April 29, 2015 4:41 PM

El Paso Chamber slams state border security plans and the DPS

“Throwing funds at this problem when it cannot be defined is, at best, wasteful, and at worst, irresponsible.”

In another sign of tension between Texas border communities and The Legislature over the politically charged issue of border security, the El Paso Chamber of Commerce said the approach lawmakers are considering this session is “at best, wasteful, and at worst, irresponsible.”

Border business leaders want lawmakers to “include accountability standards in any appropriations for border security to the Texas Department of Public Safety or any other state actor.” The Chamber passed a strongly worded resolution, signed by Chairman Gary Borsch and President Richard Dayoub, in which they argue the Department of Public Safety is set to reap a windfall over the issue with no accountability attached to the hundreds of millions of dollars at stake.

The resolution is similar to a letter from the McAllen Chamber of Commerce last summer, in which that group expressed concern about the economic impacts of “political theater” surrounding border security.

By Scott Braddock