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.
In any event the T-Shirt did show a lack of class on the part of these two. If true the MMP should send these two packing IMO.
ping
Well, they paid him $20.
Agreed. Unprofessional.
"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,""
Uh this doesn't seem a little beyond odd to you?
MMK update.
"Critics said the encounter is the first sign that the Minuteman Project is a "sham" meant to humiliate illegal entrants."
"It was nothing but a media sham to mislead the public," she said. "Clearly they misrepresented the situation. They misrepresented themselves."
""It was supposed to be funny," Barton said about the encounter. "
Yea, I'm a little unsure of your position on the immigration issue. Your ambivalence is really annoying. Why don't you try to stop being so wishy washy and take a stand, fer goodness sake.
And who's going to make the decision that they're here illegally? This clown passing out the t-shirts? No thanks. I'll pass.
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,"
"This shows what we've been saying all along," said Jennifer Allen, director of the Border Action Network."
It just don't get anymore convenient than this.
My anger mgmt. class has helped me tone things down a lot...
We simply have got to stop trying to dress these people up like they were barbie dolls!
Oh my how horrible!
I knew a guy, a good guy, who was from Puerto Rico, was married and had 2 or 3 kids; regularly attended church. He loved his cars and used to race them. One time he got pulled over by the cops for speeding, and in order to get out of the ticket he made up, on the spot, a story about how these other guys were chasing him and he was scared, etc. as an explanation. The police escorted him home and did not give him a ticket.
That is what this story reminds me of.
I'm thinking here of the Peace Bridge up at Niagara Falls and somebody going to work on the US side forgot his ID, and now you are going to shoot him dead.
Think of the cars filled with dead bodies getting in everybody's way. That place is bad on a good day!
Yup, do something stupid (it was), and then blame the media for "misrepresenting the situation". It's always someone elses fault.
Being from the east coast, I thought the Minutemen were, in essence, scouts, who called in the border patrol when they encountered illegals; I didn't get the sense that they were going to grab them themselves. Even in writing that, I guess I realize that's naive.
Anyway, the story is getting huge play in the media already, the guy is a moron (sorry) for not recognizing the glare of media spotlights. JMO.
I can, uh, tell.
message to self...stay away from odoso
"the guy is a moron (sorry) for not recognizing the glare of media spotlights. JMO."
I'm not so sure this guy didn't expect a great deal of attention.
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