A D&S Special Report

census

Young New Mexico Mayor Governs in the Shadow of the Wall

A wall separating the border of Mexico and the U.S. runs through Sunland Park, a New Mexico city located just west of El Paso, Texas. (Photo by Andrea Gabor)

By Ayse Kelce

Javier Perea was first appointed mayor of Sunland Park, a New Mexico border town of 17,000 people just west of El Paso, in 2012 after a prostitution-payment scandal swept then-mayor Daniel Salinas out of office.

Javier Perea is serving his third term as mayor of Sunland Park. (Photo courtesy of Javier Perea)

Perea was 24 when he filled the position, making him one of the youngest mayors in the country. Now 34, Perea is currently serving his third term.

Sunland Park was the focus of another controversy in the summer of 2019 when a group called We Build the Wall started its project to erect a border wall on private land within the city limits. Perea drew national media coverage when he took the controversial step of issuing a stop-work order because the organization had failed to obtain the required permits to build in Sunland Park.

While the wall controversy became a national conversation, Sunland Park officials and residents have their own unique ideas about what a border wall means to them and the city. Perea spoke about these controversies and his hopes for the city’s future in a Zoom interview on April 20. His comments have been edited for length and clarity.

You were only 24 when you became the mayor of Sunland Park. Describe your journey to that appointment? Would you say that your age was a challenge?

Back in 2012, the city was going through a scandal and we made national news. There were over 17 different arrests within the city, both public officials and public employees, including the then-elected mayor. Under New Mexico law, you have 30 days to take your oath of office. After 30 days, the council decided to take the mayor position vacant.

Seeing everything that was going on, it was embarrassing to say you were from Sunland Park. And I said, if I didn’t do anything to prevent what happened, I’m trying to step up and do something to try and change it, to fix it. I went up to the city council and I submitted a letter of interest and my resume. Fifty-five minutes later, I became the mayor for the city of Sunland Park.

We were the laughing stock across the entire state and in many parts around the nation. Sunland Park was associated with corruption. So we had to work tremendously to get that image fixed.

I was 24 years old. And that in itself, had issues with some individuals. They thought about me as a 24-year-old with no government experience and no political background, telling them what to do. So, I did struggle with a few personalities within the city. But at the end of the day, I realize that it’s not necessarily about me. It’s about being able to organize other people, experts in their fields, to be able to produce a product.

What is it like to be a mayor of a border city? What are its unique challenges?

Although we’re a small municipality, we still have to be able to have the ability to deal with different international borders, but also across state lines. Sometimes it is easy to be forgotten since we are far away from Santa Fe, the New Mexico state capitol.

But we’ve made an effort to get involved across the state. I’m actually now the vice president of the New Mexico Municipal League. I now not only represent the city of Sunland Park, but I represent municipalities across the entire state of New Mexico.

How would you describe the relationship of your city with the other side of the border?

Here in the city of Sunland Park, we don’t have a port of entry. We’re actually working on developing one right now. We do have a very strong relationship with our neighbors in the south. And I think that’s something that people don’t understand that we have a very happy, strong relationship with our neighbors.

Whether it’s medical tourism where people go over there because, you know, medical practice is more affordable over there than it is in the United States. So for those who don’t have insurance, they go to Mexico.

Another thing we have, for example, my administrative assistant, he actually lives in Juarez. But he comes over here every single day. One of my city councilors lives here, but he’s a plant manager in Juarez. So there’s a dynamic of cross-border living that exists.

And we depend on each other and for our economic success. If Juarez struggles, we’re going to struggle as well because of that cross-city exchange that happens between both. Also we’re a logistics hub. In this area, there’s a lot of merchandise, a lot of goods that cross through our area.

Why is building a port of entry here important?

One thing is going to be an economic vitality of our community. Right now we’re a bedroom community (of El Paso). And what we need in our community to continue to thrive as a municipality is the development of commercial areas within the city.

Another important thing to realize is that in Mexico, in Juarez, there are 1.5 million people, probably even more. And they are a large part of our economy. There’s a huge space that has the opportunity for a new port of entry. And that’s what we’re trying to capitalize at this moment.

How do you think that the border policies are affecting politics in the city?

Actually, not as much within the city of Sunland Park. When people who do not know our area try to present solutions to the issues here, it can get a little frustrating. I wish people would come down here to have the opportunity to actually see how we engage with each other. I realize that most people do not know how things work here on the border.

When there is an issue about the border wall here, you see the entire nation divided about it, but actually the people here are very normal about it in the sense that there’s no major arguments between people.

We’ve had a border wall here since the second Bush administration; I think it was in 2002 they implemented a wall, a fence there. And then under the Obama administration, they allocated more funding, and then it was redone under the Trump administration. People go on about their daily lives. Every day you come to work, you see that wall. Or when you go home, you can’t miss it. So people are not necessarily divided here, but I think that people outside misinterpret what the wall does. For us, it has helped curb some petty crimes, for example, thefts and vandalism. But it doesn’t necessarily deal with the issue of immigration. It doesn’t change that issue that we have to deal with at a much bigger level at the federal level.

Can you talk a little bit about what it was like when We Build a Wall started its project? The city got national attention, how did you deal with that?

I think one of the biggest reactions was not necessarily about the wall being built, it was that the wall was being built without the proper clearances, without the proper permission from the city. They did this behind our backs. They intentionally did it, starting to work without notifying anybody. And of course, our role as a local government is to enforce local ordinances, local law. And that’s when we got wind of what was happening there; we took the necessary steps to stop it. And then that’s when this became a national issue.

There was actually nothing that we could do to stop it, whether we were neither for it or against. If they followed all the rules from the very beginning, I don’t think this would have become a scandal or a big issue.

What is the perspective of local residents toward immigration policies?

From within the city of Sunland Park, I did not hear major reactions. I know there’s groups within the El Paso region here in our area who are getting into the national discussion of it. It’s been pretty quiet here within the city, so I think that’s what people like or are drawn to our community. It’s pretty peaceful.

Being on the border, there’s a large immigrant population within our communities. Like I mentioned, some of the people don’t understand the dynamics of people who live in our area. I think we work towards being inclusive and making sure that everyone is an active member in our community. It’s an interesting dynamic, but, my hope is that others can get to see that dynamic and realize that these immigrants are people who just want to create a better environment for themselves for their kids and a better future. I mean, we’re one of the safest communities in the state of New Mexico. I think that says a lot about who we are.

Is there an effort to get an accurate census count in Sunland Park?

The undercount had been a big problem. [The debate about including a citizenship question, which has since been excluded] scared some people from participating. But, we are working with Donana County and all the state agencies we can to make sure that the publicity gets out there for people to get counted and get the census forms done.

The coronavirus doesn’t help very much, but I understand that there is going to be another push probably in June to get people counted. But I think it’s important that we realize that there’s a lot of people who need the services from the federal government, and we need to make sure that they get counted so that the proper allocations are made.

 

 

 

The Making of a Crossover Politician: In A Rural Border District, State Representative Mary González Straddles the Partisan Divide

Despite her liberal-Democrat pedigree, Representative Mary González has developed bipartisan credibility in the Texas State House—a necessary trait in an overwhelmingly Latino, but socially conservative, district. (Photo courtesy of Mary González)

By Catherine Chojnowski and Jose Nieves Herrera

In 2013, Mary González, a freshman state representative, stood on the Texas House floor to give her first opposition speech. She was arguing against a bill that would weaken standards for colonias, unincorporated mostly rural communities that lack vital infrastructure, such as sewage systems and roads.

As she began her speech, a prominent Republican leader walked up behind her and held two fingers up in the air, signaling to other legislators that they should follow González’s lead and vote against the bill.

Winning the support of that Republican, Byron Cook, the former Republican Texas House State Affairs Committee Chairman, was key to defeating the colonias bill. It was also a sign that González, despite her liberal-Democrat pedigree, had developed bi-partisan credibility—a necessary trait in an overwhelmingly Latino, but socially conservative, district and one increasingly rare both in Texas and nationally. Representing a district that is neither completely Democratic nor Republican, Gonzalez has won support across ideological and party lines.

Texas State District 75 encompasses east El Paso County, and the towns of San Elizario, Socorro, Clint, Fabens and Tornillo. It includes six school districts and over 260 colonias.

González is an unlikely candidate for cross-partisan appeal: she is relatively young, 37, single, outspoken and openly a member of the LGBTQ community. Upon first being elected, she explains that she faced a certain degree of backlash from the community.

Initially, she said: “Nobody wanted to be my friend.”

González’s championing of agricultural issues and public education, however, helped her gain the support of her colleagues early on.

“She looks for ways to bridge divides, and she promotes policies that create conversations rather than push people into familiar camps,” said Representative Joe Moody, a colleague in the Texas State House.

González’s relationship with Byron Cook who would become her mentor also helped solidify her bipartisan credentials. One day, Cook told Gonzalez she was the same age as his daughter. “He said on this House floor, you are my daughter,” González recalled.

The two were an odd duo: “He’s this tall, skinny, older conservative Republican, and I’m this short, little, Mexican, fluffy Latina,” said González.

As a legislator, González strong support for public education, a key issue for both parties, also has won her bipartisan support. She authored House Bill 89, which mandated that school districts with high drop-out rates allocate part of their school funding “for developing and implementing research-based strategies for drop-out prevention.” Another bill authored by González,  created measures for assisting homeless and former foster-care students enrolled in public colleges and universities.

“I feel since I’m a rural Democrat, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to connect with some rural Republicans because we still have the same issues,” she said.

González, who lives in Clint, a rural town outside El Paso, has championed agricultural issues, including a bill mandating animal-tracking to identify the source of disease outbreaks among livestock, that have won her bipartisan support. (Photo courtesy of Mary González)

Currently serving her fourth term in the State House, she is a member of the appropriations and public education committees, and has served as vice chair of the Local and Consent Calendars Committee since 2019. This year, she also was appointed to the Legislative Budget Board, one of the most powerful boards in the state.

González, who once taught at the University of Texas at Austin and served as Assistant Dean for Student Multicultural Affairs at Southwestern University—she has a doctorate in Cultural Studies in Education—said her academic background helped her bring “different tools” to her job as a legislator.

González lives in Clint, a rural town just outside El Paso, where she grew up, and raises goats. In the legislature, she also has taken a leadership role on agriculture issues. For example, she co-authored a bill that enforced a strategic plan by the Department of Agriculture to prevent crop diseases and pests in the state, and has supported a bill that would mandate animal-tracking to prevent and identify the source of disease outbreaks among livestock. She also championed policies important to the dairy and pecan industries “because they would open up economic opportunities for her district,” said Moody.

“I end up creating these really interesting alliances with rural Republicans because of the work that I’m doing in agriculture,” she said. “When they need something in agriculture, they come to me to help them explain it to the Democrats.”

Despite her bi-partisan support, her gay identity has caused some tension among her constituents, on occasion, and she said that if her opponents had brought her gay identity to light during her initial election, she would have most likely lost. She compared the ongoing support of her constituents, despite ideological divisions, to her relationship with her father, who is a conservative Republican.

Border politics, however, is where González’s bi-partisanship ends; she strongly opposes Republican wall building. Although most of Gonzalez’s constituents identify as conservative, 90.6 percent are also Hispanic. Yet, many constituents know someone, or are related to someone, who works for the border police—a well-paying occupation in her district. When addressing issues relating to the border, González tries to maintain an objective tone; she said she tries to identify the “root of the problem,” while also trying to “highlight its complexity.”

A champion of public education, González regularly speaks to school children about the importance of voting. She says voter apathy is due to years of voter suppression. (Photo courtesy of Mary González)

One problem that continues to confound González is low voter participation. Out of the nearly 200,000 constituents in her district, only around 10,000 participated in the last primary election. Gonzalez ran unopposed in her district’s 2020 Democratic primary, and has run unchallenged by a Republican in the general election since first winning office.

González blames the lack of political interest to years of voter suppression that has “done so much over generations to tell people not to vote, not to care, not to know,” and a lack of cultural consciousness by those trying to engage potential voters with donations. In an attempt to engage the youth in political issues, she holds assemblies in schools throughout her district, reminding future voters that their participation can make a difference.

“I’ve been working very hard over the last decade to show that democracy is vital to the ways that we live and that there are good elected officials in the world,” González said.