Locals weigh in on border wall

The proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico, President Trump’s signature campaign promise during the 2016 election, returned to the headlines this week.

Without funding allocated to pay for the wall, the government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday morning.

As they finished up some last-minute Christmas shopping on Friday, local residents reacted to the impending shutdown and one veteran’s attempt to pay for the wall using the website GoFundMe

“I think the way he (Donald Trump) is going at it is a little crazy,” said Davy Brakebill, 55, of Portales. “He started out that he was going to have Mexico pay for it, now he’s wanting $5 billion to get it done. He’s kind of changed his tune on that a little bit. I think he’s going a little overboard with the way he’s going about it now, trying to shut the government down and everything else.”

Ray Antkowiak, 76, of Clovis, gave a thumbs up when he was asked for his thoughts on the wall.

“Because there’s too many coming across, illegal immigrants. I mean if they come legally, hey that’s fine, that’s how it should be. But they’re breaking our laws. That’s why they call it illegal,” he said.

“It’s sad when you see them though, especially the children. You feel so sorry for them, but you can only do so much. It’s sad, it really is,” his wife Sandy Antkowiak, 73, said.

Ray Antkowiak added that he did not think the shutdown would have much of an effect.

“What he’s shutting down isn’t going to affect that much from what I’ve heard,” he said.

Elva Harvey, 31, of Clovis, said she thinks anyone looking to come to the U.S. should do so legally, like when her mother immigrated from Mexico.

“I feel that if people are going to come they should do it legally. Just like you drive a car you have to get a driver’s license, registration, insurance. You should also abide by the laws of the country you’re wanting to be a part of,” Harvey said.

Karen Miller, 63, of Clovis, said she didn’t think the wall itself or shutting down the government to secure its funding were necessary.

“I lived in Arizona so I can tell you I find it a waste of money. I find that it is something that I don’t feel we need,” Miller said. “It’s something that I can understand why he wants it, but I think it’s a waste of our money and our taxes ... That’s just not what I would want my money being used for.”

Stacy Burdine, 39, of Melrose, was in support of the wall.

“I believe that he’s doing the right thing,” Burdine said. “We have a lot of problems with immigration — not saying that they don’t belong here too, we’re America, we’re a free country — but I think we all are immigrants at one time and we all just need to get registered properly ... I think it would just be easier to keep us and them safe.”

A fundraiser on the website GoFundMe organized by a military veteran received nearly $15 million in donations from over $240,000 people over five days. Eastern New Mexico residents were split on the idea.

“Part of me was like, ‘Hey cool, somebody else is going to fund this,’ but on the other side of the coin it ain’t going to fly,” Miller said.

“I wouldn’t mind contributing a few bucks,” Ray Antkowiak said.