Gabrielle Giffords to host bi-national border security summit in Douglas

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The Daily Dispatch

DOUGLAS – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will be joined by more than 40 government and law enforcement officials from the United States and Mexico on Wednesday at the congresswoman’s first Binational Border Security Summit in Douglas, Arizona.

Giffords is convening the summit in direct response to mounting border violence, such as the recent shooting in Cananea, Sonora that left 23 people dead and incidents along I-19.

The goals of the summit are to determine ways in which the U.S. and Mexico can work together to address the violence and to review the potential impact on border security of the immigration reform legislation now before Congress.

The two-hour summit begins at 1 p.m. at the Douglas Visitors Center, 345 16th Street.

In addition to Giffords, the list of participants includes:

-Robert Gilbert, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector

-Eric Odden, Patrol Agent in Charge of the Border Patrol’s Douglas Station

-Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever

-Douglas Mayor Ray Borane

-Sierra Vista Mayor Bob Strain

-Bisbee Mayor Ronald Oertle

-Douglas Police Chief Charles Austin

-Sierra Vista Deputy Police Chief Tom Alinen

-Bisbee Police Chief Jim Elkins

-Agua Prieta Municipal President Jose Antonio Cuadras Garcia