AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have promised to complete a nearly 1,950-mile fence. Michele Bachmann wants a double fence. Ron Paul pledges to secure the nation’s southern border by any means necessary, and Rick Perry says he can secure it without a fence — and do so within a year of taking office as president.

But a border that is sealed off to all illegal immigrants and drugs flowing north is a promise none of them could keep.

“Securing the border is a wonderful slogan, but that’s pretty much all it is,” said Ted Galen Carpenter, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute. “Even to come close would require measures that would make legal commerce with Mexico impossible. That’s an enormous price for what would still be a very leaky system.”

Perry, the longest-serving governor of a state that makes up roughly 65 percent of America’s border with Mexico, already knows that. What he’s actually pledging, clarifies spokeswoman Catherine Frazier, is achieving “operational control” of the border — defined by the U.S. Border Patrol as areas where it can detect, respond to and interdict illegal activity either at the border or after entry into the U.S.

The U.S. Border Patrol says 873 miles of the border, about 44 percent, have been brought under operational control. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said that “the border is better now than it ever has been.”

Still, that means full control isn’t even half met. And even getting this far required bolstering the ranks of the Border Patrol to the highest levels ever, from about 9,500 along the border in 2004 to 18,152 today. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also has a record number of agents on the border, and five Predator drones now patrol strategic parts of it, with a sixth coming by the end of the year. About 650 miles of fencing has been constructed, and 1,200 National Guard soldiers dispatched last year to Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico have had their deployment extended through the end of the year.

Campaigning in Iowa last week, Gingrich signed a pledge to build a fence stretching the length of the border by the end of 2013. That may help him recover from a recent statement that illegal immigrants who have been established in the U.S. for many years should be allowed to remain in the country — a position his opponents have likened to amnesty.

Perry has steadfastly opposed the fence, saying it would take 10 to 15 years to build, cost $30 billion and wouldn’t work anyway. Instead, he wants to flood the border with more National Guard troops until the number of Border Patrol agents necessary to really secure the area are trained and deployed. He also wants to build strategic fencing in high-traffic areas and make better use of airborne surveillance. Perry claims that would mean full operational control by January 2014.

Romney, meanwhile, has publicly agreed with Perry that tackling larger immigration policy reform is impossible without first securing the border.

By some measures, U.S. authorities already have made strides toward that goal. The Pew Hispanic Center says the number of illegal immigrants in the United States peaked at 12 million in 2007, but then dropped by almost 1 million through 2009, and has largely held steady since then at about 11.1 million.

Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal immigrants have also fallen sharply. In fiscal year 2011, which ended Sept. 30, the Border Patrol captured 327,577 illegal immigrants on the southwestern border — the lowest total in four decades.

The poor U.S. economy makes would-be illegal immigrants less likely to come, and those who do must contend with Mexico’s drug war, which has seen cartel gunmen slaughter people heading north and dump their bodies in mass graves. Jeff Passel, the Pew Center’s senior demographer, said the trip is now so risky that the number of illegal immigrants using pricey people smugglers has spiked.

“It’s hard to separate the effect of the economy and increased enforcement,” Passel said. “It’s a lot harder physically to get across the border, but it’s also more expensive and more dangerous, and you’re faced with the prospect of having no job when you get here.”

Spillover into the U.S. of Mexican drug violence is also difficult to measure. In terms of violent crime, El Paso, Texas, ranks among the safest cities in the U.S. — even though it’s across from violence-torn Ciudad Juarez. Drug crime aside, Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who heads a Homeland Security subcommittee, said he’s worried about cartels teaming with international terrorists.

“It’s not secure,” McCaul said of the border, “and anybody that lives down there, I think, will tell you that.” U.S. intelligence officials counter that they know of no case in which a terrorist has sneaked across the border to plot actively against the U.S.

Carpenter, who has written extensively on the increasing brutality of Mexican drug cartels, called the presidential candidates’ pledges to secure the border “mainly defensive.”

“If you don’t take a strong position on border security, you leave yourself open to allegations that you’re soft on immigration or drugs,” he said.

Michael Lytle, a former consultant on border security and counterterrorism, said it’s hard to even conceptualize a fully secure border since the Arizona desert presents different challenges than the millions of commercial trucks rumbling north into Laredo, Texas, or than pedestrians streaming from Tijuana to San Diego. Tracking would-be terrorists also has little to do with stopping migrant workers sneaking into the U.S., or coping with well-armed drug smugglers.

“You can’t look at it as ‘the whole border,’” he said.

Lytle, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Brownsville, said a deployment of 15,000 National Guard troops could make an impact — but it would be a hard sell for a Defense Department facing budget cuts.

“A troop surge there, would that seal the border? Probably not,” Lytle said. “And even if it did, how long could you sustain that?”

PROMISES, PROMISES: Securing US border impossible is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, at a young age, people become aware of their looks and if they measure up to the standard of what they consider beautiful models are usually the standard of beauty, and confidence… and to be more a little more like them to be exact last year over 125 thousand teenagers. Mostly females had something nipped or tucked.

Dr. Rios is board certified by both the American board of plastic surgeons and the American board of surgery.  He makes presentations at the national meetings for surgeons, he says  the most frequently performed surgical procedure for teens under de age of 18 is Otoplasty; in 2010  cosmetic ear surgery also called Otoplasty over 10,000 minors had this procedure done.

Doctor Moncada has been practicing plastic surgery in the Valley for over 25 years.  He as well has performed hundreds of Otoplasty procedures on teens.

However, how young is too young?

One thing is clear, the procedure should be done with a certified and licensed professional, there are guidelines for evaluating teenagers, and not everyone that wears a white coat is licensed.

This has become so much of a problem that the American Society of Plastic Surgery has a national campaign against surgeons that act as specialists when they are not.

There is a web page you can access to find out if your surgeon is board certified, you can go to www.plasticsurgery.org, make sure your child gets the professional treatment they deserve.

On our second part of this report, we meet Gilese a teen from the Valley that just had plastic surgery.  What do parents think about it and what were the results?

Part I: Teens and Plastic Surgery is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

Last year over 125 thousand teenagers in the United States had something nipped or tucked before the age of 18. Today we introduce a young girl that made that decision, her name is Geles Rodriguez, on October she made the decision at the age of 17. Geles Rodriguez is a senior in high school, her mom and her decided to get rhinoplasty or nose reshaping, she is a normal teen, a cheerleader, academically excels at school But recently she made a decision that might be controversial to some, she got plastic surgery for six weeks she couldn’t cheer, we joined her on her first day back on the field. She is one of approximately 10 thousand teens 18 and under that have done this cosmetic procedure, her surgeon, doctor Raul Lopez, explained the procedure she went through. Geles several months ago won the title of Miss Tip of South Texas and now will be competing in state. She said that picking the right surgeon was one of the most important decisions during this process and everyone seems to agree. Don’t assume the surgeon is certified; always ask. Whether you’re 18 or 40, the reasons behind plastic surgery are different for everyone the truth of the matter is people are always going to talk. At the end of the day plastic surgery is a decision the person going under the knife needs to make for themselves and be very well informed to have the

Part 2: Teens and Plastic Surgery is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

Finding a job in this economy is difficult. Pablo Escobedo is a junior at the University of Texas-Pan American. He says he’s got a life plan after graduation as part of the class of 2013. He’s even thought about the possibility of a six-figure salary. Pablo is aware that landing his dream job and a juicy paycheck after college requires stepping out of his comfort zone and getting the experience he needs to succeed.

Dr. Ozuna is the Dean of the College of Business at UTPA, ranked third in the nation in graduate schools awarding Masters Degrees to Hispanics. He says it’s important to stay focused. Pablo couldn’t choose between marketing and broadcast, instead he decided to obtain two degrees, a double major.

These are some majors you might want to consider according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers these are your top jobs: Computer Science Majors, like software design, computer programming and consulting, engineering majors, project engineering, chemical, design and production engineering, healthcare majors, like nursing, and technical research and last but not least, science majors, like consulting, scientific research and teaching.

Fact is, the US economy currently has one job per every five applicants and the class of 2011 faces a grim future in the job market. So now that we know what the top college majors are, let’s find out what the are this regions in demand jobs. In order to become employed in one of these sectors, experts say future graduates must learn how to promote themselves in the competitive market.

Shea Putnam, the national account manager for monster.com recently visited UTB to speak to a group of stem graduates about occupations and what they could look forward to after graduation. It takes some hustle and some elbow grease in setting yourself apart from other applicants. But what are students looking for in a potential employer? College graduates want job security, advancement in a company, a high salary, they are interested in location, an insurance package and personal development.

However, they face yet another heavy burden. So what to do in order to avoid unemployment and debt after graduation? This would make a difference between being a promising future or being part of the degreed and jobless.

Special Series: Unemployed graduates is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

Buying your home should be one of the happiest times of your life. However for Judy Gomez it became a true disappointment. Judy’s lender told her she was approved for a certain amount, but when she found the home of her dreams, she was told it was all a mistake. She says her lender gave her only few options and towards the end she was ready to give up. And truth be told, finding a mortgage lender can be quite tricky. Brokers, banks, government underwriters. which way should you go? Joe Cuellar from castle and Cooke mortgage has been in the business for more than 40 years. He started off by telling us, to beware of the internet. And while the internet may claim to have the best interest rates, he says the specifics of the loans are most of the time concealed. Experts say, its best to meet with your lender face to face. One option is a direct lender, such as a bank. But banks are limited. They can only offer the products and efficiency of their company. Your next option is going through a broker. But actually brokers rely on the lenders to overwrite an fund the loan. An overlooked detail can cause a loan to be rejected. And perhaps the most convenient way is through a correspondent lender. They have access to programs from multiple banks and government. Some are even government underwriters. “One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that you should go to a lender that has the ability to shop around for different programs, checking your lenders credentials can save you lots of time and money in the long run.” Judith Bonavides is a realtor with Newmont realty, she says experience is a must when choosing a lender and that in house underwriting is a plus Perhaps precisely just that, going directly to the source, could have saved Judy from her troubles closing on the house she always dreamed off. And if you’re on the other side of the coin, going through foreclosure, tomorrow I’ll tell you some little known ways that can actually help you fight back.

Special Reports: Lenders – 1st Part is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

The Drive One 4 UR School program was developed as a fun, engaging way to help high schools raise money to support their sports and extracurricular activities.     Spikes Ford and Veterans Memorial High School are partnering to help raise up to $6000 as part of Ford Motor Company’s Drive One 4 Ur School Program.

Members of the Mission-area community will have the opportunity to raise money for the Patriots by test-driving a Ford vehicle.  For every person who test-drives a new Ford vehicle at this one-day event, Ford Motor Company and Spikes Ford will donate $20 to Veterans Memorial high School.

A Ford spokesperson tells us that each test drive will last from 7 to 10 minutes.

“Its a great way to support your local school.”  the spokesperson added,  “Please keep in mind that at Ford we believe our products will sell themselves, so you won’t be walking into a high-pressure sales situation.”

This event will take place on Saturday October 15th  from 9am to 5pm at Spikes Ford at 805 E. Expressway 83 in Mission.

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/DriveOne4URSchool

Spikes Ford:  http://www.spikesford.net/

Spikes Ford fundraising efforts underway for local Students is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

Valerie was convinced by her former intimate partner to relocate to the valley from California, within a week from coming to McAllen and moving in with her boyfriend, she started noticing changes in his behavior.

Drugs were also part of the abuse, she says.

He began to isolate her from her family and then one day.

Valerie knew she had to make a decision, so she walked out and never came back.

19 women have been killed by their intimate partners in Starr County since 1985. Statistics may not be high compared to other counties, but nonetheless, they are still compelling.

Assistant county district attorney, Judith Solis says the community is still in shock from the incident that claimed the lives of 3 women.

In august 31, 2010 Francisco Pinal, took the life of his wife, his mother in law and a third woman.

But things could change, through outreach advocacy and spreading the word about domestic violence… experts say.

Hidalgo county Sheriff, Lupe Trevino says these homicides could have been prevented. one of the things the sheriff has done, is create a domestic abuse intervention specialist certification for deputies directed at the community oriented policing officers.

In Starr county the district attorney’s office provides other options to prevent the numbers from escalating.

Authorities rather have survivors share their stories, than have them make the headlines as another victim of a domestic violence driven murder. Valerie says, in order for that to happen, a woman must not be paralyzed by fear. Instead convert her fear into the strength she needs to free herself from the pain.

Love hurts 2 is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

Those who have lost a job at some point know that uneasy feeling as they attempt to get back on their feet.  Imagine what it would be like to work for a business for many years and unexpectedly get laid off in middle age?.  In the second part of trying times, two older people tell us about their struggle to make a living.  Maria Carr and Jorge Cruz have separate lives.  they also share a similar story.

Trying Times (Part 2) is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV

Today one out of every eight workers is older than 65, and as the baby boomers continue to age that number will jump to one in five by the year 2030.  Many are deciding to postpone retirement, others are even going back to work because they have no choice.  The economic downturn was a huge hit to peoples pocketbooks across America. The Rio Grande valley has progressed gradually avoiding a major slump, but one age group, however, continues to struggle to make a living.  A baby boomers dream of retiring early is something of the past.
As you make your way down expressway 83 you can spot plenty of construction- new business flourishing.
Although jobs are being created, some believe those opportunities are for a specific target group of young and educated workers.  Economist Maurie Mora from the University of Texas Pan-American points out the trend is making it difficult for the baby boomer generation who has relied largely on their skills and area of expertise to find a job.  Tomorrow night on fox 2 news at 9 meet South Texas baby boomers who have been unemployed for quite some time and the options workforce specialists say are available to increase their chances of getting hired.

Trying Times (Part 1) is an Article from: Fox Rio 2 News RGV