Mexican patrol helps out 'migrantes'

desertnews.com ^ | 2005 Apr 9 | Deborah Bulkeley

[Wiz]

AGUA PRIETA, Mexico — Ask Carlos A. Zozaya Moreno if the "migrantes" crossing the Sonoran desert are dangerous and he'll laugh and shake his head.

Moreno, an agent with Grupo Beta, Mexico's government agency charged with protecting the human rights of migrants, listens to country music as he drives his orange pickup truck through the wilderness just south of Arizona.

He's looking for signs of migrants and keeping an eye on members of the Minuteman Project, a monthlong U.S. civilian effort to watch the border and report crossers to Border Patrol.

Another Grupo Beta agent, Julio Cesar Cancino, says his job is simple — to provide migrants with food, water and, if needed, a ride back to the city for medical attention.

"The migrants only want to work," he said. Unlike many of the minutemen, yards away on the other side of a barbed wire fence marking the border, the Grupo Beta agents aren't armed.

When asked what the chances are of finding any migrants today, the agents reply, very slim.

Agent Hector Salazar said the minutemen sitting just across the border have deterred some migrants and diverted routes of "coyotes," or immigrant smugglers, but there are still people trying to cross the border here.

"They don't read newspapers or watch TV," he said. "They don't know about the minutemen."

The U.S. Border Patrol attributes the decreased attempts at border crossing to increased activity in the area by Mexican authorities.

On this day, the Grupo Beta agents start hiking at a spot with a water container marked with a blue flag, proceed past the remnants of a camp, and continue as the path narrows. They're following a trail of footprints, abandoned water bottles and tuna cans.

[pennyfarmer]

Moreno, an agent with Grupo Beta, Mexico's government agency charged with protecting the human rights of migrants, listens to country music as he drives his orange pickup truck through the wilderness just south of Arizona.

Why does Mexico have government agents charged with protecting its citizens breaking the law in another country, and the US has citizens attempting to protect its self and government from those same law breakers?

The U.S. Border Patrol attributes the decreased attempts at border crossing to increased activity in the area by Mexican authorities.

WHAT THE HE**???? Are they talking about the same government that puts out a guide to breaking the law of the United States???

Another Grupo Beta agent, Julio Cesar Cancino, says his job is simple — to provide migrants with food, water and, if needed, a ride back to the city for medical attention.

OK, another stupid a$$ question, or two. Is this Julio driving a ambulance so he can crash the border and take his precious cargo to a US hospital?? Or are they going back to the nearest crap hole in Mexico???

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Just another illegal immigrant day on our border. If they only want to work, why doesn't the crooked drug, graft and corruption ridden Mexican Mafiaso government provide the conditions for businesses and workers to prosper in Mexico?

What would the Mexican reaction be if unarmed Americans started making lightning cross border entry/egress (just step over the fence & back) crossings into Mexico?

Oh, but not to worry federales, the US authorities would arrest the Americans in a NY minute, this while allowing Mexican illegals in their millions to walk right past them.

Hey, is America not a great country for illegal non-citizens or what?

[RasterMaster]

Illegals have no rights once they set foot on our soil, which is about the same as they get from their own corrupt government.

[injin]

all male illegals arrested coming across the border of the USA
should be automatically sentenced to 2 yrs paid work ($5/hr)
working on the construction of the new Wall along the border , from the Gulf to the Pacific . Females and children should be deported straight back . Men arrested and put to work should be housed in Sheriff Arapio style tents camps and allowed to send what wages they earn back home while they are detained.
If the rest of the world doesn't like this idea ...tough

[pennyfarmer]

Good idea...

Only one problem. Do you really think that $5/hr is a living wage? What if we paid them a living wage? Blah Blah Blah .............. and other lame liberal excuses and arguments.

Seriously its a good idea.

[Celtic Rose]

If we provide food and shelter, $5 is a darn good living wage. Besides, they complain about that already with the migrant workers, as they proclaim to everyone that they are doing jobs that Americans won't do

[kcvl]

Carlos Zozaya Moreno, an attorney for Grupo Beta and agency commander.

"Illegal immigration is growing and growing," he said. "It's like a giant snowball now and you can't stop it."

Critics of Grupo Beta say they are helping people illegally enter the United States. Alex Segura, a minuteman and board member of Utahns for Immigration Reform and Enforcement, said booklets that Grupo Beta agents give to those attempting to cross the border suggest they're doing more than providing humanitarian aid.

"The whole bottom line of the whole survival guide is to help them survive their way into this country," he said. "We know their government is actually encouraging" illegal immigration.

The booklets warn about the dangers of crossing the border and provide information about safe passage and their rights if detained in the United States. Another booklet, designed for those from countries other than Mexico, provides information about Mexican laws.

[RLM]

A wall would be a federal public works project thus subject to the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law. We would have to pay the illegals $30 to 40$ an hour, plus training, plus medical, plus retirement, for them to work on the federal wall project. /s

I personally think room and board in a tent is a good idea. I wonder how long it would take to build the wall. Perhaps the Minutemen can be paid as job recruiters and construction supervisors.

[injin]

"Do you really think that $5/hr is a living wage?"

well sure, this is money they will earn and be allowed to send home . They are coming to work , right? WE cannot deny the family back in Mexico any & all support if their men folks are incarcerated and put to work for sneakin in illegally.
That would be inhumane . 'We' need the damn wall built anyway , we would be paying huge labor costs . Have them help build it and pay them a minimum wage as a kindness gesture. Plus they get simple housing , med care , food and clothing . Such a deal. But this would deter thousands! Those who'd stay home if they didn't think they could get better pay in el Norte . Then of course the legal guest worker program , that the Pres. wants , would be the only alternative from the Wall team....

[injin]

"A wall would be a federal public works project thus subject to the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage law."

so this explains why we get so few decent public works projects anymore....leave it to the lawyers to screw things up.
The President should create a project my Executive decree ,
a matter of absolutely urgent National security , to circumvent the usual practices in this case.
Also we have to come up with a distasteful penalty for sneakin in . A slap on the hand and quick deportation , only to allow for another try the next night is no acceptable.
There has to be a downside for these people! Right now there are few and the Mexico Gov knows it!