the shooting to the restaurant manager that went unanswered. State police Special Agent Christopher Frost spoke to Twin Peaks owner Jay Patel three days before the showdown and asked if the bikers had booked the whole restaurant. Patel said they had reserved only the patio area. Frost warned of “rising tensions” between the groups. Patel said he was expecting about 400 bikers and had hired three security guards. Frost’s report of the conversation ended with him asking Patel to let him know if any threats were received, but made no mention of any request to Patel to cancel the booking. One mystery of that day is exactly when feder-
al authorities arrived on scene. The Drug Enforcement Administration had been investigating the Bandidos since January, 2013. A senior official closely involved in federal prosecutions of the bikers insisted in an interview with the AP that federal investigators were not aware of the Twin Peaks meeting or of “any impending violence.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of court cases against the bikers. A Waco policeman reported that he spoke to an FBI agent at the scene immediately after the shooting. Other federal agents arrived quickly including the DEA, The U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The federal investigation intensified immediately after Waco. Federal agents got approval to wiretap Bandidos national vice president John Portillo a day after the Twin Peaks shootout. Prosecutors later indicted Portillo and former president Jeffrey Pike on racketeering charges, including ordering killings and assaults, and they are scheduled to go on trial next year. Five lower-level Bandidos pleaded guilty to similar charges. AP reviewed video from surveillance cameras, police dashcams and witness interviews, crime scene photos, contents of more than 100 cellphones and thousands of pages of documents. The Waco tragedy prompted soul-searching among law enforcement Waco continúa en A8
Zopinion
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A4 | Saturday, October 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
COLUMN
OTHER VIEWS
Is patriotism ‘fake news’? By Gloria Johns TR IB UN E NEWS SE RV ICE
Against the laws of physics, American exceptionalism and self-righteousness occupy the same space, and arrogance is the force that inspires the soul of much of America. We’re a simple folk, we Americans, and happiest when life delivers itself to us as absolutes - black or white, Christian or heathen, blue lives or black lives. And we can’t tolerate the complexity of ambiguity, preferring Heaven, or even Hell, to Purgatory. And "freedom" is that which we hold most dear, what many in the world, so it is thought, want to take away from us. In keeping with our own sense of superiority, the passionate version of "protecting our freedom" conjures a vision of darkskinned maniacs standing at our shores, eager to take the cheeseburger out of our right hand and the fries out of our left hand. But would the service of our military mean less knowing it was not always about our freedom, but the freedom of others? It is this heroic act of selflessness that best exemplifies what it means to be a great country. Indeed, the Bible affirms in John 15:13: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The caveat is that we must see all of humanity as worthy of saving, not just ourselves. In truth, we’re more admiring of the fight for the hamburger than humanity. For example, earlier this month four U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were killed helping troops in Niger battle Islamic extremists. In Korea, the United States defended the people of South Korea against the threat of the communist North. In Vietnam, the U.S. government defended South Vietnam against a take-over from North Vietnam - their own war of independence. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are evidence of the same bravery. But patriotism, now a spectator sport, is about whose is bigger - patriotism, that is. It’s as if all one has to do to claim the title of patriot is to fly the flag, stand for the national anthem, and chant "USA, USA!" The hypocrisy that is served up with that kind of patriotism should be as visible as the flag. For example, Donald Trump wears a U.S. flag lapel pin, and stands hand over heart for the national anthem. But hypocrisy is when that so-called patriotic president winks when a reporter asks the meaning of "fire and fury" or the "calm before the storm," showing complete disregard for the lives of our brothers and sisters he may commit to war. A president who accepts a Purple Heart so valiantly won by a veteran and then quips that "I always wanted one of these," but being handed one was "much easier" than serving in combat, is no patriot. A president who says of John McCain, "He’s a war hero ’cause he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, OK?" That president is no patriot. Meanwhile, the football player who kneels for the national anthem is ostracized, and accusations of playing the "race card" are the phrase that slams the door on meaningful conversation. The song isn’t about race, that is, until you read the third stanza: "Their blood has wash’d out their foul footsteps’ pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave." Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star Spangled Banner" was a slave owner, who, by his own pen, celebrated the death of slaves who were offered freedom if they would fight and die in the War of 1812 with Britain. Why do we demand that citizens, black or white, pay tribute to a song written by a slave owner that celebrates the death of slaves? Because it’s just easier to be ignorant. We’ve become a country where shouts and rallies drown out reason. And the wealthy, the likes of Jerry Jones and Trump, pull the strings of puppet America, demanding the type of loyalty that will ultimately result in our demise. Real patriotism rests with those, whether standing or kneeling, who are willing to openly challenge misconceptions. In the words of Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
COLUMN
How Hollywood can devise a system to save future victims of abuse By Nell Scovell WASHINGTON P O ST
“These are dark days for Hollywood rapists,” a friend of mine joked on the phone recently. I was grateful for the laugh. Since the weekend, the open wound created by Harvey Weinstein has prompted actors, writers and crew members to recall their own hellish tales of assault. For those of us who work in TV and movies, the stories pile up in our social media feeds and phone texts. They all have two things in common: one human disregarded another human’s agency; and the names of the offenders are not revealed. In the old TV show, “Dragnet,” names were changed to protect the innocent. Now they’re dropped to protect the guilty. Victims are offering details of inappropriate behavior while leaving out the one detail that could make the biggest difference. Still, who can blame them? Not me. It’s been almost 30 years since I joined this not-very-exclusive club, and I’m not naming names. My fear is not of the person, but what speaking up will signal to the community. “Hollywood is the only place where if someone screws you over and you call them on it, you’re the jerk,” a writer friend once said to me. We were talking about another friend whose idea for a TV show had been stolen by a big-name producer. The injured writer made a calculation and decided it’s not worth angering a gatekeeper when he can shut the door in your face. Then who have you hurt? (Hint: Not the gatekeeper.) That writer felt he had no recourse. It’s the same with victims of sexual assault. Hollywood is built on relationships and the way you keep relationships is by playing nice. If I bust my assaulter, somehow that makes me the troublemaker. Suddenly, I’m the jerk. “I moved here thirty years ago this month,” actress Julie Warner wrote on Facebook. “There exists a pernicious disease of sexism here in Hollywood. . . I could tell my truths about the powerful men who crossed the line with me in my 20’s, and 30’s, attempted rapes, harassment, vile
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truths, but I don’t want to freak my kid out. I could also name the powerful men and women who knew and told me to cope but never to reveal if I wanted to keep working.” Julie hashtagged her compelling and moving post: #Nopitypleasejustchange. Julie’s post took me back to 1991 when I watched Anita Hill testify at Clarence Thomas’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings. I was riveted by Hill’s honesty, bravery and poise. At one point, Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz., said he couldn’t understand why she hadn’t quit her job if her boss made the workplace so uncomfortable. “Well, I think it is very difficult to understand, senator,” Hill answered. She explained that she stayed “because I wanted to do the work. . . and I did not want to let that kind of behavior control my choices.” The desire to keep doing what we love supersedes the desire to penalize bad behavior. It’s not just powerful male executives who abuse their position. A successful male writer reached out to tell me about a predatory female executive who regularly feasted on the talent, pressuring one married writer to have sex with her in the office. In his 20s, my friend had been cornered by a different high-powered executive and succumbed to the pressure. “Her first words after we finished were, ‘By the way, there’s a project, I want to pitch you later,’” he texted. It felt transactional, but my friend said he’d gone along because he thought it would’ve hurt his career to say no. “Do you believe me?” he asked. That broke my heart. “Of course, I do,” I wrote back. Not naming names allows the predators to persist, but naming names hurts the victims. This stalemate means that part of the solution has to come from outside. The enablers are a huge part of the problem. At the very least, people need to start believing the victims and stop defending the perpetrators. At one of my more recent jobs, a crew member was fired after three women reported that he had rubbed up against them inappropriately on the set. My
male boss came into my office to discuss the situation. He shook his head. “It’s just a shame,” he said. “Those poor women,” I replied. He looked, startled. “No, the guy. It wasn’t like he was grabbing ass or tits,” he said, making the traditional honking breasts gesture with his hands. Then my boss added the kicker: “I really feel for him. He has kids.” Talent agencies and entertainment lawyers can do more to protect their clients. Agents could start circulating a list internally: “Here are the people who have been reported for treating clients of ours unprofessionally.” If an agency’s own client lands on that list, the agents should question their complicity in potentially criminal and certainly damaging behavior. And if an agent or manager advises a client who has been mistreated not to say anything, that advice should be followed by, “I’ll say something and make sure you’re protected.” Also, if an actress or actor tells their lawyer that they’ve been emotionally abused or physically assaulted, that lawyer should feel an obligation to contact the abuser’s lawyer and put them on notice. The GuildsWriters, Directors, Producers and Screen Actors-could gather and spread more information. Journalists can make a difference, too. Some names of offenders crop up repeatedly, and reporters should follow those leads. If those reporters get the silent treatment from the network, studio and managers, that complicity should become part of the story. Julie Warner had a lovely idea: women-and men-in the industry should meet in private and confidential settings to share their experiences. If some victims still didn’t feel comfortable speaking candidly, they could scribble down names and throw them anonymously into a hat. When a name comes up more than once, the group could be alerted and given the chance to come forward together. Perhaps just knowing that we’re all comparing notes would change the worst behavior. Hollywood culture could use some sex rehab, too. It would be so nice to live in a place where if someone screws you over and you call them on it, they’re the jerk.
CLASSIC DOONESBURY | GARRY TRUDEAU
THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 14, 2017 |
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BUSINESS
Shortage of hospital Renters find extra hurdles to recovery IV bags eyed by after hurricanes manufacturer By Linda A. Johnson A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
A key U.S. maker of hospital products said it expects a temporary shortage of small saline bags because of the hurricane that hit Puerto Rico. The hurricane wiped out the island’s electrical grid, shutting down Baxter’s three Puerto Rico factories for several days. The Deerfield, Illinoisbased company is still ramping up production by using generators. The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it’s working with Baxter to limit any shortages, helping the compa-
ny get fuel and manufacturing supplies and ship products. The FDA also is letting Baxter temporarily import its saline “Mini-Bags,” as they’re called, from the company’s factories in Ireland and Australia. The IV bags are widely used in hospitals to give patients fluids and medicines. Baxter is the biggest maker of small saline bags for the U.S. market. A couple other companies make similar products, but since 2014 there have been shortages across the industry. “Further shortage of this product could poten-
tially put U.S. health care at risk,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a statement Friday. Last week, the FDA said it’s worried there could be shortages of about 40 critical medicines because of the disruptions caused by the hurricane at the dozens of drug and device factories in Puerto Rico. Baxter and other companies have said that before Maria hit, they rushed to ship finished products off the island. They’ve also been moving inventory around to try to boost the supply for the U.S. market.
US retail sales show impressive leap By Christopher Rugaber A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — Americans increased their spending at retailers last month by the most in two and a half years, driven by strong auto sales as residents of hurricane-ravaged areas replaced destroyed cars. Retail sales rose 1.6 percent in September, after slipping 0.1 percent in August, the Commerce Department said Friday. Auto sales jumped 3.6 percent, the most since March 2015. Gas sales climbed 5.8 percent, the most in four and a half years, likely reflecting price spikes after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Even excluding the volatile auto and gas categories, sales rose a solid 0.5 percent, up from a 0.1 percent gain in August. Consumers are optimistic about the economy, unemployment has hit a 16-year low, and wages have ticked up in recent months. That should boost spending and
broader economic growth in the coming months. Most of the gains last month were likely fueled by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which slammed into Texas, Florida and other southeastern states in late August and September. Sales at home and garden supply stores rose 2.1 percent, probably lifted by hurricane preparation, as well as repairs and renovations in the aftermath of the storms. Grocery store sales increased 0.8 percent, the most since April 2016, likely boosted by restocking after the hurricanes hit. Sales at general merchandise stores, which include big box retailers such as Walmart and Target, rose 0.3 percent. Online retailers reported another healthy gain of 0.5 percent. E-commerce sales have jumped 9.2 percent in the past year, more than double the overall sales increase of 4.4 percent. Not all stores saw a boost: Sales at furnishers, electronics and appliance
stores, and sporting goods stores fell. The retail sales report is closely watched because it provides an early read on consumer activity each month. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the economy. U.S. economic growth likely slowed in the JulySeptember quarter as the hurricanes shut down thousands of businesses, employees were forced to miss work, and power was cut to millions of homes. Analysts forecast that the economy expanded at a 2 percent annual pace in the third quarter, down from a 3 percent gain in the April-June quarter. Yet the economy is expected to rebound in the final three months of the year as rebuilding and repair work accelerates. Construction and engineering firms are expected to step up hiring as homes, commercial buildings and roads and bridges are fixed. Economists expect growth will pick up to a 2.5 percent to 3 percent pace.
IRS suspends Equifax contract amid data breach By Stephen Ohlemacher A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
WASHINGTON — The IRS suspended a $7.25 million contract with the credit reporting company Equifax Friday after members of Congress complained the tax agency had awarded a no-bid contract to a company that recently had a massive data beach. The IRS had contracted with Equifax to validate the identity of taxpayers communicating with the agency on the telephone or through its website. In a statement Friday, the IRS said it suspended the contract as “a precautionary step” while the agency reviews the company’s security systems. “During this suspension, the IRS will continue its review of Equifax systems and security,” the statement reads.
“There is still no indication of any compromise of the limited IRS data shared under the contract.” Equifax revealed in September that hackers had obtained the personal information of more than 145 million people. Hackers stole Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses, and in some cases driver’s license numbers. Equifax CEO Richard Smith stepped down. He later went before Congress for a public shaming in which he apologized. Members of Congress from both political parties expressed outrage over the IRS contract. “Given that Equifax failed to secure their own systems and provide timely notifications of a massive security breach, they should have never been an option for hire by the IRS,” said Sen.
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said: “Suspending the IRS contract is only the first step. We cannot know taxpayers are protected until Equifax is banned from all federal contracts.” Equifax issued a statement Friday that said, “We remain confident that we are the best party to perform the services required in this contract. We are engaging IRS officials to review the facts and clarify available options.” While the contract is suspended, taxpayers will not be able to create new accounts in the tax agency’s Secure Access program, which enables taxpayers to securely access certain IRS services online. The IRS said taxpayers who already have accounts will not be affected.
By Claudia Lauer And Adriana Gomez Licon ASSOCIATED PRE SS
DALLAS — A neighbor was the first to tell Paige Cane that her landlord had posted an eviction notice on the door of her flooded apartment in Port Arthur, Texas. The 26-year-old was more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) away with no car, sleeping in a Dallas shelter for evacuees escaping Harvey’s floodwaters. The mother of four had no way to get back in the five days the eviction notice gave her to remove her belongings before they would be heaped on the curb. Rental housing has been a concern in many cities in Texas and Florida after hurricanes Harvey and Irma flooded tens of thousands of homes. Texas renters have complained of difficulties getting out of leases on damaged properties, short timelines for evictions, and trouble finding affordable rentals because landlords have a glut of tenants to choose from. In Florida, advocates worry rebuilding efforts after Irma are forcing out mobile home park residents who rent coveted land in the Florida Keys. In Texas, housing advocacy groups in Houston, Port Arthur and other hard-hit cities are fielding complaints. Lone Star Legal Aid, which provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in parts of the state, has received nearly 100 complaints from renters since the storm — complaints that can encompass issues dozens of renters have at one complex. “It’s unconscionable, but there were landlords who would not extend the rent deadlines,” even as Harvey hit on Aug. 25, days before rent was due for many, said John Henneberger, co-director of the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service. Texas statutes, which often favor landlords in disputes, require tenants to take landlords to court for rent reductions or lease termination — something that can seem monumental when courthouses are flooded, cars destroyed and incomes lost, Henneberger said. Florida has no blanket policy governing how late rental payments or evictions should be handled after storms, according to the Florida Apartment Association, which represents owners, developers and property managers for about 600,000 units.
Rental housing has been a concern in many cities in Texas and Florida after hurricanes Harvey and Irma flooded tens of thousands of homes. An association representative didn’t know of any landlords refusing to allow renters to break leases, but that doesn’t address renters who want their apartments repaired. “They haven’t done anything, not even put a tarp on the roof,” said Liliana Caminero, a 54year-old nurse, who lived in a second-floor apartment in Miami that suffered extensive roof damage. An inspector told her the place was uninhabitable and covered in black mildew, so she was forced to find another rental. In the Florida Keys, which took the brunt of Hurricane Irma, half of the up to 15,000 residential homes damaged or destroyed were mobile homes. Jose Fons, advocacy director for Monroe County for the Legal Services of Greater Miami, said landowners have started evicting trailer owners or renters from their lots, saying they are having problems with access to utilities. “There is a fear that some of them will change the use of land,” so that they are no longer mobile home parks, said Fons, a concern shared by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. “Not all of the trailers are uninhabitable.” Fons said landowners are giving tenants short timeframes to remove trailers. Florida officials have not asked park owners or landlords for leniency, unlike Texas. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged landlords to waive late fees for September and give more time to vacate uninhabitable apartments. At the same time, groups that track rental stock say they’ve seen a decrease in areas of Houston that stayed dry and an increase in average rents. Texas renters have also complained about landlords demanding rent for unlivable apartments and threatening to keep security deposits or put a mark on the renters’ credit reports if they don’t pay. Texas law says either the landlord or the tenant can decide that a space is unlivable because of a flood or fire, but the law doesn’t clearly outline what happens if they disagree. As for short timelines
for evictions, five-day notices, while allowed, have been applied in ways that don’t comply with Texas law, said Rich Tomlinson, litigation director at Lone Star Legal Aid. Landlords cannot move tenants’ property without going to court, he said. “This is unlike my previous experience with flooding,” Tomlinson said. “A lot of landlords this time have sent out those five-day eviction notices. I don’t remember them doing that in the previous floods, and certainly not like this.” Lone Star Legal Aid has filed a handful of legal actions in the last month, including a request for an order prohibiting an apartment management company from putting Cane’s belongings on the street before she could get back. “I went back to school, and I graduated with my diploma. I want my diploma and my photos,” Cane said, wiping her face as she stood at a park near a Dallas shelter last month with two of her children. “Me and my four are going to be fine. I’m going to take care of mine. But I feel driven to do this.” A court later gave Cane time to get her belongings. A phone call to the apartment complex seeking comment was not returned. The Houston Housing Authority, which provides housing for lowincome residents, has had its own issues, including initially charging some residents September rent for flood-damaged apartments before returning the money. At Clayton Homes near downtown Houston, officials said 112 of 296 units would be demolished because of mold and E. coli. Tenants were given vouchers for private housing because the authority has nothing left. The authority also issued five-day eviction notices to about 150 residents at a senior living apartment building because of floodwater damage. The residents were given more time, but many protested that they didn’t want to leave despite damage to electrical and other systems. “This isn’t ideal. But it isn’t safe,” the authority’s president, Tory Gunsolley, said.
Sports&Outdoors A6 | Saturday, October 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: DALLAS COWBOYS
NFLPA to petition for rehearing on Elliott’s 6-game suspension Players Association to file a ‘Hail Mary’ with 5th Circuit Court By Clarence E. Hill Jr. FORT WORTH STAR-TEL EGRAM
Michael Ainsworth / Associated Press file
A federal appeals court on Thursday lifted an injunction that blocked a six-game suspension for Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and his legal team are not giving up its legal fight with the NFL over his six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. One day after having his preliminary injunction thrown out and his case ordered to be dismissed by a three-judge panel, 2-1, from the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Elliott informed a New York judge that he plans to file a petition for a rehearing before the full 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. It’s largely a ’Hail Mary,’ as Elliott’s team of
NFL Players’ Association lawyers likely feel they will have a better chance of success with a rehearing with the 5th Circuit than re-starting the case by filing for a new temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction with the Southern District Court of New York, which is viewed as a more favorable court for the NFL. The league won its Deflategate case against Tom Brady in that court. The three-panel judges voted 2-1 to grant the NFL’s emergency request and ordered the U.S. Eastern District of Texas Court in Sherman to dismiss Elliott’s case. The vote was not unanimous, with James E. Graves issuing a dissenting opinion in Elliott’s
NCAA FOOTBALL: TEXAS A&M AGGIES
favor. Jennifer Elrod and Edward Prado swung the decision in the NFL’s favor. Essentially, the 5th Circuit agreed with the NFL saying the case was not ripe as Elliott had not exhausted all remedies under the collective bargaining agreement, thus Elliott filed too soon and the Texas court did not have proper jurisdiction to rule. Again, Elliott is hoping a review by the entire 5th circuit might result in a different outcome, if they get granted the review. If they are granted the full review, Elliott and his lawyers have asked that the preliminary injunction blocking the suspension be reinstated. As of now, Elliott will
miss the next six games following Sunday’s bye, starting with the Oct. 22 matchup at the San Francisco 49ers, the Oct. 29 game at the Washington Redskins, at home Nov. 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Nov. 12 at the Atlanta Falcons, Nov. 19 at home against the Philadelphia Eagle and the Nov. 23 Thanksgiving Day game against the Washington Redskins. Elliott is eligible to return to the team Nov. 24. Elliott, 22, has played in the first five games for the 2-3 Cowboys. He leads the team with 393 rushing yards on 105 carries, averaging 3.7 yards a carry. He was the NFL’s rushing champion as a rookie a year ago with 1,631 yards.
NCAA FOOTBALL: TEXAS
TEXAS A&M, FLORIDA TRYING TO AVOID CONSECUTIVE LOSSES
Eric Gay / Associated Press
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger and the Longhorns will look to hand Oklahoma its second straight upset as the teams square off in the Red River rivalry Saturday.
Texas-Oklahoma renew the Red River rivalry Bob Levey / Getty Images
Christian Kirk and the Aggies play Florida Saturday in a matchup both teams need to win to avoid falling down further in the SEC standings.
By Schuyler Dixon
A&M, Florida square off in battle of one-loss SEC schools
DALLAS — Before Maryland, or San Jose State, or Southern California, or Iowa State, or Kansas State, the Texas Longhorns had a countdown clock in their locker room. For the Oklahoma game. Tom Herman might be new to the rivalry as a head coach, but the former Texas assistant is acting like a veteran of the half-burnt orange, half-crimson Cotton Bowl spectacle that takes center stage at the Texas State Fair in Dallas again Saturday. “I remember it being like 108 days a long time ago,” linebacker Malik Jefferson said. “Time flies, and you look at the hallway coming in to build up to this moment.” The 12th-ranked Sooners might have been peeking ahead to the Longhorns before their stunning home loss to Iowa State , so now they’re thinking about more than bragging rights. Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), which was No. 3 with a nationleading 14-game winning streak a week ago, needs a win to maintain realistic hopes for the College Football Playoff. “It’s a big-picture mindset,” quarterback
By Mark Long A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida is trying to avoid going from unranked to irrelevant. Coming off a 17-16 home loss to LSU, the Gators host Texas A&M on Saturday night in need of a victory to stay in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division hunt. A loss to the Aggies likely would leave Florida (3-2, 3-1 SEC) two games back in the division and needing help down the stretch. Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1) lost control of its league destiny with a 27-19 home loss to No. 1 Alabama last week. So either the Aggies or the Gators will bounce back in The Swamp. The other will have a twogame losing streak and facing tough questions and potentially difficult decisions the rest of the way. “We’re excited just to try to get that feeling out of our mouth this week,” Florida linebacker David Reese said. The Gators felt like they were better than LSU, but missed a game-
tying extra point late in the third quarter and failed to mount a significant drive in the fourth. Coach Jim McElwain responded by picking up the pace in practice, hoping increased tempo will lead to more opportunities and more points. Florida might need them against the Aggies, who rank fourth in the SEC in scoring and lead the league in total plays. “We know it’s about us, and if we do what we do, we can play with anyone in the country,” Texas A&M linebacker Cullen Gillaspia said. The Aggies surely gained confidence while playing the Tide closer than anyone else this season. They held Alabama to 355 yards and 16 first downs, and might have had a chance to pull off an upset if not for three turnovers. “That game is over with it, and it’s onto Florida,” Aggies linebacker Tyrel Dodson said. Here are some other things to know about the fourth meeting between Texas A&M and Florida: AWFUL OR AWESOME?
Florida will wear alternate uniforms for the first time. They are “swamp green,” designed to look like alligator skin and have drawn mixed reviews. Coach Jim McElwain even joked that his “hate mail” tripled since the uniforms were unveiled this week. LONG TIME Texas A&M is making its first trip to Florida Field since 1962, a 42-6 loss that came two years before coach Kevin Sumlin was even born. Sumlin noted that the Gators have the best home-winning percentage in the country since 1990. “Every fan base is really passionate about their football team,” Sumlin said. “There’s not a lot of places you can go in this league where it’s not a hostile environment on the road. It will be good for us.” MISSING MEN The Gators could be without 14 scholarship players for the game, including nine suspended indefinitely while the state attorney’s office investigates potential felony credit card fraud charges. Receiver Tyrie
Cleveland (high-ankle sprain), receiver Kadarius Toney (separated shoulder) and guard Brett Heggie (concussion) are key guys who might not be cleared to play. KEY MATCHUP Aggies receiver Christian Kirk could be the best offensive player in The Swamp this season. The 5-foot-11 junior has 27 receptions for 316 yards and five touchdowns in six games and could be a handful for a secondary that will be without safety Nick Washington (shoulder). Kirk also ranks third in the conference in kickoffs, averaging 26.9 yards a return and taking one back for a touchdown. Florida, however, is the only team in the nation that hasn’t allowed a kickoff return. TURNOVERS WANTED After returning three interceptions for touchdowns in the first two games, Florida’s rebuilt defense doesn’t have a turnover in its last three games. The Gators also are one of four teams in the nation without a fumble recovery.
ASSOCIATED PRE SS
Baker Mayfield said. “The biggest thing for us is realizing we still have it all out in front of us. It doesn’t matter what anybody else does. If we win out and take care of our business, I have all the confidence in the world that we could end up in the playoff, and we should.” The Longhorns (3-2, 2-0) aren’t thinking playoff after losses to Maryland and USC, but they’re tied for first in the Big 12 with No. 6 TCU following a double-overtime win against Kansas State. Texas hasn’t been in this position since 2013, when the Longhorns went into the final game of the regular season with a shot at the league championship in former coach Mack Brown’s last season. And while Herman thinks enough of the rivalry to display preseason references for the sixth game on the schedule, he also has a bigpicture mindset. “They don’t give you extra points in the Big 12 standings for beating Oklahoma and they don’t get any extra for beating Texas,” Herman said. “Our main goal is to compete for and win the conference title in the months of November and December. This is the next step along that way.”
Zfrontera THE ZAPATA TIMES | Saturday, October 14, 2017 |
RIBEREÑA EN BREVE Día de Agradecimiento 1 Las Girl Scouts invitan a la comunidad a celebrar el Día de Agradecimiento al Personal de Emergencias, en su segunda edición, hoy, de 9 a.m. a 11 a. m. en IBC Annex. Las Girl Scouts servirán pancakes y refrigerios. Se aceptan donativos.
Expo Fiesta 1 La Ciudad de Miguel Alemán, invita a su Expo Fiesta 2017 que presenta artesanía, gastronomía, juegos mecánicos, presentaciones artísticas y muchas atracciones más. Del 6 al 15 de octubre en el Teatro del Pueblo.
Festival Nuevo Santander 1 La Sociedad Genealógica Nueva Santander del Condado de Zapata invita al Festival Nuevo Santander el 13 y 14 de octubre de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. en el Museo de Historia del Condado de Zapata.
Caminata contra cáncer 1 Walk All Over Cancer! en su cuarta caminata anual. Inscripciones en el Ayuntamiento llamando al 956-8491411 x 9241 o en el 956-844-1428. Caminata iniciará en Citizens State Bank o en el Centro Comuniario de Roma el sábado 21 de octubre.
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MEXICANOS REPATRIADOS
“Bienvenido a casa” Tamaulipas podría enfrentar crisis ante llegada de deportados Por Aaron Nelsen RIO GRANDE VALLEY BUREAU
NUEVO LAREDO, México— Los deportados llegan a la ciudad fronteriza en autobuses. Aparecen en las calles desalineados y desorientados, haciéndolos presas fáciles de grupos criminales buscando aprovecharse de su vulnerabilidad. “Bienvenido a casa”, dice el director del Instituto Tamaulipeco, José Carmona, saludando a unas cuantas docenas de deportados. “Si las cosas no salieron como lo planearon. México es su patria, su bandera, sus raíces y honestamente, México los extrañó”. Más de 57.000 personas fueron enviadas a ciudades en Tamaulipas en 2016; De manera que cuando el Presidente Donald Trump prometió deportar hasta tres millones de inmigrantes con antecedentes penales este año, funcionarios tamaulipecos se prepararon para una deportación masiva. Pero cifras mexicanas muestran que solo 29.738 fueron repatriados del 1 de enero al 31 de agosto a Tamaulipas, lo cual es
una tasa considerablemente menor al año pasado. Y las cifras de Estados Unidos muestran que Inmigración y Aduanas está deportando menos personas en general en el año fiscal 2017. Las cifras finales aun no están disponibles. Aun así, Carmona sabe que Tamaulipas podría fácilmente enfrentarse a una crisis humanitaria si su vecino al norte empieza a aumentar las deportaciones, una perspectiva intimidante en un estado donde los inmigrantes son objeto de extorsiones y secuestros. Autoridades de inmigración estadounidenses envían personas al otro lado de la línea internacional a ciudades fronterizas como Matamoros, Reynosa y Nuevo Laredo, cargando sus documentos y unas cuantas posesiones que traen de los centros de detención en bolsas de plástico. Un programa gubernamental conocido como Somos Mexicanos, conecta a los deportados con servidores públicos, pero muchos expertos dicen que el programa no hace lo suficiente para ayudar a los deportados a
levantarse o navegar los peligros a los que se enfrentan. Fue después que el cártel de los Zetas masacrara a 72 inmigrantes en un rancho a las fueras de San Fernando por negarse a unirse a sus rangos que el estado comisionó a Carmona a abrir un centro humanitario para inmigrantes. Con oficinas en Nuevo Laredo y Reynosa, el instituto ofrece acceso a los deportados a servicios legales y médicos, y ayuda a programar viajes fuera de la ciudad con tarifas de autobús a descuento. Hace un mes, oficiales de policía en Central Texas detuvieron a Reyna Robles, de 64 años de edad, a lado del camino y le pidieron sus documentos. Ella no tenía nada que enseñar. Después de haber pasado 40 años en los Estados Unidos, Robles fue deportada en cuestión de semanas a una ciudad que ella solo conocía como la ciudad en donde secuestran a los deportados. “En el presupuesto federal no hay dinero marcado para abordar este trabajo, la tarea queda en manos del estado o el go-
bierno municipal”, dijo Blanca D. Vázquez Delgado, investigadora de El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. “Tampoco hay reglas locales y estatales que dicten la responsabilidad de atender a esta población. Nadie asume esta tarea a excepción de los grupos religiosos o sociales”. Fernando Martínez, otro joven deportado, estaba sentado con los ojos bien abiertos en la oficina del Instituto Tamaulipeco esperando a usar el teléfono. Martinez había vivido casi todos sus 18 años de vida en Dallas hasta que una ofensa por traspaso ilegal lo envió al proceso de deportación. Martínez pasó la noche en el refugio de inmigrantes, donde su limitado español y ropa americana lo hicieron darse cuenta que a pesar de su derecho a la ciudadanía mexicana por nacimiento, él era un foráneo. Mientras tanto, sus padres en Dallas habían arreglado para que su familia en Guanajuato fuera por él a Nuevo Laredo. “No sé nada sobre México”, dijo Martínez. “Es una vida nueva para mí. De hecho tengo un poco de miedo”.
ROMA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
CELEBRAN SEMANA DE PREVENCIÓN DE INCENDIOS
Consulado móvil 1 El Consulado móvil de salud visitará Zapata el 28 de octubre. Las personas con algún problema de salud pueden asistir para ser referidos con aliados que puedan ayudarlos. Se estarán emitiendo servicios de documentación como pasaportes mexicanos y matricula consular.
Pago de impuestos 1 Desde diciembre, los pagos por impuestos a la propiedad de la Ciudad de Roma deberán realizarse en la oficina de impuestos del Distrito Escolar de Roma, localizado en el 608 N. García St. PAGO EN LÍNEA 1 La Ciudad de Roma informa a sus residentes que a partir de ahora el servicio del agua puede pagarse en línea a cualquier hora las 24 horas del día.
Llenado de aplicaciones 1 La Ciudad de Roma ofrece el servicio de llenado de aplicaciones para CHIP, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, Chip, Prenatal y otros. Contacte a Gaby Rodríguez para una cita en el centro comunitario o en su domicilio al 956246-7177.
Laboratorio Computacional 1 La Ciudad de Roma pone a disposición de la comunidad el Laboratorio Computacional que abre de lunes a viernes en horario de 1 p.m. a 5 p.m. en Historical Plaza, a un lado del City Hall. Informes en el 956-849-1411.
Foto de cortesía / Roma ISD
El Departamento de Bomberos de la Ciudad de Roma realizó un evento con estudiantes de primaria del distrito escolar Roma Independent School District para celebrar la Semana de Prevención de Incendios. En la fotografía, Sparky enseña a una estudiante cómo actuar en caso de incendio.
COLUMNA
Duque de Windsor visitó México a medidados de Siglo XX Por Raúl Sinencio Chávez TIEMP O DE ZAPATA
Justo a mitad del siglo XX visita México el duque de Windsor. Hasta el noreste extremo llega en viaje de placer. Generosos recibimientos le tributan las élites locales. Acaso encandiladas, por alto pasan ciertos antecedentes del personaje. Eduardo nace príncipe. La reina Victoria de Inglaterra es bisabuela suya. A mayor detalle, con él abre descendencia el rey Jorge V. Primogénito real, la corona del imperio lo aguarda. Termina ciñéndosela en 1936. Fallecido el padre, sube al trono como Eduardo VIII. Pero dura apenas meses. Y todo por matrimoniarse
con la estadounidense Wallis Simpson, recién divorciada. En medio del escándalo, al cabo de las nupcias abdica hacia fines de 1936. Sucediéndolo, el hermano Jorge VI lo vuelve duque de Windsor, sujeto a determinadas limitantes. Bien financiado y en compañía de Wallis, pasea cuanto quiere: Portugal, España, Francia. El presidente Miguel Alemán Valdés transforma mientras a México en gran destino turístico. Ello atrae miradas del ex monarca y de la plebeya consorte. Si les faltaren motivos para hacer las correspondientes maletas, pronto encuentran uno a pedir de boca, pues deciden ambos convertirse en padrinos de
Manuela Ávila Camacho López. Transcurre 1950. De manera previsible dicho apadrinamiento propicia gratos recorridos por el país. Dejándose agasajar, el matrimonio acepta cortesías al respecto. En Monterrey aborda el Ferrocarril del Golfo. Breve escala realizan los Windsor en Tampico el lunes 13 de febrero de 1950. Ante micrófonos radiofónicos agradecen “las múltiples atenciones recibidas”, informa El Porvenir. Caída la noche –según el diario regiomontano–, concurren “a la recepción de rigurosa etiqueta que les ofrece el doctor Juan Gómez Sariol, administrador de la Aduana” Marítima del puerto. Amanecido el martes, Eduardo y Wallis
prosiguen a la Ciudad de México, deteniéndose lo indispensable en Valles, SLP, el tren privado que los traslada. Nada importa por lo visto el pasado turbulento de aquellos huéspedes. Admiradores del nacionalsocialismo, durante 1937 se hacen presentes en Alemania, donde el duque pasa revista a los temidos escuadrones de la SS. Tanto aprecio gana allá, que a directivos germanos compunge la abdicación de Eduardo. “Con él hubiéramos podido llegar a una alianza”, declara Joseph Goebbels, ministro de propaganda nazi. Al rendirse Berlín, el marido de Wallis critica en público las “posturas teatrales” de Adolfo Hitler. Guarda silencio en
cambio sobre Oswald Mosley, fallido émulo británico del führer. Reinante, “Eduardo VIII pensó … nombrarlo primer ministro” en 1936, dice Manuel Florentín. Y explica: “Amigo desde joven del (otrora) príncipe heredero, … de conocidas simpatías pronazis”, Oswald y él “mantendrían … amistad toda la vida: era muy común que los Mosley fueran a cenar a la casa de los Windsor en París”. Qué irónico. En la entonces reciente Segunda Guerra Mundial, pese a la neutralidad de su bandera resultan torpedeados varios buques mexicanos y numerosos tripulantes civiles mueren. Los cobardes ataques provienen del III Reich.
A8 | Saturday, October 14, 2017 | THE ZAPATA TIMES
FROM THE COVER
Texas couple survives being stranded 6 days in rural Utah By Brady Mccombs A S S OCIAT E D PRE SS
SALT LAKE CITY — A Texas couple who set out for a day trip to Lake Powell while on vacation in southern Utah ended up narrowly surviving six harrowing days stranded on a rocky, desolate dirt road that was impassable in their rental car, authorities said Friday. Helena Byler, 78, was found lying on the road Oct. 2 by a rancher who happened to be checking on his cattle in the area of the Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monu-
pital spokeswoman McKoye Mecham. Helena Byler only had to spend one night in the hospital. The couple from Houston may not have survived one more day in the extremely remote area with no cellphone coverage where it’s normal to go a full week without any cars using the road, Alldredge said. They had hardly any food or water, drinking only from puddles that formed in the ground after rains. The couple left their motel in a small town of Kanab, Utah, in the morning on Sept. 26 to drive to Lake Powell in a rental
sedan and took a rocky dirt road while following directions from a GPSmapping app, he said. The dirt road that winds through a small canyon has large rocks and 18inch drops at some points, Alldredge said. The couple turned around when they realized they were on the wrong road, but they couldn’t get out. The best route to Lake Powell from Kanab is on established highways, but it’s not the first time tourists have gotten stuck on treacherous dirt roads that their GPS mapping apps thought would be shortcuts, Alldredge said.
Biker gangs are a small but violent problem, according to a 2015 FBI report, with some 44,000 members and associates of a few “outlaw” criminal groups such as the California-based Hells Angels and the Bandidos.
ment, Kane County Chief Deputy Alan Alldredge said. Search and rescue teams aboard a helicopter found her husband, Gerald Byler, 76, later that day in a trailer he took shelter in after spotting an SOS sign made out of rocks and flowers that was nearby. He was severely dehydrated and unable to move, but could speak with rescuers. Gerald Byler remained hospitalized Friday in St. George, where he is in good condition in a neuro specialty rehabilitation unit at Dixie Regional Medical Center, said hos-
police presence. In 2002, the Hells Angels and the rival Mongols got into a fight at a Nevada casino that resulted in a fatal stabbing and two shooting deaths. “Did we anticipate problems? Yes. What we didn’t know, what no one knew, was where and when that was going to pop off,” he said. Biker gangs are a small but violent problem, according to a 2015 FBI report, with some 44,000 members and associates of a few “outlaw” criminal groups such as the California-based Hells Angels and the Bandidos. The Cossacks are more of “an aspirational club” aiming to gain notoriety, said Donald Charles Da-
vis, a biker club enthusiast who blogs under the name The Aging Rebel. The animosity between the Bandidos and Cossacks may date from November 2013, when Cossacks started wearing a “Texas” patch on the back of motorcycle jackets — seen as a provocation to the Bandidos. It came to a head in March 2015, at the small town of Lorena near Waco, when a group of suspected Cossacks beatup a Bandido with chains and metal pipes. The injured Bandido did not press charges. Waco detective Rogers learned in April from an informant that the bikers were planning to meet at Waco in May.
Also in April, the FBI reported that the Bandidos discussed “going to war” with the Cossacks at a biker rally in West Texas. Law enforcement warned both clubs there would be a strong police presence. There was no significant violence. As the Twin Peaks meeting approached, communications became more ominous. On May 1, Rogers warned in an email to a colleague: “the potential for violence is very high.” The morning of the meeting, Rogers was “very nervous,” and predicted a “high probability for violence.” The shooting lasted just three minutes but left a scene of carnage. In a conversation captured by her bodycam, Waco police officer Nicki Stone told a colleague after the shooting, “I really didn’t think it was going to end like this.” “I thought that we were supposed to stay back and let them fight this out,” she said.
NAFTA From page A1
stitutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Trudeau said improving labor standards may be the only way to pro-
tect the 23-year-old trade pact. “Progressive labor standards are how we ensure that a modernized
NAFTA will also bolster not just free and fair trade, but will enjoy long-lasting popular support,” Trudeau said.
HARMONY From page A1
for them. The two high school sophomores have attended Harmony for several years. Peña expressed what he believes sets Harmony apart from other schools. “I would have to say the opportunities the school gives us because it allows us to learn more than you would in a normal high school,” Peña said. “For example, we are taking a biomedical class, which allows us to learn more about what we want to study.” The new addition of Harmony School of Ex-
cellence allows more students to be enrolled. Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, expressed his excitement about welcoming the new school. He said Harmony’s holistic approach produces wellrounded students who can become future leaders. But Harmony is more than just a STEM-focused school. As it continues to expand its presence in Laredo, the creation of school spirit is following closely behind.
A campus mascot, Harmony Hawks, was unveiled last year and the 4-year-old athletic department is eagerly working toward UIL participation. “Today really represents opportunities for us to educate more students,” said Marcy Andrade, Harmony’s San Antonio communications and outreach district director. “We believe in school choice and we offer students an opportunity to really focus in careers for the future, so we’re excited about that.”
treatment. On top of traditional counseling, substance abuse treatment services and case management, SCAN will use these funds to create a prevention workgroup by recruiting community health workers, young adult peers, mentors and other key stakeholders and training them to recognize the link between substance abuse and HIV and viral hepatitis infection, and effective prevention strategies. SCAN’s South Texas Prevention Navigator Project will also provide additional outreach to ensure these youth receive prevention services, rapid testing, medical care and referral services. The goal of the program is to increase access to care and expand services for prevention as well as improve outcomes for a minimum of 950 people over the life of the project. The second grant is
awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — Administration for Children and Families in the amount of $973,630, or $194,000 per year for five years, and will allow SCAN to reopen the Arco Iris Transitional Living Program and continue operations for the next five years. The Arco Iris Transitional Living Program will provide shelter and comprehensive support services to runaways and homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 21. During the course of five years, SCAN will use these funds to provide case management, counseling, life skills education and referrals to community services providers, such as doctors and workforce centers. The program will also provide 125 youth and young adults with shelter and another 125 with non-residential comprehensive services.
“At SCAN, we are dedicated to helping others in need and constantly seek to fill gaps in services,” said Christopher Craddock, SCAN vice president. “The South Texas Prevention Navigator Project will help the agency expand the provision of evidence-based substance abuse and HIV prevention services to adolescents and young adults in Starr and Zapata counties. “The Arco Iris Transitional Living Program grant will help SCAN provide runaway and homeless youth in Webb County with access to safe shelter and a variety of prevention and support services to foster their healthy development. We are very thankful to the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for selecting SCAN to receive these grants.”
WACO From page A3 officials nationwide. Two experts on biker gangs who did not work on the Waco investigations, said that unless there is fear of a terrorist attack, authorities have to convince a judge to issue an injunction to stop a public meeting protected by the constitutional guarantee of free speech and assembly. “I think this was definitely a learning experience where they would probably do more proactive stuff to stop the meeting, even if they’d had to get an injunction,” said Charles Falco, a former federal informant on California biker gangs who now trains law enforcement officers. Jay Dobyns, a retired ATF agent who was an informant on the Hells Angels, said violence between biker gangs sometimes happens even with good advance intelligence and a strong
technology, engineering and math education,” said Bilgehan Yasar, area superintendent. “So we like to help the community have that knowledge and prepare students for their careers.” Harmony Academy is the only Texas Education Agency-STEM academy in Laredo. For students Heber Vazquez and Gerardo Peña, who have their sights set on a career in medicine, Harmony is the perfect school
GRANTS From page A1 our the people of our community.” The first grant is awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the amount of $1 million, or $200,000 per year for five years, to be used to implement the South Texas Prevention Navigator Project, which aims to reduce the occurrence of substance abuse, HIV and viral hepatitis among local youth and young adults. The grant will expand SCAN’s current efforts to provide substance abuse and HIV prevention services to youth between the ages of 13 and 17 and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 in Webb, Zapata and Starr counties. SCAN will take a community approach to
JERRY LARA / San Antonio Express-News
Jose Morado, 48, of Matehuala in San Luis Potosi and other repatriated migrants listens as they’re briefed on the free services offered at the Instituto Tamaulipeco.
MEXICO From page A1 people overall in the 2017 fiscal year, which ended last month, than last year. Final figures aren’t yet available, but as of Sept. 9, ICE had deported a total of 211,068 people — not just to Mexico, but all countries. In the 2016 fiscal year, 240,255 people were deported. At the same time, the flow of northbound migrants, who compete for limited humanitarian resources, has declined sharply since Trump took office in January. Still, Carmona knows Tamaulipas could just as swiftly be facing a humanitarian crisis should its northern neighbor step up deportations, a daunting prospect in a state where migrants are targeted for extortion and kidnapping. “Every day I send (Gov. Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca) the latest deportation results,” Carmona said. “And every day, he has a response: ‘We have to keep reinforcing our efforts to respond to our countrymen.’ ” U.S. immigration authorities send people walking across the international line to the border cities of Matamoros, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo, carrying their documents and few possessions brought from detention in plastic bags. A government program known as Somos Mexicanos, or We Are Mexicans, connects deportees with public services, yet many experts say the program doesn’t do enough to help deportees get back on their feet or navigate the dangers they will face. Tamaulipas shares 230 miles of border with Texas, making it a funnel for tens of thousands of migrants smuggled through the northeastern state every year. It was after the Zetas cartel massacred 72 migrants on a ranch outside the town of San Fernando for refusing to join their ranks that the state tapped Carmona to open a humanitarian center for migrants. With offices in Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa, the institute offers deportees access to basic legal and medical services, and helps arrange travel out of town on discounted bus fares. A month ago, police officers in Central Texas stopped Reyna Robles, 64, on the side of the road, asking for her papers. She had none to give. After 40 years in the U.S., Robles was deported within a matter of weeks to a town that she had only known as a place where deportees are kidnapped. One recent afternoon, Robles waited for family who still live in the U.S. to wire her money for a bus ticket to her home state of Durango. “They brought me here,” Robles said of the institute where she was able to contact her sister. Later, she was taken to a nearby shelter for the night. “I don’t know what might have happened if they hadn’t been there.” But some say efforts to assist deportees are inadequate, and largely focused on attending to the needs of Tamaulipecos rather than people from
other Mexican states. “If in the federal budget there is no money earmarked to address this work, the task is left in the hands of state or municipal governments,” said Blanca D, Vázquez Delgado, an investigator with El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, a think tank in Nuevo Laredo. “Nor are there state or local rules that dictate responsibility of attending to this population. No one assumes the task except social or religious groups.” Although Tamaulipas takes in about a quarter of all deportees, the border state was slated to receive less than 4 percent of the $16 million in last year’s federal Migrant Support Fund, which is dispersed to states based on the amount of individual remittances sent to each state from the U.S. But Tamaulipas didn’t get any federal money in 2016; the institute had to make do with $215,000 from the state. Amid much handwringing, the Cabeza de Vaca administration appealed to states whose repatriated residents were being delivered to Tamaulipas, ultimately forging compensation agreements this year with San Luis Potosi, Michoacan, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Veracruz to assist their deportees dropped off in Tamaulipas. In addition, Tamaulipas finally received the federal money it was owed in 2016 and is getting more federal funding this year for a total of about $1.1 million for lodging, transportation and other expenses. Cabeza de Vaca has suggested many deportees might find work in his state. Responding to the Trump administration decision to phase out the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which currently shields about 690,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation, Cabeza de Vaca said his state would welcome them. But few have roots in the state, or desire a life here. Those desperate to reach the U.S. say they have no choice but to hire smugglers to get them across the border. One recent afternoon, Avelino Gomez, 30, stared blankly at the floor as Carmona began his orientation for his third deportation in less than a year. Raised in Florida from the age of 3, Gomez was picked up on a drug possession charge a year ago. His life has been turned upside down ever since. Gomez paid smugglers $3,000 to sneak him into Texas, where he promptly was caught by border agents. He spent a month in jail before he was deported a second time. His attempt to cross the border illegally again also was thwarted, followed by 90 days in jail. Gomez’s family had also paid a $6,500 ransom to free him from another group of smugglers. If Gomez is caught crossing the border illegally again, he could face felony charges and years in a U.S. prison as a repeat offender, but he wasn’t making plans to stay in Mexico. “Where would I go,” Gomez said, “what kind of life would I have?”