Posted on 04/07/2005 5:32:55 AM PDT by Kokojmudd
Illegal entrant taped holding 'caught' T-shirt By Michael Marizco ARIZONA DAILY STAR
PALOMINAS - Cochise County officials said they are investigating two Minuteman volunteers after an illegal entrant complained Wednesday to authorities that he was held against his will.
One of the men paid the illegal entrant $20 and gave him a T-shirt to hold up while he filmed the encounter. The T-shirt read: "Bryan Barton Caught an Illegal Alien and all I got was this T-shirt," said Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff's Department.
It's the first encounter where an illegal entrant has filed a complaint against Minuteman Project volunteers since the monthlong controversial protest started Friday. Volunteers have gathered in Southern Arizona to protest what they said is the federal government's inability to control the border.
Critics said the encounter is the first sign that the Minuteman Project is a "sham" meant to humiliate illegal entrants.
The incident started Wednesday afternoon when Barton, 24, and a second Minuteman volunteer encountered the illegal entrant on Arizona 92 near Palominas, Capas said.
Barton said he gave the man the T-shirt and $20 plus food and water. Then he filmed the man holding up the T-shirt.
The volunteers then called the Border Patrol, which sent agents to pick up the entrant. Once in custody, the entrant complained about being held by the volunteers.
"It was supposed to be funny," Barton said about the encounter.
Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever didn't think so.
"We have no time or patience for anyone attempting to turn this situation into a three-ring circus," he said.
The Cochise County Attorney's Office is also investigating the complaint.
Barton, who is running for Congress in San Diego on the Republican ticket, said he's not worried about charges being filed and that he never held the man against his will.
He said deputies seized the video for evidence. No arrests have been made in the incident.
"This shows what we've been saying all along," said Jennifer Allen, director of the Border Action Network.
"It was nothing but a media sham to mislead the public," she said. "Clearly they misrepresented the situation. They misrepresented themselves."
Minuteman Project organizers Chris Simcox and James Gilchrist could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
● Contact Michael Marizco at 573-4213 or mmarizco@azstarnet.com.
"You clearly have a deficit in terms of understanding how our Constitution and form of government work. Due process is required for all in this country. I certainly hope if you work in a high rise office building, you're nothing more than a window washer. It's scary to come across people that talk like you, yet appear to lack the cognitive skills to appreciate the ramifications of their comments."
Scary? Scary is coming across spineless, socialist cowards like you that perpetuate indifference and apathy in this country.
and you failed to answer both questions.
Lets start with "It reflects poorly on this website to have particular members advocating murder". Make sense?
"They shouldn't be playing into the hands of the 'Border Action Network' crowd."
Taking in to consideration that the MMP has many folks (on both sides of the border) against what they are trying to do, it would not be beyond the realm of possibility that they've been infiltrated with a few who would like to cast a bad light on the effort.
good point
Are you recommending that we adopt the policies of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) as it was owned and operated by Eric Honniker, the evil Commie dictator?
"That seems to suggest you think there were positive aspects of the totalitarian governments of the soviet union?"
To be fair, the Soviets shot people for trying to LEAVE, who the heck was trying to ENTER...? ;)
Oh, that's right we all want to shoot aliens dead./sarcasm.
What we want is for our law inforcement agencies to enforce the law and keep ILLEGAL aliens out of our country. This is what the MM want also.
Anyone who really believes what you are saying about the majority wanting aliens killed as they cross just doesn't know what they are talking about.
It's also equally as odious to have some perverted twit like you making every excuse you can for your illegal immigrant pals.
You may disagree with what I have to say, but I will defend to your death my right to say it...
This is Free Republic, not MoveOn.org or MichaelMoore.com. Again, you failed to answer both questions. Yep, you are definatly spineless, a socialist and a coward.
So, the dilemma. What do we call the folks who do not care to shoot down people at the border?
And when I said "Well, they paid him $20." It didn't sound to me like he was "held against his will".
And NO I don't agree w/ what these guys did.
(But if anyone's got the pic they took, please post it.)
Agreed.
It also reflects poorly to have Socialist clowns, posing as conservatives on this website.....
How did you get in here from DU anyway?
If your country is being invaded and your government is only putting up token resistance? Then the answer to your question would be "Stupid".
BTW, I spent many months down on the border between West Germany and GDR, and West Germany and Czechoslovakia. Most of it was up against a Russian operated guard tower.
Those guys were prepared to kill me any time they wished, provided they ever got sober.
They hauled bottles up all day long and tossed them down all night long.
This was very, very dangerous duty due to the total incivility of the Russians. Vopos were nearly as bad but drank less ~ they didn't get paid as well, but they did get a bonus for shooting anyone coming or going.
BTW, we have about 40,000 illegal aliens from Korea within 5 miles of my house. They all vote Republican.
You ready to give that up?
Bravo Sierra. You counted all their votes? How do illegals vote? Are you aiding and abetting them?
Are the 1,000 Minutemen in Arizona "spineless" for not shooting down the 118 illegals that they have spotted so far crossing the border? Are the Minutemen "spineless" for following the letter of the law while in Arizona?
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