Renewed fears that the new border wall will disturb Eli Jackson Cemetery.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, (CBP), geotechnical work for new border wall construction is scheduled to begin as early as this week in Hidalgo County, near Doffin Rd.
CBP is collecting soil samples from the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) flood levee, which is right next to Eli Jackson Cemetery.
So, people like Adelina Yarrito, are worried that the cemetery will no longer be the final resting place for her father.
“We buried him there, that’s his resting place,” said Yarrito. “No one should touch it, no one should disturb it for any reason, no one.”
Yarrito’s great-grandmother and her dad’s uncle are also buried there along with even more family.
“Garza’s over there, they’re also related, all of them are related somehow,” said Garza as she walked through the cemetery.
But the cemetery also means a lot to her cousin, Margarito Torres.
“My parents are here, my grandparents, my uncles so it means a lot to me,” said Torres.
The levee next to the cemetery is where CBP plans to construct the new border wall.
“We’re worried about what’s going on right now and we would like to have this all over with,” said Torres. “No destruction, just leave us in peace.”
“That is very hard for anybody to see this happen or even think of what’s going to happen,” said Yarrito.
Now, Yarrito wants to take legal action.
“We got a lawyer, right now he’s going to get a protective order, so they won’t get near this area.”
CBP released a statement, which confirmed it surveyed a location that is adjacent to the cemetery.
“The work is scheduled to last up to one week and will include the use of a drill rig to collect soil samples at the toe of the existing International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) flood levee. While this location is adjacent to the Eli Jackson Cemetery, plans for border barrier alignment and enforcement zone in this location will not directly impact the Eli Jackson Cemetery.”
Yarrito said she would some day want to be buried with her family.
“I want to be with him, so my daughter can know that I’m there,” said Yarrito.
