Waiting for Title 42's Demise

And-- More Conservative Discontent on the Horizon for Catholicism?

Good Morning friends,

Another quick one this week. Barring some kind of breaking news event, we’re all sort of stuck, sucking our thumbs watching the clock tick down toward the expected end of Title 42, expected to happen Dec. 21.

If you don’t know, Title 42 is a decades old public health provision for immigration that was tapped in the Trump years as an anti-covid related tool to allow Border Patrol to swiftly return large numbers of would-be immigrants back to Mexico— converting a potentially drawn out process into something that took only hours or days.

Some experts on twitter and elsewhere have argued that it was never that effective, but they seem to be drowned out by lawmakers, border patrol, and others who say the border will be in even worse shape once it goes away— that masses of migrants have been camping out in Mexico, waiting for the day, and are ready to set new border migration records even as the ink hasn’t even dried on current records.

Obviously we have our own opinion here at the Dispatch. But we also have to admit we don’t have any special expertise in the matter. We’re not public policy experts. We’re not ex-border patrol. We just live here. That’s all.

But given the circumstances— what makes more sense in a time of unprecedented emergency?

Taking tools away from Border Patrol?

Or not?

It seems like a simple choice.

Weird that it somehow isn’t.

Why?

And it’s not just a matter of blaming the courts which have ruled that Title 42 is being misapplied and has to go. One could also say that the Courts have given Homeland Security plenty of heads up that this was happening, to give them a chance to make procedural adjustments and they’ve failed to make any changes whatsoever.

Even now, Secretary Mayorkas and the Biden White House have failed to even admit there’s a problem. How is there going to be a replacement for Title 42, when you can’t even get the bosses to admit there’s a need?

It’s all very tiresome. And it makes a lot of what’s happening feel very performative. That is to say, lawmakers are having to play dumb as they make a lot of noise and pearl-clutch and go through the motions— trying to build awareness and public support for some other kind of avenue. Impeachment or the threat of, perhaps, to make officials wake up and change course.

Doubt it’s going to happen before the New Year, though.

Here’s a FOX News breakdown of the latest. The video link on the page includes a couple faces we recognize. Del Rio’s former Mayor, Bruno Lozano and retired Border Patrolman and recent Congressional Candidate Frank Lopez, Jr. were both apparently on, testifying about what a disaster is looming. We’re not familiar with the third guest, Del Rio resident Bea Vallejo, but a few minutes of research suggests she’s become a local figure that’s giving voice to the fact that area taxpayers have been chiseled to the bone— with local resources already tapped out. That’s no exaggeration, local agencies have been on the ropes for the last two years, at least— dating back to even before the Haitian Crisis under the Del Rio port of entry.

Recent FOX News Border Panel, Featuring Fmr. Del Rio Mayor Bruno Lozano, and Congressional Candidate Frank Lopez, and Del Rio Resident Bea Vallejo.

Let’s take a step back from the herd-coverage, focusing on Title-42 and all of those things— and let’s just look at what’s shifted recently.

Two weeks ago— Del Rio and Eagle Pass were ground zero, and the State of Texas was moving more equipment and manpower, including military armored personnel carriers to the area.

Then, suddenly El Paso was hammered— with thousands flooding the area, forced to sleep in the streets with frigid temperatures approaching.

It’s almost as if there’s been some kind of recognition and rational decision that the Del Rio sector might not be the best place for people to cross any more— and that it would be easier to overwhelm some other spot.

Weird no?

Maybe it’s just the “wisdom of crowds.”

One other border note: Don’t sleep on the fact that the Governor is finally catching up to something people have been saying for a long time now— there needs to be a good long look at some of the NGO activity facilitating the border crisis.

One anticipates that any casual investigation will show that most NGO’s aren't breaking any laws. But the difference between an action being legal, and an action being “advisable” is huge.

There’s probably nothing illegal about how many of these organizations seem to be taking taxpayer money to facilitate the border crisis. They may argue that they’re keeping the situation from becoming worse.

But, if you believe otherwise— their activities can only be judged as a net negative in the long run, compounded by the difficulty in tracking all of their actions, all of their spending, and holding them accountable the way one might hold actual state organs accountable.

So, one can only welcome the Governor’s call for scrutiny— late or not— and hope for more, faster please.

One other recent story has caught our eye lately— the Catholic Church has apparently moved against a longtime lightning rod of conservative discontent— Father Frank Pavone.

According to a series of reports over the weekend, Pavone was defrocked by the Vatican— or laicized— to use another term.

Pavone says he hasn’t been formally notified of the action by any Church officials— but the reporting all seems to be relying upon some kind of official church letters that went out to various figures back in November.

It all seems kind of shady if you’re unfamiliar with how “below-the-surface” a lot of actions can be in the Church.

We’ve only just recently become aware, ourselves— we’re not even Catholic.

Pavone is a longtime anti-abortion activist. Calling him a Crusader would be no exaggeration. Some say there’s no single figure in the USA that’s done more to fight against abortion. He’s come under fire from some figures in the Church hierarchy for a variety of reasons— but the friction can mostly be summed up by noting his refusal to police his tone during a time when some Bishops and the current Pope seem to want to de-emphasize certain aspects of faith & worship that have long been considered Orthodox.

Pavone was officially removed from the clergy on November 9 following receipt of a letter from Pope Francis' representative in the U.S., according to the New York Times. The letter ordered that Pavone was to be removed with no possibility of appeal.

"This action was taken after Father Pavone was found guilty in canonical proceedings of blasphemous communications on social media, and of persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop," the letter reportedly reads, without specifying the communications.

—FOX News.Com, reporting on Frank Pavone, Sunday

It’s not clear just what communications by Pavone were ruled “blasphemous,” but most coverage has focused on a social media post which used the word “goddamn,” referring to “goddamn Democrats.”

In a statement made to the website “Church Militant,” Father Pavone called on supporters to stay within the Church— that no matter what happens to him, there’s no excuse for schism or heresy.

Take a second, non-catholics, and think about that. This is how wild things are getting in American Catholicism right now— that Priests who seem to be getting persecuted by elements of Church leadership, are having to use words like “heresy” to keep supporters from going off the reservation and burning things down with their need to see their concerns acknowledged.

Speaks to the depths of things, don’t you think?

One thing we’ve noticed, on the outside looking in, is that the most active— and most vibrantly growing part of the American Church has been the conservative portion, with huge demand for traditional Latin Masses, and chapels that routinely perform them.

The Vatican recently restricted the Tridentine mass as it’s sometimes called.

It’s also worth noting that the most read article by the Dispatch so far, remains the one dealing with the background behind Kinney County Resident Father Clay Hunt’s similar struggle as a conservative Priest with Church hierarchy.

At last report, Father Hunt’s situation remains in wait of a hearing in Rome— though as we’re seeing now with Frank Pavone— a hearing can be had and months pass before anyone’s aware of it, including the individual most concerned with it.

That should do it for now friends— barring any major news or wild hairs on our end, we don’t expect to publish again until after the New Year.

It’s going to be busy. Kinney County swears in a new County Judge, Jan 1. Some have asked if that’ll mean any changes in the County’s enthusiastic participation in Operation Lone Star. One doubts it— County Judge-elect John Paul Schuster and his family have been some of the more visible local ranchers willing to go on camera and detail the damages to their operations caused by the border crisis.

Meanwhile— watch out for that cold bug that’s going around right now. It’s pretty gnarly. And the phlegm? Ugh. Forgetaboutit.

Until next time, bear in mind, this publication is a separate effort from our employment at the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office, and is put out into the world without oversight by County Officials. Consequently, any errors, misdeeds, or bad behavior are entirely our own, and no sane person should confuse this humble publication for any kind of official communication by the County.

We provide this notification in the spirit of full disclosure and to remain in keeping with County policies for social media.

Have a great morning— we’ll see you next year! (probably)