Posted on 04/07/2005 7:30:08 AM PDT by areafiftyone
TUCSON, Ariz. - Three volunteers patrolling the border for illegal immigrants were being investigated after a man told authorities he was held against his will and forced to pose for a picture holding a T-shirt with a mocking slogan.
The volunteers said they were members of the Minuteman Project — a monthlong effort that has people from around the country fanned out along the border to report undocumented migrants and smugglers. Law enforcement officials have said they fear the project will lead to vigilante violence.
Border Patrol agents called in deputies from the Cochise County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday afternoon to report that an immigrant was detained by three men who identified themselves as project volunteers.
Carol Capas, a sheriff's office spokeswoman, said the 26-year-old Mexican man told agents he was physically restrained and forced to hold a shirt while his picture was taken and he was videotaped.
The shirt read: "Bryan Barton caught an illegal alien and all I got was this T-shirt."
Barton is one of the three volunteers. He told agents that they waved the man over to them, offered him food and water, and gave him the T-shirt and money before the Border Patrol arrived.
"All they did was provide water and wait for the Border Patrol," Minuteman spokesman Grey Deacon said. "What's the big deal?"
Deacon said project organizers were told by sheriff's officials that the incident wasn't a problem. But Capas said the investigation was continuing and authorities were reviewing a videotape that Barton provided to deputies.
"We do not have the time nor the patience for anyone attempting to turn this situation into a three ring circus," Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal immigrants have dropped notably in the Naco area since civilian volunteers began gathering there. Agency spokesmen credit an increased presence by Mexican authorities south of the border and say it's too soon to tell whether the volunteers are having an impact. The volunteers, many of whom were recruited over the Internet, plan to watch the border throughout April and report any illegal activity to federal agents.
Except for Wednesday's incident, Border Patrol officials said the volunteers have remained peaceful. However, they have continued to unwittingly trip sensors that alert the agency to possible intruders, forcing agents to respond to false alarms. Authorities said volunteers' footprints have also made if difficult for agents to track illegal immigrants.
Francisco Garcia, a volunteer for a shelter in Altar, Mexico, some 60 miles south of the Mexico-Arizona border, has said the migrants he has encountered have dismissed the Minutemen simply as "crazy people" — but for migrants' rights activists the situation is worrisome.
"For us, it's clear to see things could get out of control because those in the migration business are not easily intimidated," Garcia said. "We're afraid an aggression could escalate into an international incident."
Garcia probably works for THIS shelter in Altar, Mexico. "Migrants rights activists", indeed. The Minutemen are crazy? Riiiight.
They are not a vigilante group. I refer to them as "undocumented border patrol agents".
Cochise County, Is that not were all the vote fraud takes place?
HUH?????? Where did I miss the violence???
"If the Mexican government has already slowed down the flow by telling illegals not to cross, couldn't they ALSO conceivably have told them to scream about their 'bad' treatment at the hands of the Minutemen?" So you are saying the Mexican government could have been doing this all along, that is to discourage any illegal crossings? Did they print any pamplets on that subject?
How much do you think that Mexico would cost to just buy it?
The Sheriff and the Federal Government better be careful. These are US citizens doing the job that the crappy US Government can seem to do. As far as the Sheriff, careful. The Minute Men are within their rights. Maybe this is a defining moment, just who does this Government belong to?
We all knew false reports by illegals would be the norm, that is why it seems the MMP said to observe and not confront.
Regardless, if they did give him the t-shirt and took a picture, so what? That would be funny as Hell!
That's what I'm wondering about.They held an ILLEGAL ALIEN,on US soil,against his will?And this is a BAD thing?Hell,they gave him money,food,and water,and took a souveneir photograph(gasp!) and THEY'RE the ones being investigated?What about the ILLEGAL?Is he being investigated or was he allowed to just walk away?
Not sure about pamphlets, but here is one about fliers from 'Mexican migrant-aid groups':
Minutemen aside, some migrants undeterred
And here's one about the Mexican police:
Minutemen find few migrants (Police in Mexico discouraging illegal crossings)
Just do a FR search for Minutemen...it brings up lots of info.
The volunteers are only doing those jobs lazy American Government officals dont want to do.
12/9/2002
>>"'I dare the president of the United States to arrest Americans who are protecting their own country,' said Chris Simcox, the teacher-turned-newspaper owner who has formed the Tombstone, Ariz., Militia. 'We will no longer tolerate the ineptness of the government in dealing with these criminals and drug dealers. It is a monumental disgrace that our government is letting the American people down, turning us into the expendable casualties of the war on terrorism,' he said.'"<<
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/803121/posts
No underwear? It has to be underwear to be a crime.
bump
???
If they physically restrained him, that seems rather foolish.
It's questionable if they really did restrain him, but doing so is against the observe and report policy of the Minutemen, and gives fuel to the media and crazed activists.
I doubt their actions would be illegal if they did restrain him.
Having his pose for a picture and video with that T-shirt was stupid. One of the Minutemen's goals is to bring attention to the problem of illegal immigration, and having them pose with a T-shirt is going to give a bad impression to people.
If they forced him to pose with the T-shirt, they may be risking criminal prosecution. I don't know the law in AZ, but I suspect that you are legally allowed to restrain someone suspected of criminal activity until the authorities arrive, however I suspect that any force must be kept at a minimum, and forcing them to pose for pictures may get them in trouble, though it's hard to show how they were harmed by that activity.
"Agency spokesmen credit an increased presence by Mexican authorities south of the border and say it's too soon to tell whether the volunteers are having an impact."
This is our government talking, in case anyone has forgotten (or not realized) whose side they are on.
Bigtime. Here in Nashville yesterday I was taking a secondary road linking the parking lots of a K-Mart and several fast food joints and discovered one closed restaurant had been converted into some sort of mini-Greyhound depot. A bus (Adama?) parked outside was disgorging a load of short, dark-complected people, many using plastic bags and woven containers for luggage.
Seems to me that ICE merely has to wait at this depot behind Nolensville Road and pick up the illegals as they arrive. Off one bus and onto another. No need for all that running around like Vice cops when the "migration business" delivers them right to you.
If only they'd do it.
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