Posted on 04/05/2005 8:34:29 AM PDT by Kokojmudd
By Michael Marizco ARIZONA DAILY STAR
NACO, SONORA – A Mexican military Humvee moves across the cow pasture; soldiers nod at federal agents in bright orange shirts roving by on ATVs. An hour later, a Sonora State Preventive Police truck moves through a sandy wash, the officers looking for migrants waiting to sneak across the border.
Across the barbed-wire border in Arizona early Monday, excitement grips Minuteman Project volunteers when they observe a group of six people moving north.
Dan Russell, 62, watches the group walking toward him. "They're getting closer," he says. "They could just be reporters." They are.
In the first few days of the Minuteman Project, volunteers have been slowing illegal immigration into the Naco area.They've accomplished that with the help of an unlikely ally: Mexico.
Eager to avoid confrontations between volunteers and its people, Mexico is sweeping the area south of the Minuteman Project clear of migrants.
Gov. Eduardo Bours Castelo has placed 44 members of the new state police force across the border at La Morita, a cattle ranch that leads directly to the border south of Bisbee, said Diego Padilla the governor's Arizona representative.
The state police are working with Grupo Beta, Mexico's migrant protection force, which is plucking migrants out of the desert and depositing them in nearby Agua Prieta, where they are encouraged to wait before trying to cross.
"We are very crude with them; we tell them they may be shot, that there's rancheros out to stop them and hurt them," said Enrique Enriques Palafox, a Grupo Beta commander in Agua Prieta. The point is to terrify the migrants from the area so they won't cross illegally and encounter Minuteman volunteers, he said.
Sunday, the coordinated efforts of the military, Grupo Beta, and the new police force pulled 22 groups of migrants out of the ranch, Palafox said. By Monday, only a handful of people had to be told to go somewhere else.
Even as the Minuteman Project brought national attention to Cochise County's border woes, volunteers had few encounters with illegal entrants. But their presence has brought Mexican law enforcement to this part of the border, and that has had the effect of slowing illegal immigration.
Organizer James Gilchrist said Sunday that volunteers had reported 118 illegal entrants to the U.S. Border Patrol. There is no way to confirm that, because the agency's Tucson Sector says it doesn't keep track of Minuteman callers separately from normal calls from citizens about illegal border crossers.
Since Friday, when the protest started, there have been 78 citizen call-ins leading to the apprehension of 162 people, said Border Patrol spokesman Andy Adame.
What Minuteman volunteers have succeeded in doing is setting off false alarms by tripping ground sensors on the border, he said.
"We're having to work around them instead of concentrating on the actual border where we need to work," Adame said.
The number of illegal entrant apprehensions at the Naco station has dropped.
U.S. and Mexican officials say it's because of Mexico's efforts.
Minuteman organizers say otherwise. "We're having an impact," Gilchrist said Sunday.
● Contact reporter Michael Marizco at 573-4213 or at mmarizco@azstarnet.com.
I recall the idea being tossed around to deport illegal aliens to the southernmost part of Mexico. At least they would have to travel across their own country before coming back up. What happened to that idea, I wonder?
Minutemen pinger
Reward millions of illegal alien lawbreakers by giving them amnesty? Hell no! Amnesty doesn't solve the problem of ongoing illegal immigration. It actually makes the problem worse. We tried amnesty in the past. It didn't work. Don't you understand that?!
I agree that GW Bush is failing us on the borders issue. However, I think he is well-intended nonetheless. He's clearly a humanitarian on a global level. He might think we are being 'petty' or 'selfish' to want a safer border. Of course, I disagree. Here's my counter to that: after the next major WMD attack hits us, bigger than ever, the backlash will completely decimate our 'open border' policy. Everyone loses then. Not only that, but tens of thousands of US citizens would die [or more] for the sake of short-term economic factors.
You're welcome.
I don't know anybody who doesn't care for immigrants. But I know a lot of people who don't care for illegal aliens.
You know, you're an obstinate little bugger, I'll give you that.
I have empirical evidence that contradicts your opinion from here to Hell and back...I live through this invasion 24/7/365. This isn't a matter of agreeing or disagreeing. This is a simple matter of you being argumentative and dense, to what end I care not.
I do, however, care that you go out of your way to impugn my integrity. I take that very personally, and am starting to get more than a little upset at your persistent insistence that I'm lying to you, ty sykin syn.
U.S. and Mexican officials say it's because of Mexico's efforts.
BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
If that were true, your account would be suspended for fraud.
Apparently, it can't be discussed with you and your ilk. Only sane people understand what this is really all about. It's about what OUR government is doing to America. They are destroying it and your kind don't seem to be able to understand the grand plan. Those of you who condone this are living proof that the dumbing down of America has worked!!
You people approve of criminal acts against our families, and I'll tell you right now that does NOT set well with any of us. More people are going to die because these criminals are in America and you approve of that. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Terrorists have already come in through Mexico and it's just a matter of time before they hit us again. Yeah, I know, it's worth cheaper lettuce isn't it?
You keep using the acronym MMK. What is MMK an acronym for?
Is prevarications good?
I wish someone would stick up for me one day. 'sniff'
All anyone need do is check out their various posts.
Pathetic...
Yes, they are. I think a few of them are just being disruptive, and that's their goal. The other ones have hidden agendas!
"Well then it sounds like you would be OK if the President's reforms pass and there is no longer a cloud on the status of these folks. You would be ok with that? Then they would just be 'immigrants'."
No, I wouldn't be ok with that. Just like I'm not ok with Mark Rich even though he was pardoned.
Travis: "...the official Mexican government "HOW TO SNEAK INTO AMERICA" guide says, "don't run from the Border Patrol. They will just return you to the border for another try a few hours later."
That is a lie.
That is evidence.
Pleased to keep beating a dead corpse, oops, horse.
Bologny! If he had been doing his job, instead of catering to Fox and Bush by ignoring the millions of illegals who come in every year, the Minute Men wouldn't have to be there, would they?
God Bless the Minute Men. Thank you, for helping to defend America against an administration that will not even attempt to do so.
Your one note Samba is real tiresome.
Could you share some names? I wasn't aware of this. As far as I know, no one from 9-1-1 first entered the country illegally via Mexico.
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