A Message from Executive Director, Susan J. Kibbe

Dear Members,

Spring is officially here, with many of you getting some much-needed rain!

We’ve been active on several fronts at the start of this new year. We’ve continued with our landowner outreach on the state landowner compensation program that will start taking applications for border crime related damages next month. It is so refreshing to be able to share some positive developments for landowners. Our most recent meeting was in Falfurrias, where Kinney County Attorney, Brent Smith and the Governor’s Border Czar, Mike Banks spoke. We greatly appreciate the attendance from landowners and law enforcement.

This program puts an added responsibility on affected sheriffs; so, we wanted to make sure they understood the need for a law enforcement report. Charles and Brent Smith have worked very hard to come up with a simple, one-page law enforcement report template for them and a flow chart for landowners to navigate the application process. Click here to see the law enforcement template and here to view the flow chart and additional information on the most recent state border bills.

I’m sure many of you saw the news yesterday, where the U.S. Supreme Court has removed its block from enforcement of Texas’ SB 4. Right on its heels, the 5th Circuit called the parties back to court at 10am this morning, effectively putting the measure back on hold. This bill is very limited in scope, so please do not buy into the rhetoric that it is a profiling tool or taking the place of the Federal Government on immigration. It is only one more added deterrent that the Governor and the Legislature has put in place to push illegal immigration away from Texas. All of those steps have made a difference. Texas has the largest expanse of the Southwest Border (over 60%), and now has less than 30% of the total Southwest Border apprehensions. The Supreme Court’s decision was a win for sure, but not the end of the road.

We will be announcing an exciting new partnership on natural/nature-based carbon sequestration and how landowners/our members can bring more $’s back to the ranch from that partnership, as well as helping STPRA’s financial future.

Our Second Annual Clay Shoot Fundraiser is coming up quickly, on April 6. We need your participation, and/or financial contribution. Please consider sponsoring a station or team.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of a contribution. We are in this together!

Until next month,

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Susan J. Kibbe
Office (361) 522-5194
Susan@STPRA.org

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