CANDIDATES FIELD QUESTIONS ON SANCTUARY CITIES, ASYLUM SEEKERS~CARLOS GUERRERO AND ISMAEL HINOJOSA NO-SHOWS AGAIN!

Mayor Tony Martinez, Charlie Cabler. (Trey Mendez was absent, holding a meet & greet at an event center.)

At Large "A" Candidates John Cowen, Jessica Puente Bradshaw (As they have for most of the campaign, Ismael Hinojosa and Carlos Guerrero skipped the forum.  Nurith Galonsky, not invited as a participant, was in the audience to hear the comments and questions.)

Before the start of the Monday's Frontera Progressives Candidate Forum at the Brownsville Library, I asked Mayor Tony Martinez if he'd ever seen this many forums during a campaign:

"We've always had the Realtors, BPD and, of course, forums at Texas Southmost College, but, I don't recall the League of Women Voters or this one in the past," the mayor replied.

Frontera Progressives, a group emanating out of 2017's Women's March shares a mission statement on their website: (Frontera Progressives) started its constitution after the March of women of 2017 and has been regularly session since June 2017. We are highly concerned about the recent events arising from an irrational and pernicious administration that has not only polarized our country, But it is destroying a lot of the progress achieved in this country over the last decades. We have, not only the right, but the obligation to stand up with strength to challenge the assault on peace, justice, equality and the environment."

Two young ladies represented the group with questions for the candidates, mostly concerning border and humanitarian issues particular to the border.(While I couldn't hear the questions, I could get the gist of them with the responses given.)

John Cowen,  fielding a question about Brownsville designating itself as a sanctuary city, admitted he wasn't sure certain of the meaning of the phrase.  Cowen did say he hopes the city gets reimbursed for any expenses incurred dealing with asylum seekers.

Jessica Puente Bradshaw actually deferred to Mayor Martinez on the same question about making Brownsville a sanctuary city,  saying to Martinez "can we even do this?"(Bradshaw got a laugh when she stated that Brownsville is an actual border city while "McAllen thinks it is, but is not one."

Mayor Martinez explained how some cities make it known that they will not enforce immigration laws, but, instead focus on humanitarian needs.

"While Brownsville has never passed a resolution declaring itself a sanctuary city, it's long been the policy of our police department to not question citizenship or act as border patrol.  We actually function better this way.  Were we to make the designation as a sanctuary city officially, then we open the door for retribution from the higher ups, " Martinez explained.

Charlie Cabler, more passionate than I've ever seen him, declared himself to be the son of a Hispanic mother, from "deep in Mexico" and "an Anglo father," saying "I know the culture.  I know the people.  I'm comfortable in any part of this city."

Cabler added that so-called "dreamers," who have gone through school "in the only country they've ever known," should be given citizenship.

Martinez said his dad "came from Mexico as a first generation immigrant."

Bradshaw explained, that, although brought to Brownsville from Matamoros at the age of 4, she quickly "integrated herself," learning the language.(Nena and I visited with Bradshaw in 2012 when she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives.  Her comments about immigration seemed more hardline then, so, perhaps she's evolved some or was keenly aware of the perspective of this audience.)

John Cowen continued to have difficulty projecting his voice to the audience.  He totally lacks confidence as a public speaker, frequently starting to take his seat halfway through his last sentence while lowering his volume to a whisper.  He greatly needs his $46,000 "consultant," Rodrigo Moreno of Pink Ape Media to be present in the audience, critiquing his performance as he currently is "not ready for prime time," so to speak.  We suffered through a backward John Villarreal and currently endure the reticent Commissioner Joel Munguia.