In Texas, a certain color painted on the fence is one weapon in the fight against illegal immigration. However, the ag community has found it to be an uphill battle.
It is a little-known fact that, in Texas, one of these fence posts, can be painted purple and take on a whole new meaning.
According to Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez, “It’s another form of identifying an area, where if you enter it, you’ll be trespassing. It kind of goes in hand with the sign that says ‘No Trespassing... So, it goes along with that. This is just kind of adds to it because purple is an unusual color, and that’s what they’re using to identify certain ranches and you go to put in certain posts in certain areas, so people can see it. It should be visible.”
The paint has even been spotted on trees. In Brooks County, which is an immigration hotspot and host to a larger Border Patrol checkpoint, the purple paint is used.
“We probably have maybe 5 percent in this county that have actually posted those colors to identify it as you cannot enter without permission,” Martinez states.
He says that the “purple post laws” do help, but the immigration crisis has become overwhelming, and there is another issue with these fences.
“I don’t think it will help. It’s not going to deter the smuggling,” Martinez adds. “Because now, what’s occurring on locations is that they’re actually driving through. So, that so they simply just cut the fences, or cut the lock, and drive through.”
In smuggling cases, the leader is already trespassing and does not seem to care.
Related:
The surge at the border and its impact on ag
How issues at the border hold local farmers back
Surge at the border: protecting U.S. soil
Texas Ag Commissioner on the crisis at the border