The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico is trying to claim that the construction of the private border wall blocks access to a “historical monument.”
The ACLU of New Mexico says the Sunland Park, New Mexico private wall blocks access to Monument One, a border monument dating to 1855 that’s on the National Register of Historic Places, according to a story by KOAT.
The ACLU is calling on the International Boundary and Water Commission, who manages the monument’s land, to intervene. The border wall is on private land, but it was built across from Monument One, which is on federal land but accessed from a road and a gate.
The commission told KOAT that it has not given We Build the Wall a permit but their application is being reviewed.
However, Brian Kolfage, founder of We Build the Wall, says the ACLU is lying and that it is trying to help the drug cartels that are being blocked by the new wall.
Kolfage tweeted, “The ACLU is acting like this alleged monument is Yellowstone Natl. Park. The only people coming here are drug smugglers, it’s a dangerous area. Stop LYING TO Americans @ACLU it’s on private property too! Here’s one article, get the story right.”
Kolfage also tweeted, “I know that there are many people who are very upset at the notion of seeing access blocked to that historically significant location.”
“Yeah the Juarez cartel is very upset! We cut off their routes. Who are you supporting? Americans or cartels?” he added.
"I know that there are many people who are very upset at the notion of seeing access blocked to that historically significant location," @ACLU
Yeah the Juarez cartel is very upset! We cut off their routes. Who are you supporting? Americans or cartels?
— Brian Kolfage (@BrianKolfage) June 8, 2019
Kolfage’s tweet linked to a KVIA story that said while the federal government owns much of the access road, it does not own the entire road. Instead, a portion of that road is owned by Jeff Allen. He also owns American Eagle Brick Co., which owns the land where the private border wall is being built.
Allen said it goes beyond keeping himself physically safe by restricting access. He also hopes not allowing people through will work on the larger scale. “If I can stop one drug trafficker from passing a package off, I may have saved somebody’s life,” Allen said.
Allen told the TV station that he and his dog have been attacked by people on the Mexican side of the border. He restricts access on his portion of the road to Monument One but will allow people to visit if he knows who is attending. The story lists a phone number that people may call if they want to arrange for access.
– – –
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
